I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 444
To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to the
National Lighthouse Center and Museum.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 6, 2001
Mr. FOSSELLA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal
charter to the National Lighthouse Center and Museum.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Lighthouse
Center and Museum Act’’.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE CENTER AND MUSEUM.
Part B of subtitle II of title 36, United States Code,
is amended by inserting after chapter 1519 the following
new chapter:
‘‘CHAPTER 1520—NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE
CENTER AND MUSEUM
‘‘Sec.
‘‘152001. Organization.
‘‘152002. Purposes.
‘‘152003. Operation of museum.
‘‘152004. Membership.
‘‘152005. Governing body.
‘‘152006. Powers.
‘‘152007. Restrictions.
‘‘152008. Duty to maintain corporate and tax-exempt status.
‘‘152009. Records and inspection.
‘‘152010. Service of process.
‘‘152011. Liability for acts of officers and agents.
‘‘152012. Annual report.
‘‘152013. Definitions.
‘‘§ 152001. Organization
‘‘(a) FEDERAL CHARTER.—The National Lighthouse
Center and Museum, incorporated in New York, is a feder-
ally chartered corporation.
‘‘(b) EXPIRATION OF CHARTER.—If the corporation
does not comply with any provision of this chapter, the
charter granted by this chapter expires.
‘‘§ 152002. Purposes
‘‘The purposes of the corporation are as provided in
its constitution and bylaws and include the following pur-
poses:
‘‘(1) To collect, preserve, and interpret objects
related to the history and technology of lighthouses
located, in the past or present, at sites throughout
the United States.
‘‘(2) To research, document, and disseminate
information on the history and technology of Amer-
ican lighthouses.
‘‘(3) To create and maintain an archive of arti-
facts and materials related to American lighthouses.
‘‘(4) To foster research of American lighthouse
history.
‘‘(5) To serve as a contact point for public in-
quiry and assistance with respect to American light-
house history, research, education, collections, and
programs.
‘‘(6) To celebrate America’s lighthouse heritage
through educational programs, publications, films,
festivals, living history, lighthouse trails, con-
ferences, and other such offerings.
‘‘(7) To support other existing and future light-
house museums, organizations, and sites.
‘‘(8) To establish partnerships with other orga-
nizations to attain the above goals.
‘‘(9) To engage in any lawful act or activity
necessary to further the purposes of the corporation
under this section.
‘‘§ 152003. Operation of museum
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The corporation shall operate a
museum to be known as the National Lighthouse Center
and Museum at the site of the former United States
Lighthouse Depot located at what is now known as St.
George, Staten Island, New York.
‘‘(b) STORAGE FACILITY.—The corporation shall op-
erate a storage facility located at or near the site described
in subsection (a) for the care, conservation, and mainte-
nance of artifacts in the collection of the corporation.
‘‘(c) SUPPORT TO OTHER MUSEUMS.—The corpora-
tion shall provide support to other museums that interpret
the history of aids to navigation in the United States.
‘‘(d) DESIGNATION OF COLLECTION.—The collection
of artifacts of the National Lighthouse Center and Mu-
seum shall be known as the National Lighthouse Collec-
tion.
‘‘(e) EXCLUSIVE RIGHT.—The corporation shall have
the sole and exclusive right to use, in carrying out its pur-
poses, the name ‘National Lighthouse Center and Mu-
seum’ and the sole and exclusive right to the use of its
corporate seal, emblems, and badges as adopted by the
corporation.
‘‘§ 152004. Membership
‘‘Eligibility for membership in the corporation and
the rights and privileges of members are as provided in
the constitution and bylaws of the corporation.