I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6703 
To assist in the establishment of an interpretive center and museum in 
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to protect and interpret the history of the 
industrialization of the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2008 
Mr. DENT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To assist in the establishment of an interpretive center and 
museum in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to protect and in-
terpret the history of the industrialization of the United 
States. 
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 Museum of 
Industrial History Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The economic and societal transition of the 
United States from an agricultural to an industrial 
age and its ongoing transformation to a post-indus-
trial society reflect and embody the fundamental 
spirit and ideals of the United States. 
(2) It is crucial that people of the United 
States have the opportunity to learn the history of 
the industrialization of the United States and the 
impact of industrialization on our way of life. 
(3) It is important to preserve the history of in-
dustrialization of the United States for future gen-
erations. 
(4) To ensure the protection, interpretation and 
awareness of the history of the industrialization of 
the United Sates, key structures and artifacts re-
lated to the process of industrialization must be pre-
served and exhibited in an educational museum. 
(5) The site of the former Bethlehem Steel 
Plant, which is the proposed site of the National 
Museum of Industrial History, has a particular rel-
evance to the preservation and awareness of the his-
tory of industrialization. 
(6) On this site— 
(A) the Bethlehem Steel Plant had its be-
ginnings in the 1850s; 
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(B) in 1853, the first commercial zinc pro-
duction began; 
(C) Frederick W. Taylor conducted his 
time and motion studies that became the basis 
for his principles of modern scientific manage-
ment; 
(D) the modern American defense industry 
was born on June 1, 1887, when the Navy 
awarded the first armor plate contract to the 
Bethlehem Iron Company; 
(E) the steel plant produced armor plate 
for the battleships U.S.S. Maine and U.S.S. 
Texas, and for other battleships including the 
U.S.S. Wisconsin; 
(F) high-speed tool steel was perfected; 
and 
(G) in 1908 the 48 Grey Mill became the 
first rolling mill in the United States to produce 
large wide-flange steel beams. 
(7) The site contains the oldest significant re-
mains of bessemer steel production in the United 
States. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to assist 
in the establishment of an interpretive center and museum 
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania— 
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(1) to ensure the protection of historical re-
sources related to industrialization; and 
(2) to interpret the impact of industrialization 
on the history of the United States. 
SEC. 3. INDUSTRIAL HISTORY INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND 
MUSEUM. 
(a) ASSISTANCE.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date on which funds are first made available to carry out 
this section and subject to appropriations, the Secretary 
of the Interior shall seek to enter into an agreement with 
an appropriate entity to provide Federal financial assist-
ance for the development and operation of an interpretive 
center and museum to be located on the western end and 
central core of the former Bethlehem Steel Plant Site in 
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 
(b) PURPOSE OF INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND MU-
SEUM.—The purpose of the interpretive center and mu-
seum under subsection (a) is— 
(1) to preserve, display, and interpret historical 
resources related to industrialization in the United 
States; and 
(2) to promote other historical and cultural re-
sources in the region through activities conducted at 
the interpretive center and museum. 
(c) TERMS OF ASSISTANCE.— 
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(B) PROHIBITED
EXPENSES.—Financial 
assistance provided under this section may not 
be used for— 
(i) the acquisition of items for the 
museum’s collection; 
(ii) administrative expenses; 
(iii) the acquisition of technology pri-
marily used for administrative purposes; or 
(iv) staff salaries for administrative 
activities, expect as provided in subpara-
graph (A)(iii)(IV). 
(2) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary 
shall require the other parties to the agreement 
under subsection (a) to provide an amount of funds 
from non-Federal sources for the purpose described 
in subsection (b) that is at least equal to the amount 
provided by the Secretary under this section. 
(3) AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE; PAYMENT SCHED-
ULE.—The total amount of assistance provided 
under the subsection shall not exceed $25,000,000. 
The Secretary shall make payments of financial as-
sistance under this subsection on an annual basis. 
The first payment shall be made before the end of 
the 30-day period beginning on the date the agree-
ment under subsection (a) is entered into by the 
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Secretary and the appropriate entity. A total of five 
payments shall be made under this section. 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall submit 
annual reports to the Congress during the 5-year pe-
riod beginning on the date funds are first made 
available to carry out this section. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report shall describe— 
(A) the current status of the development 
of the interpretive center and museum; 
(B) the projects and activities funded 
under this section; and 
(C) the balance of unexpended appro-
priated funds available to carry out this section. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $25,000,000 to carry 
out this section. 
(2) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made available 
under paragraph (1) shall remain available until ex-
pended. 
Æ 
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