I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 449
To authorize the Gateway Visitor Center at Independence National Historical
Park, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 2, 1999
Mr. BORSKI (for himself, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, and Mr. BRADY of
Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To authorize the Gateway Visitor Center at Independence
National Historical Park, and for other purposes.
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 ‘‘Gateway Visitor Center
Authorization Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) The National Park Service completed and
approved in 1997 a general management plan for
Independence National Historical Park that estab-
lishes goals and priorities for the park’s future.
(2) The general management plan for Inde-
pendence National Historical Park calls for the revi-
talization of Independence Mall and recommends as
a critical component of the Independence Mall’s revi-
talization the development of a new ‘‘Gateway Visi-
tor Center’’.
(3) Such a visitor center would replace the ex-
isting park visitor center and would serve as an ori-
entation center for visitors to the park and to city
and regional attractions.
(4) Subsequent to the completion of the general
management plan, the National Park Service under-
took and completed a design project and master plan
for Independence Mall which includes the Gateway
Visitor Center.
(5) Plans for the Gateway Visitor Center call
for it to be developed and managed, in cooperation
with the Secretary of the Interior, by a nonprofit or-
ganization which represents the various public and
civic interests of the greater Philadelphia metropoli-
tan area.
(6) The Gateway Visitor Center Corporation, a
nonprofit organization, has been established to raise
funds for and cooperate in a program to design, de-
velop, construct, and operate the proposed Gateway
Visitor Center.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author-
ize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative
agreement with the Gateway Visitor Center Corporation
to construct and operate a regional visitor center on Inde-
pendence Mall.
SEC. 3. GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER AUTHORIZATION.
(a) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior, in
administering the Independence National Historical Park,
may enter into an agreement under appropriate terms and
conditions with the Gateway Visitor Center Corporation
(a nonprofit corporation established under the laws of the
State of Pennsylvania) to facilitate the construction and
operation of a regional Gateway Visitor Center on Inde-
pendence Mall.
(b) OPERATIONS OF CENTER.—The Agreement shall
authorize the Corporation to operate the Center in co-
operation with the Secretary and to provide at the Center
information, interpretation, facilities, and services to visi-
tors to Independence National Historical Park, its sur-
rounding historic sites, the city of Philadelphia, and the
region, in order to assist in their enjoyment of the historic,
cultural, educational, and recreational resources of the
greater Philadelphia area.
(c) 
MANAGEMENT-RELATED
ACTIVITIES.—The
Agreement shall authorize the Secretary to undertake at
the Center activities related to the management of Inde-
pendence National Historical Park, including, but not lim-
ited to, provision of appropriate visitor information and
interpretive facilities and programs related to Independ-
ence National Historical Park.
(d) ACTIVITIES OF CORPORATION.—The Agreement
shall authorize the Corporation, acting as a private non-
profit organization, to engage in activities appropriate for
operation of a regional visitor center that may include, but
are not limited to, charging fees, conducting events, and
selling merchandise, tickets, and food to visitors to the
Center.
(e) USE OF REVENUES.—Revenues from activities
engaged in by the Corporation shall be used for the oper-
ation and administration of the Center.
(f) PROTECTION OF PARK.—Nothing in this section
authorizes the Secretary or the Corporation to take any
actions in derogation of the preservation and protection
of the values and resources of Independence National His-
torical Park.
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) 
AGREEMENT.—The 
term 
‘‘Agreement’’
means an agreement under this section between the
Secretary and the Corporation.
(2) CENTER.—The term ‘‘Center’’ means a
Gateway Visitor Center constructed and operated in
accordance with the Agreement.
(3) CORPORATION.—The term ‘‘Corporation’’
means the Gateway Visitor Center Corporation (a
nonprofit corporation established under the laws of
the State of Pennsylvania).
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
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