I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3956
To establish the Freedom National Park in the State of Georgia, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 3, 1994
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia (for himself, Mr. LINDER, Mr. DARDEN, and Mr. GING-
RICH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Natural Resources
A BILL
To establish the Freedom National Park in the State of
Georgia, 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. FREEDOM NATIONAL PARK.
(a) PURPOSE; ESTABLISHMENT.—In order to—
(1) preserve for the benefit of the American
people certain historic sites, structures, and prop-
erties of outstanding national significance associated
with the struggle for civil rights by Americans of Af-
rican descent and the effort to promote international
human rights associated with the Jimmy Carter Li-
brary and Museum and the Carter Presidential
Center;
(2) establish a historic and recreational corridor
in the form of a roadside park surrounding the State
roadway known as the Freedom Parkway, connect-
ing the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic District
with the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, the
Carter Presidential Center, and various Civil War
battle sites associated with the Battle of Atlanta, in-
cluding Copen Hill; and
(3) provide educational, interpretive, and rec-
reational facilities to enhance the enjoyment of visi-
tors to these sites,
there is established Freedom National Park (hereinafter
in this Act referred to as the ‘‘park’’).
(b) DESCRIPTION OF AREA.—The park shall consist
of approximately 165 acres of lands and interests in lands
as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Freedom Na-
tional Park Boundary Concept’’, numbered lll and
dated lll and shall include the area surrounding the
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum and Carter Presi-
dential Center and the corridor immediately adjacent to
the right-of-way of the roadway known as the Freedom
Parkway which connects the Carter Presidential Center
with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic District. The
map shall be on file and available in the offices of the
National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
(c) ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY; AUTHORITY OF SEC-
RETARY; LEASING OF STATE-OWNED LANDS.—The Sec-
retary of the Interior (hereinafter in this Act referred to
as the ‘‘Secretary’’) is hereby authorized to acquire lands
and interests therein, including leasehold interests, within
the boundaries of the park as depicted on the map ref-
erenced in subsection (b), by donation, purchase with do-
nated or appropriated funds, or exchange. All property
owned by the State of Georgia or any political subdivision
thereof may be acquired only by donation or lease agree-
ment conditioned upon use of the land solely for purposes
of a roadside park.
SEC. 2. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall administer
the park in accordance with the provisions of this Act and
the provisions of law generally applicable to the adminis-
tration of units of the National Park System, including
the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to establish a National Park
Service, and for other purposes’’, approved August 25,
1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1, 2, 3, and 4), the Act
of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461–467),
and the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470–470x–6).
(b) ROAD CONSTRUCTION OR USE RESTRICTIONS.—
The Secretary shall not permit the construction or use of
any road within the park which would provide vehicular
access for through traffic, other than the Freedom Park-
way and streets existing on the date of enactment of this
Act nor shall the Secretary permit construction of any
roadways which would have the effect of altering the de-
sign of the Freedom Parkway, except for construction of
such cul-de-sac driveways as may be reasonably necessary
to provide access between the Freedom Parkway and road-
side recreation facilities.
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In furtherance of the
purposes of this Act, the Secretary is author-
ized to enter into cooperative agreements with
State and local governments and with private
owners of properties of natural, historical, or
cultural significance within or in the immediate
vicinity of the park, including (but not limited
to) the resources described in section 1(b), pur-
suant to which the Secretary may—
(A) mark, interpret, restore, or pro-
vide technical assistance for the preserva-
tion and interpretation of such properties;
and
(B) provide assistance, including man-
agement services, program implementation,
and financial assistance consistent with
subsection (a).
(2) 
ACCESS
AND
PROPERTY
ALTER-
ATIONS.—Such agreements may contain (but
need not be limited to) provisions that—
(A) the Secretary, through the Na-
tional Park Service, shall have the right of
access at all reasonable times to all public
portions of the property covered by such
agreement for the purpose of conducting
visitors through such properties and inter-
preting them to the public; and
(B) no changes or alterations may be
made to the properties except by mutual
agreement between the Secretary and the
other parties to such agreements.
(3) SPECIFIC PROVISIONS.—An agreement
entered into under this subsection may contain
specific provisions which outline in detail the
extent of the participation by the Secretary in
the restoration, preservation, interpretation,
and maintenance of such properties not specifi-
cally provided for in paragraph (1).
SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT PLAN.
Within one year after the date on which funds are
first made available for the purposes of preparing a gen-
eral management plan, the Secretary, in consultation with
the State of Georgia and the city of Atlanta, shall develop
and transmit to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives, a general man-
agement plan for the park consistent with the purposes
of this Act, including (but not limited to)—
(1) a general visitor use and interpretive pro-
gram which fully considers the historic and cultural
aspects of the park, including the themes of individ-
ual freedom, civil rights, and human rights;
(2) a statement on the number of visitors and
types of public uses within the park which can be
reasonably accommodated in accordance with the
protection of its resources; and
(3) a general development plan for the park, in-
cluding the estimated cost thereof.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as
may be necessary to carry out this Act.
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