United States Life-Saving Service Heritage Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Life-Saving Service 
Heritage Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States has a long tradition of heroic 
        efforts to rescue those in peril on the sea.
            (2) Legislation providing appropriations to the Secretary 
        of the Treasury for ``surf boats, rockets, carronades, and 
        other necessary apparatus for the better preservation of life 
        and property from shipwrecks on the coast of New Jersey, 
        between Sandy Hook and Little Egg Harbor'' was approved August 
        14, 1848 (9 Stat. 322), and was subsequently extended to 
        support volunteer lifesaving efforts on the coast of New Jersey 
        between Little Egg Harbor and Cape May, and in other States and 
        territories.
            (3) Legislation providing appropriations to the Secretary 
        of the Treasury ``for the purpose of more effectively securing 
        life and property on the coast of New Jersey and Long Island... 
        and to employ crews of experienced surfmen at such stations'' 
        was approved April 20, 1871 (17 Stat. 12).
            (4) The Life-Saving Service was reorganized by the Congress 
        by enactment of the Act entitled ``An Act to organize the Life-
        Saving-Service'', approved June 18, 1878 (chapter 265; 20 Stat. 
        163).
            (5) America's lifesaving stations and boats were staffed by 
        brave volunteer and professional lifesavers, who risked life 
        and limb to rescue shipwrecked passengers and crews.
            (6) Many surviving Life-Saving Service stations are of rare 
        architectural significance, yet these historic stations are 
        threatened by harsh coastal environments, rapid economic 
        development in the coastal zone, neglect, and lack of resources 
        for their preservation.
            (7) The heroic actions of Life-Saving Service personnel 
        deserve greater recognition, and their contributions to 
        America's maritime and architectural history should be 
        celebrated through a comprehensive preservation program and 
        greater opportunities for the public's education about the 
        heritage of the Life-Saving Service and related private and 
        public organizations.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior to establish a program to inventory, evaluate, 
document, and assist in efforts to restore and preserve surviving 
lifesaving stations and other structures and artifacts dedicated to our 
forefathers' lifesaving efforts.

SEC. 3. UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING SERVICE STATION PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, through the 
National Maritime Initiative of the National Park Service, shall 
establish a program in accordance with this section to inventory, 
evaluate, document, and assist efforts to restore and preserve 
surviving United States Life-Saving Service stations.
    (b) Inventory, Documentation, and Evaluation.--The Secretary, in 
cooperation with the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association, 
shall--
            (1) survey coastal regions of the United States to identify 
        and prepare an inventory of surviving historic lifesaving 
        stations, boats, and other significant lifesaving equipment;
            (2) document the designs of significant existing structures 
        and lifesaving boats for inclusion in the Historic American 
        Building Survey/Historic American Engineering Record Collection 
        in the Library of Congress; and
            (3) evaluate historic lifesaving stations, including--
                    (A) assessing the historic significance, integrity, 
                and condition of surviving historic lifesaving 
                stations;
                    (B) making recommendations for outstanding examples 
                of historic lifesaving stations that should be listed 
                on the National Register of Historic Places, or 
                designated as National Historic Landmarks; and
                    (C) making recommendations for outstanding examples 
                of lifesaving boats to be included in the Historic 
                American Engineering Record Collection.
    (c) Technical Assistance, Educational Materials, Research Aids, and 
Other Information.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) serve as a clearinghouse of information for persons 
        interested in restoring and preserving historic lifesaving 
        stations, their boats, and related lifesaving equipment; and
            (2) make available to the public, including through the 
        Internet, educational materials, research aids, guides, 
        bibliographies, and other information regarding the Life-Saving 
        Service, Revenue Cutter Service, and related organizations that 
        provided humanitarian assistance to shipwrecked mariners and 
        their passengers, including--
                    (A) information on the history and development of 
                the Life-Saving Service, the Revenue Cutter Service, 
                predecessor private and State lifesaving organizations 
                such as the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of 
                Massachusetts, and early Coast Guard lifesaving and 
                lifeboat stations;
                    (B) technical descriptions of lifesaving boats, 
                line-guns, life cars, and beachcarts;
                    (C) the inventory, documentation, and evaluation 
                prepared under subsection (b);
                    (D) guidance and technical assistance in the 
                listing of historic lifesaving and lifeboat stations on 
                the National Register of Historic Places, or their 
                designation as National Historic Landmarks; and
                    (E) guidance and technical assistance in the 
                listing of historic lifesaving boats in the Historic 
                American Engineering Record Collection.
    (d) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, subject to the availability 
        of appropriations, shall make grants to coordinate and assist 
        in the restoration and preservation of historic lifesaving 
        stations, historic lifesaving boats, and other significant 
        lifesaving artifacts.
            (2) Cost share.--The Federal share of the cost of an 
        activity carried out with financial assistance under this 
        subsection shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the 
        activity.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Historic lifesaving station.--The term ``historic 
        lifesaving station'' means any land, structure, equipment, or 
        other physical artifact or facility formerly under the 
        jurisdiction or control of the Life-Saving Service or any 
        earlier private or State organizations, including lifesaving 
        and lifeboat stations, sailors' refuges, shipwreck survivors' 
        cache sites, boats, and beachcarts.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the National Maritime 
        Initiative of the National Park Service.
            (3) U.S. life-saving service heritage association.--The 
        term ``U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association'' means 
        the national nonprofit educational organization by that name 
        established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
        for the purposes and objectives of meeting and preserving 
        America's lifesaving heritage.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary--
            (1) for use in making grants under subsection (d), 
        $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2004; and
            (2) for carrying out the other provisions of this section 
        $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2004.

Summary: Requires the Secretary to: (1) serve as a clearinghouse of information for persons interested in restoring and preserving historic lifesaving stations, boats, and related equipment; and (2) make information regarding the Service, the Revenue Cutter Service, and related organizations that provided humanitarian assistance to shipwrecked mariners and passengers available to the public.
Provides for grants, subject to the availability of appropriations, for coordination and assistance in restoration and preservation of historic lifesaving stations, boats, and other artifacts.
Authorizes appropriations.