Freedom Riders National Historical Park Act

Bill: 114-hr-5882
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3]
Introduced: 2016-07-14
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alabama

Historic sites and heritage areas

Parks, recreation areas, trails

Protest and dissent

Racial and ethnic relations

Travel and tourism

U.S. history
Latest action: action_date: 2016-08-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-07-14
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Freedom Riders National Historical Park Act</b></p> <p>This bill establishes the Freedom Riders National Historical Park in Anniston, Alabama, for the purposes of: (1) arranging for an internationally significant place for public education focused on the Freedom Riders (civil rights activists who rode a Greyhound bus attacked and burned in Anniston on May 14, 1961), civil rights, and the burning of the Freedom Riders' bus; and (2) preserving such historical site for the heritage of that area and as a tourist destination. </p> <p>The park shall be located at 1031 Gurnee Avenue in downtown Anniston at the Greyhound Bus Station site where the attack began and includes the site of the original bus station.</p> <p>The Department of the Interior may acquire additional buildings, assets, lands, and interests for addition to the park. </p> <p>Interior shall complete a general management plan for the park. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5882 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 14, 2016 Mr. Rogers of Alabama introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To establish the Freedom Riders National Historical Park in Anniston, Alabama, as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Freedom Riders National Historical Park Act . 2. Finding Congress finds that on May 4, 1961, a Greyhound bus traveling from Atlanta, Georgia, to Alabama made a routine stop at the Anniston Greyhound station. When the bus stopped in Anniston, Alabama, it was violently attacked by a mob at the Greyhound bus station. As the Freedom Riders bus attempted to continue down the highway it was attacked again and broke down. A fire bomb was thrown inside the bus. The group was able to escape the bus and separate transportation had to be arranged for their continued travel. The violent confrontations the Freedom Riders faced demonstrated to the Nation the struggle for equality and justice. Their brave effort was part of the courageous struggle of the Civil Rights movement. 3. Establishment of the Freedom Riders National Historical Park in Anniston, Alabama (a) Establishment and purpose There is hereby established Freedom Riders National Historical Park in Anniston, Alabama, for the purposes of— (1) providing an internationally significant place for public education focused on the Freedom Riders, Civil Rights, and the bus burning; and (2) preserving the historical site for the heritage of the area and tourist destination. (b) Boundaries The Park is located at 1031 Gurnee Avenue in downtown Anniston, Alabama, at the Greyhound Bus Station site where the attack began on May 14, 1961. The property includes the site of the original bus station. (c) Acquisition of land The Secretary may acquire additional buildings, assets, lands, and interests in lands for addition to the park by donation, transfer, or exchange only. 4. Administration (a) In general The Secretary shall administer the Park in accordance with this Act and laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System. Nothing in this Act shall modify any authority of the United States to carry out Federal laws on Federal land located within the Park. (b) Cooperative agreement The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with Federal, State, City, and other public or nonprofit institutions under which the Secretary may identify, interpret, and provide assistance for the perseveration of non-Federal properties within the Park and at sites in close proximity to the Park, including providing for placement of directional and interpretive signage, exhibits, and technology-based interpretive devices. (c) Management plan Not later than 3 fiscal years after the dates on which funds are first made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the City, shall complete a general management plan for the Park in accordance with applicable laws, including section 100502 of title 54, United States Code. 5. Definitions For the purposes of this Act: (1) City The term City means the city of Anniston, Alabama. (2) Park The term Park means the Freedom Riders National Historical Park. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Interior.