Constitution Heritage Act of 1988
PL 100-433 (H.R.1939), enacted 09/16/1988

102 STAT. 1640 
PUBLIC LAW 100-433—SEPT. 16, 1988 
Public Law 100-433 
100th Congress 
An Act 
Sept. 16, 1988 
[H.R. 1939] 
Constitution 
Heritage Act 
of 1988. 
Conservation. 
Historic 
preservation. 
16 u s e 407aa 
note. 
16 u s e 407aa. 
Education. 
16 u s e 407bb. 
Public 
information. 
To provide for continuing interpretation of the Constitution in appropriate units of 
the National Park System by the Secretary of the Interior, and to establish 
a National center for the United States Constitution within the Independence 
National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Constitution Heritage Act of 1988". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that: 
(1) 1987 was the bicentennial of the signing of the United 
States Constitution; 
(2) commemoration 
of 
the 
Constitution's 
bicentennial 
included various events conducted by the Federal Commission 
on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, and State 
and local bicentennial commissions; 
(3) bicentennial activities included important educational and 
instructional programs to heighten public awareness of the 
Constitution and the democratic process; 
(4) educational programs for the Constitution should continue 
after the bicentennial to document its profound impact on the 
political, economic and social development of this Nation, and 
in order to recognize those Americans instrumental in the 
history of the Constitution; and 
(5) units of the National Park System preserve and interpret 
key historic sites that document the history of the origins, 
subsequent development, and effects of the United States Con-
stitution on this Nation. 
(b) PURPOSES.—It is therefore the policy of the Congress to provide 
each of the following: 
(1) the necessary resources to develop a national resource 
center to undertake, on an ongoing basis, educational programs 
on the Constitution; 
(2) exhibits of, and an archives for, programs on or related to 
the recent bicentennial of the United States Constitution; and 
(3) interpretation of the United States Constitution at those 
units of the National Park System particularly relevant to its 
history. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTER 
(a) EsTABUSHMENT B
Y SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.—The Secretary 
of the Interior Oiereafter in this Act referred to as the "Secretary') 
shall establish The National Constitution Center Oiereafter in this 
Act referred to as the "Center") within or in close proximity to the 
Independence National Historical Park. The Center shall dissemi-
nate information about the United States Constitution on a non-
PUBLIC LAW 100-433—SEPT. 16, 1988 
102 STAT. 1641 
partisan basis in order to increase the awareness £ind understanding 
of the Constitution among the American people. 
(b) FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTER.—The functions of the Center shall 
include— 
(1) serving £is a center of exhibits and related materials on the 
history and contemporary significance of the Constitution; 
(2) directing a national program of public education on the Education. 
Constitution; issuing traveling exhibits, commissioning radio 
and television progreuns, furnishing materials for the schools, 
and providing other education services; 
(3) functioning as an intellectual center, drawing both aca-
demics and practitioners to debate and refine constitutional 
issues and, at the same time, providing intellectual support for 
the Center's exhibits and public education program; and 
(4) creating archives for programs on the bicentennial of the 
United States Constitution. 
SEC. 4. ACQUISITION OF SITE FOR AND OPERATION OF THE CENTER. 16 USC 407cc. 
(a) PROVIDING A SITE.—The Secretary through the General Serv-
ices Administration, is authorized to provide, upon adequate re-
imbursement, a site, including necessary structures, for the Center 
b y -
(1) using an existing structure or modifying an existing struc-
ture for use; or 
(2) constructing a new structure to house the Center. The 
Secretary may acquire such land as is necessary to provide a 
site for the Center. 
0)) PROVISION OF FUNDS TO THE CENTER.—The Secretary is au-
thorized to make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements, 
contracts or leases with the National Constitution Center, Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania, which shall operate the Center as provided in 
this Act in order to carry out the purposes of this Act. Funds 
authorized to be appropriated under this Act may be made available 
to the National Constitution Center only to the extent that they are 
matched by such entity with funds from nonfederal sources. 
SEC. 5. DIRECTIVES TO SECRETARY. 
16 USC 407dd. 
(a) 
INDEPENDENCE 
NATIONAL 
HISTORICAL 
PARK 
AND OTHER 
UNITS.—The Secretary shall interpret the origins, subsequent devel-
opment, and effects of the United States Constitution on this coun-
try at Independence National Historical Park and at such other 
units of the National Park System as are closely associated with the 
Constitution. The Secretary shall select not less than 12 units of the 
National Park System for such interpretation, including Independ-
ence National Historical Park. 
(b) MEMORIAL.—The Secretary is authorized to establish and 
maintain at Independence National Historical Park an appropriate 
memorial to the United States Constitution as a key document in 
our Nation's history. 
(c) PuBuc MATERIALS.—In coordination with the National Con-
stitution Center, the Secretary shall develop and make available to 
the public interpretive and educational materials related to sites 
within the National Park System as referred to in subsection (a). 
(d) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary may enter into 
cooperative agreements with the owners or administrators of his-
toric sites closely associated with the Constitution, pursuant to 
Grants. 
Contracts. 
102 STAT. 1642 
PUBLIC LAW 100-433—SEPT. 16,1988 
Contracts. 
16 use 407ee. 
which the Secretary may provide technical sissistance in the 
preservation and interpretation of such sites. 
(e) RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.—The Secretary shall contract with 
the National Constitution Center and other qualified institutions of 
higher learning for research and other activities including the 
distribution of interpretive and educational materials as appro-
priate in order to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
(f) Nothing in this section may be construed to alter or waive the 
requirement that the Secretary maintain the historic integrity of 
units of the National Park System, including compliance with sec-
tion 106 of the Historic Preservation Act (90 Stat. 1320) as amended. 
SEC. 6. FUNDING. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
Approved September 16, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE fflSTORY—H.R. 1939: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 100-107 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 100-450 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 133 (1987): May 27, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 134 (1988): Aug. 9, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Sept. 8, House concurred in Senate amendments.