In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''National Underground Railroad
Network to Freedom Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Underground Railroad, which flourished from the end
of the 18th century to the end of the Civil War, was 1 of the
most significant expressions of the American civil rights
movement during its evolution over more than 3 centuries;
(2) the Underground Railroad bridged the divides of race,
religion, sectional differences, and nationality, spanned State
lines and international borders, and joined the American ideals
of liberty and freedom expressed in the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution to the extraordinary actions
of ordinary men and women working in common purpose to free a
people;
(3) pursuant to title VI of Public Law 101-628 (16 U.S.C.
1a-5 note; 104 Stat. 4495), the Underground Railroad Advisory
Committee conducted a study of the appropriate means of
establishing an enduring national commemorative Underground
Railroad program of education, example, reflection, and
reconciliation;
(4) the Underground Railroad Advisory Committee found
that--
(A) although a few elements of the Underground
Railroad story are represented in existing National
Park Service units and other sites, many sites are in
imminent danger of being lost or destroyed, and many
important resource types are not adequately represented
and protected;
(B) there are many important sites that have high
potential for preservation and visitor use in 29
States, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin
Islands;
(C) no single site or route completely reflects and
characterizes the Underground Railroad, since the
Underground Railroad's story and associated resources
involve networks and regions of the country rather than
individual sites and trails; and
(D) establishment of a variety of partnerships
between the Federal Government and other levels of
government and the private sector would be most
appropriate for the protection and interpretation of
the Underground Railroad;
(5) the National Park Service can play a vital role in
facilitating the national commemoration of the Underground
Railroad; and
(6) the story and significance of the Underground Railroad
can best engage the American people through a national program
of the National Park Service that links historic buildings,
structures, and sites, routes, geographic areas, and corridors,
interpretive centers, museums, and institutions, and programs,
activities, community projects, exhibits, and multimedia
materials, in a manner that is both unified and flexible.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to recognize the importance of--
(A) the Underground Railroad;
(B) the sacrifices made by slaves who used the
Underground Railroad in search of freedom from tyranny
and oppression; and
(C) the sacrifices made by the people who helped
those slaves; and
(2) to authorize the National Park Service to coordinate
and facilitate--
(A) Federal and non-Federal activities to
commemorate, honor, and interpret the history of the
Underground Railroad;
(B) the Underground Railroad's significance as a
crucial element in the evolution of the national civil
rights movement; and
(C) the Underground Railroad's relevance in
fostering a spirit of racial harmony and national
reconciliation.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this
Act as the ''Secretary'') shall establish in the National Park Service
a program to be known as the ''National Underground Railroad Network to
Freedom'' (referred to in this Act as the ''National Network''). Under
the program, the Secretary shall--
(1) produce and disseminate appropriate educational
materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or
electronic information;
(2) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and
memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance
under subsection (c); and
(3) create and adopt an official and uniform symbol or
device for the National Network and issue regulations for use
of the symbol or device.
(b) Elements.--The National Network shall include--
(1) any unit or program of the National Park Service
determined by the Secretary to pertain to the Underground
Railroad;
(2) any other Federal, State, local, or privately owned
property pertaining to the Underground Railroad that has a
verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad and that is
included on, or determined by the Secretary to be eligible for
inclusion on, the National Register of Historic Places;
(3) any other governmental or nongovernmental facility or
program of an educational, research, or interpretive nature
that is directly related to the Underground Railroad.
(c) Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.--To
achieve the purposes of this Act and to ensure effective coordination
of the Federal and non-Federal elements of the National Network
referred to in subsection (b) with National Park Service units and
programs, the Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement or
memorandum of understanding with, and provide technical assistance to--
(1) the head of another Federal agency, a State, a
locality, a regional governmental body, or a private entity; or
(2) in cooperation with the Secretary of State, the
Government of Canada, Mexico, or any appropriate country in the
Caribbean.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act--
(1) $500,000 for fiscal year 1998; and
(2) $1,000,000 for each fiscal year thereafter.
National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1997 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish in the National Park Service (NPS) a program to be known as the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom under which the Secretary shall: (1) produce and disseminate educational materials about the Railroad; (2) provide technical assistance to other government agencies, private entities, or the Governments of Canada, Mexico, or any appropriate Caribbean country to ensure coordination of Federal and non-Federal elements of the Network; and (3) regulate use of an official symbol for the Network.
Includes within the Network: (1) NPS units or programs pertaining to the Underground Railroad; (2) Federal, State, local, or privately-owned properties pertaining to the Railroad that have a verifiable connection to it and that are included or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places; and (3) governmental or nongovernmental facilities or programs of educational, research, or interpretive natures that are directly related to such Railroad.
Authorizes appropriations.