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S 2809 IS
101st Congress
2d Session
S. 2809
To amend the National Trails
System Act to provide for the study and designation of the
Underground Railroad Historic Trail.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED
STATES
June 28 (legislative day, JUNE
11), 1990
Mr. SIMON
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
A BILL
To amend the National Trails System Act to provide for the
study and designation of the Underground Railroad Historic
Trail.
Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is
to study the Underground Railroad and its routes and
operations in order to preserve and interpret this aspect of
American history.
SEC. 2. STUDY.
(a) IN
GENERAL - The Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Director of the National Park Service (referred
to as the ‘Secretary’), shall conduct a study of
alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the
Underground Railroad, the approximate routes taken by slaves
escaping to freedom before the end of the Civil War.
(b)
CONTENTS – The
study required by subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
consideration of
the establishment of a new unit of the national park system;
(2)
consideration of
the establishment of designations for routes and sites used
by the Underground Railroad and alternative means to link
those routes and sites, including routes and sites in Canada
and Mexico;
(3)
recommendations
for cooperative arrangements with State and local
governments, historical organizations, and other entities;
and
(4)
cost estimates
for the alternatives.
(c) PROCEDURE –
The study required by subsection (a) shall be--
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(1) |
conducted
with public involvement and in consultation with the
advisory
committee established by section 4, State and local
officials, scholarly and other interested
organizations, and individuals; |
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(2) |
completed no later than two years after the date of
enactment of this Act; and; |
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(3)
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submitted to the Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate.
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SEC. 3. INTERPRETIVE
HANDBOOK.
Not later than three years
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall prepare and publish an interpretive handbook on the
Underground Railroad in the context of American antebellum
society, including a history of slavery and abolitionism.
SEC. 4. ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
– There is established the Underground Railroad Advisory
Committee (referred to as the ‘Advisory Committee’).
(b) MEMBERSHIP
– (1) The Advisory Committee shall be composed of 9 members
Appointed by the Secretary, of whom—
(A) Three
shall have expertise in African-American history;
(B)
two shall have
expertise in historic preservation;
(C)
one shall have
expertise in American history; and
(D)
three shall be
from the general public.
(2) The Advisory
Committee shall designate one of its members as
chairman.
(c) CONSULTATION
BY THE SECRETARY – The Secretary or the Secretary’s
designee shall, from time to time, but at least on three
occasions, meet and consult with the Advisory
Committee on matters relating to the study conducted
under section 2.
(d) COMPENSATION
- Members of the Advisory Committee shall serve without
pay, but the Secretary may pay expenses reasonably
incurred by members of the Advisory Committee in carrying
out their responsibilities under this Act on vouchers signed
by the chairman.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF
APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this
Act. |
