II
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 227
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 13, 2009
Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Mikulski, and Mr. Schumer) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To establish the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, New York, and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as
the Harriet Tubman National Historical
Park and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park
Act
.
Findings; purposes
Findings
Congress finds that—
Harriet Tubman
(born Araminta Minty
Ross)—
was born into slavery in Maryland around 1822;
married John Tubman at age 25;
endured through her youth and young adulthood the hardships of enslaved African-Americans; and
boldly emancipated herself from bondage in 1849;
not satisfied with attaining her own freedom, Harriet Tubman—
returned repeatedly for more than 10 years to the places of her enslavement in Dorchester and Caroline Counties, Maryland; and
under the most adverse circumstances led away many family members and acquaintances to freedom in the northern region of the United States and Canada;
Harriet Tubman was—
called
Moses
by African-Americans and white abolitionists; and
acknowledged as 1
of the most prominent conductors
of the resistance that came to
be known as the Underground Railroad
;
in 1868,
Frederick Douglass wrote that, with the exception of John Brown, Douglass knew
of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to
serve our enslaved people
than Harriet Tubman;
during the Civil War, Harriet Tubman—
was recruited to assist Union troops as a nurse, a scout, and a spy; and
served in Virginia, Florida, and South Carolina, where she is credited with facilitating the rescue of hundreds of enslaved people;
Harriet Tubman established in Auburn, New York, 1 of the first incorporated homes for aged African-Americans in the United States, which, 10 years before her death, she bequeathed to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church;
there are nationally significant resources comprised of relatively unchanged landscapes associated with the early life of Harriet Tubman in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland;
there are nationally significant resources relating to Harriet Tubman in Auburn, New York, including—
the residence of Harriet Tubman;
the Tubman Home for the Aged;
the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church; and
the final resting place of Harriet Tubman in Fort Hill Cemetery;
in developing interpretive programs, the National Park Service would benefit from increased scholarship of the African-American experience during the decades preceding the Civil War and throughout the remainder of the 19th century;
it is fitting and proper that the nationally significant resources relating to Harriet Tubman be preserved for future generations as units of the National Park System so that people may understand and appreciate the contributions of Harriet Tubman to the history and culture of the United States; and
in addition to the properties and resources within the boundary of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, other associated land within the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and proposed additions to the Refuge are—
components of the nationally significant Harriet Tubman landscape; and
essential to the visual, historical, and cultural experiences of the Historical Park.
Purposes
The purposes of this Act are—
to preserve and promote stewardship of the resources in Auburn, New York, and Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, relating to the life and contributions of Harriet Tubman;
to provide for partnerships with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the States of New York and Maryland, political subdivisions of the States, the Federal Government, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and private property owners for resource protection, research, interpretation, education, and public understanding and appreciation of the life and contributions of Harriet Tubman;
to sustain agricultural and forestry land uses in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, that remain evocative of the landscape during the life of Harriet Tubman; and
to establish a competitive grants program for scholars of African-American history relating to Harriet Tubman, the Harriet Tubman historic landscape, and the Underground Railroad.
Definitions
In this Act:
Church
The term Church means the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., of the AME Zion Church located in Auburn, New York, which owns and manages—
the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church;
the Harriet Tubman home;
the Tubman Home for the Aged; and
the land on which those facilities are located.
Historically Black college or university
The term historically Black college or university has the meaning given the term part B institution in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
Predominantly black institution
The term Predominantly Black Institution has the meaning given the term in section 499A(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1099e(c)).
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
Visitor center
The term Visitor Center means the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park Visitor Center to be constructed under section 5(d).
Establishment of harriet tubman national historical park
Establishment
On the execution of easements with the Church, the Secretary shall—
establish the
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park (referred to in this section as the
Historical Park
) in the City of Auburn, New York, as a unit of
the National Park System; and
publish notice of the establishment of the Historical Park in the Federal Register.
Boundary
In general
The Historical Park shall be comprised of structures and
properties associated with the Harriet Tubman home, the Tubman Home for the
Aged, the Church, and the Rectory, as generally depicted on the map entitled
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park—Proposed Boundary
,
numbered ____, and dated
___.
Availability of map
The map described in paragraph (1) shall be available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
Acquisition of land
The Secretary may acquire from willing sellers, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, land or interests in land within the boundary of the Historical Park.
Financial Assistance and cooperative agreements
The Secretary may provide grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with—
the Church for—
historic preservation of, rehabilitation of, research on, and maintenance of properties within the boundary of the Historical Park; and
interpretation of the Historical Park;
the Fort Hill Cemetery Association for maintenance and interpretation of the gravesite of Harriet Tubman; and
the State of New York, any political subdivisions of the State, the City of Auburn, the Church, colleges and universities, and nonprofit organizations for—
preservation and interpretation of resources relating to Harriet Tubman in the City of Auburn, New York;
conducting research, including archaeological research; and
providing for stewardship programs, education, public access, signage, and other interpretive devices at the Historical Park for interpretive purposes.
Interpretation
The Secretary may provide interpretive tours to sites located outside the boundaries of the Historical Park in Auburn, New York, that include resources relating to Harriet Tubman.
General management plan
In general
Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Church, shall complete a general management plan for the Historical Park in accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–7(b)).
Coordination
The Secretary shall coordinate the preparation and implementation of the general management plan for the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park with—
the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Maryland; and
the National Underground Railroad: Network to Freedom.
Establishment of the harriet tubman underground railroad national historical park
Establishment
There
is established as a unit of the National Park System the Harriet Tubman
Underground Railroad National Historical Park (referred to in this section as
the Historical Park
) in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot
Counties, Maryland.
Boundary
In general
The boundary of the Historical Park shall consist of
certain landscapes and associated resources relating to the early life and
enslavement of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, as generally
depicted on the map entitled Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad
National Historical Park—Proposed Boundary
, numbered
____, and dated
_____.
Additional sites
The Secretary, after consultation with landowners, the State of Maryland, and units of local government, may modify the boundary of the Historical Park to include additional resources relating to Harriet Tubman that—
are located within the vicinity of the Historical Park; and
are identified in the general management plan prepared under subsection (g) as appropriate for interpreting the life of Harriet Tubman.
Availability of map
On modification of the boundary of the Historical Park under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall make available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service a revised map of the Historical Park.
Acquisition of land
The Secretary may acquire from willing sellers, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, land or an interest in land within the boundaries of the Historical Park.
Grants
In accordance with section 7(b)(2), the Secretary may provide grants—
to the State of Maryland, political subdivisions of the State, and nonprofit organizations for the acquisition of less than fee title (including easements) or fee title to land in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, within the boundary of the Historical Park; and
on execution of a memorandum of understanding between the State of Maryland and the Director of the National Park Service, to the State of Maryland for the construction of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park Visitor Center on land owned by the State of Maryland in Dorchester County, Maryland, subject to the condition that the State of Maryland provide the Director of the National Park Service, at no additional cost, sufficient office space and exhibition areas in the Visitor Center to carry out the purposes of the Historical Park.
Financial assistance and cooperative agreements
The Secretary may provide grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, the State of Maryland, political subdivisions of the State, nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, and private property owners for—
the restoration or rehabilitation, public use, and interpretation of sites and resources relating to Harriet Tubman;
the conduct of research, including archaeological research;
providing stewardship programs, education, signage, and other interpretive devices at the sites and resources for interpretive purposes; and
the design and construction of the Visitor Center; and
the operation and maintenance of the Visitor Center.
Interpretation
The Secretary may provide interpretive tours to sites and resources located outside the boundary of the Historical Park in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, relating to the life of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
General management plan
In general
Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary, in coordination with the State of Maryland, political subdivisions of the State, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall complete a general management plan for the Historical Park in accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–7(b)).
Coordination
The Secretary shall coordinate the preparation and implementation of the general management plan for the Historical Park with—
the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, New York;
the National Underground Railroad: Network to Freedom;
the Maryland Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park; and
the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway in Dorchester and Caroline Counties, Maryland.
Priority Treatment
The general management plan for the Historical Park
shall give priority to, with the concurrence of the owner of the property, the
adequate protection of, interpretation of, public appreciation for,
archaeological investigation of, and research on Stewart's Canal, the Jacob
Jackson home site, the Brodess Farm, the Ben Ross and Anthony Thompson
properties on Harrisville Road, and the James Cook site, all of which are
privately owned and located in the area identified as the Harriet Tubman
Historic Area
on the map described in subsection (b)(1).
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Interagency agreement
The Secretary shall ensure that, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Park Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service enter into an interagency agreement that—
promotes and mutually supports the compatible stewardship and interpretation of Harriet Tubman resources at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge; and
provides for the maximum level of cooperation between those Federal agencies to further the purposes of this Act.
Effect of act
Nothing in this Act modifies, alters, or amends the authorities of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in the administration and management of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Duties of other federal entities
Any Federal entity conducting, supporting,
permitting, or licensing activities directly affecting nationally significant
land within the area identified as the Harriet Tubman Historic
Area
on the map described in subsection (b)(1) shall—
consult and cooperate with the Secretary with respect to the activities;
identify any alternatives with regard to the proposed activity affecting the Harriet Tubman Historic Area; and
to the maximum extent practicable, conduct, support, permit, or license the activities in a manner that the Secretary determines would not have an adverse effect on the Harriet Tubman Historic Area.
Administration
In general
The Secretary shall administer the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in accordance with this Act and the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System including—
the National Park Service Organic Act (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
Park regulations
Notwithstanding subsection (a), regulations and policies applicable to units of the National Park System shall apply only to Federal land administered by the National Park Service that is located within the boundary of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park.
Authorization of appropriations
In general
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act (other than subsection (b)), including the provision of National Park Service personnel and National Park Service management funds for the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park.
Grants
There are authorized to be appropriated not more than—
$11,000,000 to provide grants to the Church for—
historic preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of resources within the boundary of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park; and
the costs of design, construction, installation, and maintenance of exhibits and other interpretive devices authorized under section 4(d)(1)(B);
$11,000,000 for grants to the State of Maryland, political subdivisions of the State of Maryland, and nonprofit organizations for activities authorized under subsections (d)(1) and (e)(4)(A) of section 5; and
$200,000 for fiscal year 2010 and each fiscal year thereafter for competitive grants to historically Black colleges and universities, Predominately Black Institutions, and minority serving institutions for research into the life of Harriet Tubman and the African-American experience during the years that coincide with the life of Harriet Tubman.
Cost-sharing requirement
Church and visitor center grants
The Federal share of the cost of activities provided grants under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) and any maintenance, construction, or utility costs incurred pursuant to a cooperative agreement entered into under section 4(d)(1)(A) or section 5(e) shall not be more than 50 percent.
Historically black colleges and universities
The Federal share of the cost of activities provided assistance under subsection (b)(3) shall be not more than 75 percent.
Form of non-Federal share
The non-Federal share required under this subsection may be in the form of in-kind contributions of goods or services fairly valued.