S. 3543Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed Senate

Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Establishment Act

Introduced December 14, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 1:45 PM UTC

The bill creates the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument in Oklahoma as part of the National Park System. It aims to preserve, protect, and interpret the Greenwood District, Black Wall Street, and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre for current and future generations. The monument will be managed by the Secretary of the Interior and overseen by an advisory commission.

Key Provisions

  • Establishes the monument as a unit of the National Park System, with boundaries shown on a specified map.
  • Allows the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land within the monument by donation, purchase, or exchange and to enter cooperative agreements for interpretation and education.
  • Requires the Secretary to publish a notice of establishment and to develop a management plan within three years of funding, consulting the advisory commission.
  • Creates an 11‑member advisory commission to advise on development and management, composed of descendants, historic‑preservation experts, and a mayoral appointee; members serve five‑year terms without salary but with travel reimbursement.
  • Sets the commission to operate for ten years after the monument’s establishment.

Legislative Activity

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9 earlier actions
HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

December 18, 2024 • 6:25 PM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

December 14, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

December 14, 2023

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.

May 15, 2024

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

November 19, 2024

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

November 21, 2024

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 602.

November 21, 2024

SenateFloor

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7079; text: CR S7079)

December 17, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 18, 2024

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

December 18, 2024 • 6:01 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

December 18, 2024 • 6:25 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 3543 on the floor

1 Democrat
Benjamin L. Cardin
Sen. Benjamin L. CardinD-MD · Dec 17, 2024

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1607 and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration…

Bill Text

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Latest
Engrossed in SenateIssued December 17, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3543

AN ACT

To establish the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument in the State of Oklahoma, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Establishment Act.

2.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Commission

The term Commission means the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Advisory Commission established by section 5(a).

(2)

Map

The term Map means the map entitled Greenwood Historic District—Black Wall Street National Monument, Proposed Boundary, numbered 196/188,275, and dated August 2024.

(3)

National monument

The term National Monument means the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument established by section 3(a).

(4)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

3.

Establishment of Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

Subject to paragraph (2), there is established the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument in the State of Oklahoma as a unit of the National Park System to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit of present and future generations resources associated with the Historic Greenwood District, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and the role of each in the history of the State of Oklahoma and the United States.

(2)

Conditions of establishment

(A)

Determination by the secretary

The National Monument shall be established on the date the Secretary determines that a sufficient quantity of land or interests in land has been acquired to constitute a manageable park unit.

(B)

Notice

Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary makes a determination under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register notice of the establishment of the National Monument.

(b)

Boundary

The boundary of the National Monument shall be as generally depicted on the Map.

(c)

Map

The Map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

(d)

Acquisition authority

The Secretary may acquire any land or interest in land located within the boundary of the National Monument by—

(1)

donation;

(2)

purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds; or

(3)

exchange.

(e)

Agreements

(1)

In general

The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements, as appropriate, with public or private entities to provide and facilitate, within or outside the boundary of the National Monument, interpretive and educational services, administrative support, and technical assistance relating to the National Monument.

(2)

Marking and interpretation of significant historic or cultural resources

The Secretary may enter into agreements to mark or interpret significant historic or cultural resources or locations on land within the boundary of the National Monument.

(f)

Private property

Nothing in this Act affects the rights of an owner of private property within or adjacent to the National Monument.

4.

Administration

(a)

Administration by Secretary

The Secretary shall administer the National Monument in accordance with—

(1)

this Act; and

(2)

the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System.

(b)

Management plan

(1)

In general

Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a management plan for the National Monument in accordance with section 100502 of title 54, United States Code.

(2)

Consultation

The Secretary shall consult with the Commission on the preparation of the management plan under paragraph (1).

5.

Establishment of Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Advisory Commission

(a)

Establishment

There is established an advisory commission, to be known as the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Advisory Commission.

(b)

Duty

The Commission shall advise the Secretary on matters relating to the development and management of the National Monument, including the construction of visitor service facilities and infrastructure.

(c)

Membership

(1)

Composition

The Commission shall be composed of 11 members, to be appointed by the Secretary, of whom—

(A)

7 members shall be descendants of individuals who lived or worked in the Greenwood District of Tulsa in 1921, to be appointed after consideration of recommendations from interested organizations or individuals;

(B)

3 members shall have experience in the field of historic preservation or the purposes for which the National Monument was established; and

(C)

1 member shall be appointed after consideration of recommendations submitted by the Mayor of Tulsa.

(2)

Terms

A member of the Commission shall be appointed for a term of 5 years.

(3)

Vacancies

Any vacancy on the Commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.

(4)

Successors

Notwithstanding the expiration of a 5-year term of a member of the Commission, a member of the Commission may continue to serve on the Commission until the date on which—

(A)

the member is reappointed by the Secretary; or

(B)

a successor is appointed by the Secretary.

(d)

Chair; bylaws

The Commission shall—

(1)

have a Chair, who shall be elected by the members of the Commission; and

(2)

adopt such bylaws as the Commission considers necessary to carry out the functions of the Commission under this Act.

(e)

Meetings

The Commission shall meet at the call of—

(1)

the Chair; or

(2)

a majority of the members of the Commission.

(f)

Quorum

A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.

(g)

Compensation

(1)

In general

Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.

(2)

Travel expenses

Members of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from the home or regular place of business of the member in the performance of the duties of the Commission.

(h)

Faca nonapplicability

Section 1013(b) of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Commission.

(i)

Termination

The Commission shall terminate 10 years after the date on which the National Monument is established.

Passed the Senate December 17 (legislative day, December 16), 2024.

Secretary