Rejecting and Eliminating the Foul Use of Symbols Exulting Confederate Principles Act or the REFUSE Confederate Principles Act
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish, within the National Park Service (NPS), a program to be known as the Emancipation Historic Preservation Program to award grants to states and other eligible entities to
Interior shall also provide technical assistance to eligible entities related to these activities.
None of the funds made available by this bill may be used by Interior, the NPS, or an eligible entity for the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction, or new construction of a Confederate symbol.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8095 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8095
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to
provide funds for the removal of Confederate symbols, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 22, 2020
Mr. Rush introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to
provide funds for the removal of Confederate symbols, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Rejecting and Eliminating the Foul
Use of Symbols Exulting Confederate Principles Act'' or the ``REFUSE
Confederate Principles Act''.
SEC. 2. EMANCIPATION HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary, in consultation with
the Director, shall establish, within the National Park Service, a
program to be known as the ``Emancipation Historic Preservation
Program'' to--
(1) award grants to eligible entities in accordance with
this section to--
(A) remove a Confederate symbol;
(B) remove and replace a Confederate symbol with an
alternative monument, memorial, statue, commemorative
structure, symbol, or signage;
(C) remove and replace a Confederate symbol with an
alternative monument, memorial, statue, commemorative
structure, symbol, or signage to commemorate or depict
the freedom of enslaved African Americans; and
(D) remove and transfer a Confederate symbol to a
State historic preservation program as defined in
section 60.3 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations;
and
(2) provide technical assistance to eligible entities
related to the activities described in paragraph (1).
(b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to applications that include activities described
in subsection (a)(1)(C) and (a)(1)(D).
(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require, including--
(1) a plan for how the eligible entity will use grant funds
to carry out one or more of the activities described in
subsection (a)(1);
(2) if the application is for activities described in
subsection (a)(1)(C), information demonstrating the relevance
of the eligible entity's application to activities described in
subsection (a)(1)(C); and
(3) if the application is for activities described in
subsection (a)(1)(D), information identifying the eligible
entity as a State historic preservation program as defined in
section 60.3 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations for
activities described in subsection (a)(1)(D).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to provide grants under this section,
$15,000,000 for each fiscal year through 2030, of which $9,000,000 for
each fiscal year shall be made available to State historic preservation
programs as defined in section 60.3 of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations, for costs related to the removal, transfer, and storage of
Confederate symbols under subsection (a)(1)(D).
SEC. 3. LIMITATIONS ON USE OF FUNDS.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the
Secretary, the Director, or an eligible entity for the preservation,
rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction, or new construction of a
Confederate symbol.
SEC. 4. REPORTS.
(a) Grantee Reports to Secretary and Director.--Not later than 90
days after the earlier of the date of expiration of a project period or
the completion of a project, each entity that receives a grant under
this Act shall submit to the Secretary and the Director a final report
containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(b) Annual Report to Congress.--Not later than October 31 of each
calendar year after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report of the progress of the grant program
established pursuant to this Act.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Confederate symbol.--The term ``Confederate symbol''
includes--
(A) a Confederate flag; or
(B) a monument, memorial, statue, commemorative
structure, symbol, or signage that honors a Confederate
leader, Confederate soldier, the Confederate States of
America, or the Confederacy in general.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Park Service.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State;
(B) a political subdivision of a State, including--
(i) a city; and
(ii) a county;
(C) a territory or insular possession of the United
States;
(D) the District of Columbia;
(E) an Indian Tribe (which has the meaning given
the term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304));
(F) a special purpose district, including park
districts;
(G) an academic institution; or
(H) a State historic preservation program, as
defined in section 60.3 of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.
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