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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7936 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7936
To prepare the National Park Service for America's Semiquincentennial
by revaluating and recommitting to efforts to protect and sustain the
resiliency of our Nation's cultural resources for the enjoyment,
wellbeing, and education of all present and future generations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2024
Mr. Tonko introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prepare the National Park Service for America's Semiquincentennial
by revaluating and recommitting to efforts to protect and sustain the
resiliency of our Nation's cultural resources for the enjoyment,
wellbeing, and education of all present and future generations.
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 ``Cultural Resource Challenge Act of
2024''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE CULTURAL RESOURCE CHALLENGE.
(a) Requirements.--The Director of the National Park Service
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Director'') shall enhance
cultural resources work within the National Park System, including--
(1) reviewing, updating, and improving access to National
Park Service guidance for cultural resource identification,
management, maintenance, preservation, restoration, and
documentation, digitization, interpretation, communication,
education;
(2) advancing the identification, management, maintenance,
preservation, restoration, and documentation, digitization,
interpretation, communication, education of cultural resources
within the National Park System;
(3) assessing gaps in the National Park System, National
Historic Landmarks, and the National Register of Historic
Places programs regarding sites related to underrepresented
groups and resource types, and identify and implement
strategies and initiatives for their inclusion;
(4) identifying and filling critical workforce vacancies
within parks, the regions, and the Washington Support Office to
ensure an effective and efficient program of cultural resource
management;
(5) encouraging skill-sharing between parks and regional
offices, and external groups to meet critical training needs
and facilitate cross-learning;
(6) providing relevant training and technical guidance to
State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Historic
Preservation Offices, National Heritage Area System units,
certified local governments, Federal preservation officers,
government agencies, and others;
(7) promoting an interdisciplinary research approach to
addressing critical resource management issues, including
climate change, sustainability, and geographic information
system standards, including through increased coordination
between cultural and natural resource research and science
programs; and
(8) other projects or programs as determined appropriate by
the Director.
(b) Progress.--No later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress, an update on the
progress meeting requirements under subsection (a).
SEC. 3. CULTURAL RESOURCE CHALLENGE RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Planning Grants.--
(1) Awards.--The Director shall carry out a program of
awarding grants to assist eligible entities in the preparation
of an application for a grant under subsection (b), including
community engagement, project planning and design, and
capacity.
(2) Amount.--The amount of a grant under paragraph (1),
with respect to any organization seeking such a grant shall not
exceed $75,000.
(b) Program and Project Grants.--
(1) Awards.--The Director shall carry out a program of
awarding grants, on a competitive basis, to improve the
resiliency of our Nation's cultural resources, including by--
(A) advancing the identification, management,
maintenance, preservation, restoration, and
documentation, digitization, interpretation,
communication, education of cultural resources,
including supporting baseline research;
(B) creating or supporting the operation of
integrated data systems that maximize the accessibility
of cultural resource inventory, evaluation,
documentation, and treatment information;
(C) providing relevant training and technical
guidance to State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal
Historic Preservation Offices, National Heritage Area
System units, certified local governments, Federal
preservation officers, government agencies, and others;
and
(D) implementing other relevant projects or
programs as determined appropriate by the Director.
(2) Eligible entities.--To be eligible for a grant under
this Act, and entity shall be, or be partnered with, a State,
Local, Tribal, territorial government, an educational
institution, a Tribal historic preservation office, a State
historic preservation office, or a non-profit organization.
(3) Cost-share.--The Federal share of a grant awarded under
the Program may not exceed 80 percent of total cost of the
project.
(4) Waiver for cost-share requirement.--The Director may
waive the limitation in paragraph (3) for certain projects--
(A) that are in collaboration with Tribal Historic
Preservation Offices, federally recognized Indian
Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations; and
(B) with minimal costs under $10,000.
(c) Prioritization.--In awarding the grants under this section, the
Secretary shall prioritize projects that--
(1) consider and address the role of climate change in
protecting our Nation's cultural resources;
(2) expand and improve support to Native American, Native
Hawaiian, and Alaskan Natives, minority, and other
underrepresented groups involved in national historic
preservation programs and the preservation of their culture;
(3) support or engage storytelling and oral history to
support intangible heritage and knowledge; and
(4) incorporate an effort to engage and empower future
generations in historic preservation, history, and archeology
programs.
SEC. 4. CULTURAL RESOURCES CAREER ACADEMY.
(a) In General.--The Director shall develop a comprehensive
Cultural Resource Career Academy curriculum to provide cultural
resource management training to all park managers and staff with
responsibilities for managing and preserving cultural resources. In
developing this curriculum, the Director shall include training on--
(1) the role of climate change in protecting our Nation's
cultural resources;
(2) best practices for the preservation of cultural
resources from Native American, minority, and other
underrepresented communities, including cultural competency for
community engagement;
(3) how storytelling and oral history can support
intangible heritage and knowledge; and
(4) best practices for how to engage the next and future
generations in historic and cultural resource preservation,
reflection, and celebration.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to amounts
otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Director for fiscal
year 2025, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated,
$20,000,000 to remain available until expended, to carry out subsection
(a).
SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Director shall submit to Congress, and release to the public, a report
on the progress of carrying out this Act. The report shall include--
(1) a summary of the status projects and programs
undertaken or implemented;
(2) explanation for how National Park Service offices have
coordinated and prioritized efforts to advance management of
cultural resources; and
(3) an explanation of how the Director selected grants
using the criteria in section 3.
SEC. 6. STATE OF OUR CULTURAL RESOURCES REPORT.
(a) Content.--Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, in
collaboration with the Director, shall complete and publish a report on
the State of the cultural resources of the United States, including--
(1) a summary of relevant documents and guidance prepared
by the National Park Service for the management of cultural
resources;
(2) a summary of efforts to protect cultural heritage from
the impacts of climate-related risks;
(3) an assessment of remaining cultural resources workforce
and workforce gaps of the National Park Service;
(4) needs for future funding; and
(5) a summary of partnerships between the National Park
Service and other agencies and entities to restore, protect,
and promote the cultural resources of the United States.
(b) External Engagement.--In writing the report required under
subsection (a), the Director and the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation shall engage with, credit, and compensate necessary
relevant external experts.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary to carry out this Act $250,000,000 for fiscal years 2025
through 2030.
(b) Limitation on Use of Funds.--No funds made available for this
Act may be--
(1) taken from the existing and future Historic
Preservation Fund;
(2) used to acquire lands or interest in lands by the
Federal Government; or
(3) used for projects involving demolition of cultural
resources.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
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