text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Peopling of America Theme Study 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
  
      (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
              (1) an important facet of the history of the United States 
          is the story of how the United States was populated;
              (2) the migration, immigration, and settlement of the 
          population of the United States--
                      (A) is broadly termed the ``peopling of America''; 
                  and
                      (B) is characterized by--
                              (i) the movement of groups of people across 
                          external and internal boundaries of the United 
                          States and territories of the United States; 
                          and
                              (ii) the interactions of those groups with 
                          each other and with other populations;
              (3) each of those groups has made unique, important 
          contributions to American history, culture, art, and life;
              (4) the spiritual, intellectual, cultural, political, and 
          economic vitality of the United States is a result of the 
          pluralism and diversity of the American population;
              (5) the success of the United States in embracing and 
          accommodating diversity has strengthened the national fabric 
          and unified the United States in its values, institutions, 
          experiences, goals, and accomplishments;
              (6)(A) the National Park Service's official thematic 
          framework, revised in 1996, responds to the requirement of 
          section 1209 of the Civil War Sites Study Act of 1990 (16 
          U.S.C. 1a-5 note; title XII of Public Law 101-628), that ``the 
          Secretary shall ensure that the full diversity of American 
          history and prehistory are represented'' in the identification 
          and interpretation of historic properties by the National Park 
          Service; and
              (B) the thematic framework recognizes that ``people are the 
          primary agents of change'' and establishes the theme of human 
          population movement and change--or ``peopling places''--as a 
          primary thematic category for interpretation and preservation; 
          and
              (7) although there are approximately 70,000 listings on the 
          National Register of Historic Places, sites associated with the 
          exploration and settlement of the United States by a broad 
          range of cultures are not well represented.
      (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
              (1) to foster a much-needed understanding of the diversity 
          and contribution of the breadth of groups who have peopled the 
          United States; and
              (2) to strengthen the ability of the National Park Service 
          to include groups and events otherwise not recognized in the 
          peopling of the United States.
  
  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
          of the Interior.
              (2) Theme study.--The term ``theme study'' means the 
          national historic landmark theme study required under section 
          4.
              (3) Peopling of america.--The term ``peopling of America'' 
          means the migration, immigration, and settlement of the 
          population of the United States.
  
  SEC. 4. NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK THEME STUDY ON THE PEOPLING OF 
                AMERICA.
  
      (a) Theme Study Required.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit 
  to Congress a national historic landmark theme study on the peopling of 
  America.
      (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the theme study shall be to identify 
  regions, areas, trails, districts, communities, sites, buildings, 
  structures, objects, organizations, societies, and cultures that--
              (1) best illustrate and commemorate key events or decisions 
          affecting the peopling of America; and
              (2) can provide a basis for the preservation and 
          interpretation of the peopling of America that has shaped the 
          culture and society of the United States.
      (c) Identification and Designation of Potential New National 
  Historic Landmarks.--
              (1) In general.--The theme study shall identify and 
          recommend for designation new national historic landmarks.
              (2) List of appropriate sites.--The theme study shall--
                      (A) include a list, in order of importance or 
                  merit, of the most appropriate sites for national 
                  historic landmark designation; and
                      (B) encourage the nomination of other properties to 
                  the National Register of Historic Places.
              (3) Designation.--On the basis of the theme study, the 
          Secretary shall designate new national historic landmarks.
      (d) National Park System.--
              (1) Identification of sites within current units.--The 
          theme study shall identify appropriate sites within units of 
          the National Park System at which the peopling of America may 
          be interpreted.
              (2) Identification of new sites.--On the basis of the theme 
          study, the Secretary shall recommend to Congress sites for 
          which studies for potential inclusion in the National Park 
          System should be authorized.
      (e) Continuing Authority.--After the date of submission to Congress 
  of the theme study, the Secretary shall, on a continuing basis, as 
  appropriate to interpret the peopling of America--
              (1) evaluate, identify, and designate new national historic 
          landmarks; and
              (2) evaluate, identify, and recommend to Congress sites for 
          which studies for potential inclusion in the National Park 
          System should be authorized.
      (f) Public Education and Research.--
              (1) Linkages.--
                      (A) Establishment.--On the basis of the theme 
                  study, the Secretary may identify appropriate means for 
                  establishing linkages--
                              (i) between--
                                      (I) regions, areas, trails, 
                                  districts, communities, sites, 
                                  buildings, structures, objects, 
                                  organizations, societies, and cultures 
                                  identified under subsections (b) and 
                                  (d); and
                                      (II) groups of people; and
                              (ii) between--
                                      (I) regions, areas, trails, 
                                  districts, communities, sites, 
                                  buildings, structures, objects, 
                                  organizations, societies, and cultures 
                                  identified under subsection (b); and
                                      (II) units of the National Park 
                                  System identified under subsection (d).
                      (B) Purpose.--The purpose of the linkages shall be 
                  to maximize opportunities for public education and 
                  scholarly research on the peopling of America.
              (2) Cooperative arrangements.--On the basis of the theme 
          study, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of 
          funds, enter into cooperative arrangements with State and local 
          governments, educational institutions, local historical 
          organizations, communities, and other appropriate entities to 
          preserve and interpret key sites in the peopling of America.
              (3) Educational initiatives.--
                      (A) In general.--The documentation in the theme 
                  study shall be used for broad educational initiatives 
                  such as--
                              (i) popular publications;
                              (ii) curriculum material such as the 
                          Teaching with Historic Places program;
                              (iii) heritage tourism products such as the 
                          National Register of Historic Places Travel 
                          Itineraries program; and
                              (iv) oral history and ethnographic 
                          programs.
                      (B) Cooperative programs.--On the basis of the 
                  theme study, the Secretary shall implement cooperative 
                  programs to encourage the preservation and 
                  interpretation of the peopling of America.
  
  SEC. 5. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
  
      The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with 
  educational institutions, professional associations, or other entities 
  knowledgeable about the peopling of America--
              (1) to prepare the theme study;
              (2) to ensure that the theme study is prepared in 
          accordance with generally accepted scholarly standards; and
              (3) to promote cooperative arrangements and programs 
          relating to the peopling of America.
  
  SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
  to carry out this Act.
  
              Passed the Senate August 3, 2001.
  
              Attest:
  
                                                    JERI THOMSON,
  
                                                               Secretary.
target: Peopling of America Theme Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to prepare and submit to Congress a national historic landmark theme study on the peopling of America to identify regions, areas, trails, districts, communities, sites, buildings, structures, objects, organizations, societies, and cultures that: (1) best illustrate and commemorate key events or decisions affecting the peopling of America; and (2) can provide a basis for the preservation and interpretation of the peopling of America that has shaped U.S. culture and society.Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with educational institutions, professional associations, or other knowledgeable entities to prepare the study and promote cooperative arrangements and programs relating to the peopling of America.Authorizes appropriations.
feat_title: A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study on the peopling of America, and for other purposes.