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I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 3158
To amend title 54, United States Code, to authorize the provision of technical
assistance under the Preserve America Program and to direct the Sec-
retary of the Interior to enter into partnerships with communities adja-
cent to units of the National Park System to leverage local cultural
heritage tourism assets.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 9, 2023
Mrs. PELTOLA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To amend title 54, United States Code, to authorize the
provision of technical assistance under the Preserve
America Program and to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to enter into partnerships with communities ad-
jacent to units of the National Park System to leverage
local cultural heritage tourism assets.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Explore America Act
4
of 2023’’.
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SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
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The purposes of this Act are—
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(1) to strengthen economic development across
3
the United States by supporting cultural heritage
4
tourism and historic preservation activities through
5
the Preserve America Program; and
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(2) to encourage the Director of the National
7
Park Service to partner with gateway communities
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(including Native American communities and Na-
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tional Heritage Areas) to leverage local cultural and
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historic heritage tourism assets.
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SEC. 3. PRESERVE AMERICA GRANT PROGRAM.
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(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 311102 of title 54,
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United States Code, is amended—
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(1) in subsection (d)—
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(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and
16
the Secretary of Commerce’’ after ‘‘Council’’;
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and
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(B) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(3) ADVISORY ROLE OF SECRETARY OF COM-
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MERCE.—The Secretary of Commerce shall advise
21
the program with respect to job creation, economic
22
growth, and tourism policy and promotion.’’; and
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(2) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—For any fiscal year for
1
which funds are not made available to provide grants
2
under this section, to the extent practicable, the pro-
3
gram shall, in lieu of the grants, provide technical
4
assistance to the eligible entities described in sub-
5
section (a) for projects that meet the eligibility re-
6
quirements described in subsection (b), as identified
7
on the list of projects prepared by the Secretary in
8
accordance with subsection (d).
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‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may take
10
into account the availability of staff resources at the
11
Department of the Interior, the Council, and the De-
12
partment of Commerce for purposes of determining
13
the number of projects that are provided technical
14
assistance under this subsection.
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‘‘(3) FORM.—The form of technical assistance
16
under paragraph (1) may include technical assist-
17
ance provided by—
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‘‘(A) the Director, with respect to—
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‘‘(i) best practices in visitor services;
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‘‘(ii) the conduct of research, inven-
21
tories, and surveys;
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‘‘(iii) the documentation of historic re-
23
sources; and
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‘‘(iv) the interpretation and promotion
1
of cultural and heritage assets;
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‘‘(B) the Council, with respect to historic
3
preservation initiatives and best practices in
4
stewardship; and
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‘‘(C) the Secretary of Commerce, with re-
6
spect to economic development and job creation
7
resources.’’.
8
(b) PROGRAM METRICS.—Chapter 3111 of title 54,
9
United States Code, is amended—
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(1) by redesignating section 311105 as section
11
311106; and
12
(2) by inserting after section 311104 the fol-
13
lowing:
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‘‘§ 311105. Reports
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‘‘(a) METRICS.—Not later than 180 days after the
16
date of enactment of the Explore America Act of 2023,
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the Secretary, in consultation with the Council and the
18
Secretary of Commerce, shall develop specific metrics to
19
measure the effectiveness of the program, including—
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‘‘(1) the economic impact of the program on
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local communities (including Native American com-
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munities and National Heritage Areas); and
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‘‘(2) the effect of the program on efforts to pre-
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serve heritage resources.
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‘‘(b) GRANTEE REPORT.—Not later than 2 years
1
after the date on which a grantee receives a grant or tech-
2
nical assistance under this chapter, the grantee shall sub-
3
mit to the Secretary a report that—
4
‘‘(1) describes the outcome of the project that
5
was provided a grant or technical assistance under
6
this chapter; and
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‘‘(2) based on the metrics developed under sub-
8
section (a), assesses—
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‘‘(A) the accomplishments of the project;
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and
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‘‘(B) the impact of the project on the com-
12
munity in which the project was carried out.
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‘‘(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Secretary shall submit
14
an annual report to the appropriate committees of Con-
15
gress that includes data provided by grantees to dem-
16
onstrate the economic impact of the program.’’.
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(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
18
tions for chapter 3111 of title 54, United States Code,
19
is amended by striking the item relating to section 311105
20
and inserting the following:
21
‘‘311105. Reports.
‘‘311106. Authorization of appropriations.’’.
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SEC. 4. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PARTNERSHIPS WITH
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GATEWAY COMMUNITIES.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Subdivision 1 of division B of sub-
3
title III of title 54, United States Code, is amended by
4
adding at the end the following:
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‘‘CHAPTER 3092—PARTNERSHIPS WITH
6
GATEWAY COMMUNITIES
7
‘‘Sec.
‘‘309201. Definitions.
‘‘309202. Partnerships with gateway communities.
‘‘309203. Report.
‘‘309204. Authorization of appropriations.
‘‘§ 309201. Definitions
8
‘‘In this chapter:
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‘‘(1)
APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COM-
10
MITTEE.—The term ‘appropriate congressional com-
11
mittee’ means—
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‘‘(A)
the
Committee
on
Commerce,
13
Science, and Transportation of the Senate;
14
‘‘(B) the Committee on Energy and Nat-
15
ural Resources of the Senate;
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‘‘(C) the Committee on Appropriations of
17
the Senate;
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‘‘(D) the Committee on Energy and Com-
19
merce of the House of Representatives;
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‘‘(E) the Committee on Natural Resources
21
of the House of Representatives; and
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•HR 3158 IH
‘‘(F) the Committee on Appropriations of
1
the House of Representatives.
2
‘‘(2) GATEWAY COMMUNITY.—The term ‘gate-
3
way community’ means a community adjacent to a
4
System unit, including a Native American commu-
5
nity or a National Heritage Area.
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‘‘(3) HERITAGE TOURISM.—The term ‘heritage
7
tourism’ has the meaning given the term in section
8
311101.
9
‘‘§ 309202. Partnerships with gateway communities
10
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, to the ex-
11
tent practicable, offer to enter into partnerships with gate-
12
way communities to leverage heritage tourism assets to
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strengthen local economies and create jobs in the gateway
14
communities with the goal of establishing a standardized
15
framework for partnerships throughout the System, in-
16
cluding through—
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‘‘(1) providing financial assistance to gateway
18
communities to support outreach and promotional
19
efforts;
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‘‘(2) providing technical assistance to gateway
21
communities based on Service best practices in tour-
22
ism development and visitor management, such as—
23
‘‘(A) inventorying tourism resources in the
24
gateway community;
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•HR 3158 IH
‘‘(B) identifying historic heritage and cul-
1
tural resources;
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‘‘(C) engaging collaborative partners and
3
stakeholders;
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‘‘(D) designing community outreach and
5
participation strategies;
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‘‘(E) developing concept plans for trails,
7
parks, historic resources, and natural areas;
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‘‘(F) developing sustainable tourism devel-
9
opment frameworks for community planning;
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and
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‘‘(G) encouraging regional strategies for
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tourism development and promotion; and
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‘‘(3) assisting gateway communities in accessing
14
additional Federal resources available to strengthen
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tourism assets and support economic development.
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‘‘(b) OBTAINING FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL AS-
17
SISTANCE.—The Secretary, in consultation with stake-
18
holders of System units, shall establish a process through
19
which States, units of local government, and Tribal Gov-
20
ernments may apply for designation as a gateway commu-
21
nity to become eligible for financial and technical assist-
22
ance made available under this section.
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‘‘(c) METRICS.—The Secretary, in consultation with
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gateway communities, shall develop metrics to measure
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•HR 3158 IH
the impact of the financial and technical assistance pro-
1
vided to gateway communities under this section.
2
‘‘§ 309203. Report
3
‘‘Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
4
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
5
congressional committees a report that—
6
‘‘(1) describes the efforts of the Secretary to
7
partner with gateway communities under this chap-
8
ter;
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‘‘(2) analyzes the results of the financial and
10
technical assistance using the metrics developed
11
under section 309202(c); and
12
‘‘(3) identifies—
13
‘‘(A) the next steps that should be taken to
14
improve partnerships with gateway commu-
15
nities; and
16
‘‘(B) any actions that the Secretary will
17
take to improve the partnerships.
18
‘‘§ 309204. Authorization of appropriations
19
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
20
as are necessary to carry out this chapter.’’.
21
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of chap-
22
ters for title 54, United States Code, is amended by insert-
23
ing after the item relating to chapter 3091 the following:
24
‘‘3092. Partnerships with gateway communities .........................
309201’’.
Æ
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