CSS Alabama Preservation Act

CSS Alabama Preservation Act - Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the CSS Alabama (a Confederate warship which was sunk off the coast of France during the Civil War) should be preserved for the benefit of U.S. citizens and other international parties; and (2) the Secretary of State should enter into negotiations with the Government of France to ensure maintenance of U.S. title and interest in the CSS Alabama and to allow the U.S. Government, in cooperation with the French Government, to preserve that vessel and to recover and conserve its artifacts.

Directs the Secretary to conduct all bilateral negotiations regarding that vessel. Makes the Secretary and the Under Secretary responsible for scientific, cultural, and conservation activities directed at such vessel.

Directs the Secretary and Under Secretary to report to the Congress annually concerning the status of such negotiations and activities.

 
HR 1563 IH
101st CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 1563
To preserve the United States' title and interest in the CSS ALABAMA and to
encourage its preservation.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 22, 1989
Mr. DAVIS (for himself, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. TALLON, Mr. GOSS,
Mr. HUTTO, Mr. FIELDS, Mr. COBLE, Mr. MOAKLEY, and Mr. JONES of Georgia)
introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees
on Foreign Affairs and Merchant Marine and Fisheries
A BILL
To preserve the United States' title and interest in the CSS ALABAMA and to
encourage its preservation.
  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 `CSS ALABAMA Preservation Act'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  Congress finds that--
  (1) the CSS ALABAMA is an American Civil War vessel that was commissioned
  on August 24, 1862, by Captain Raphael Semmes, at the direction of Jefferson
  Davis, President of the Confederate States of America;
  (2) on June 19, 1864, after seventy minutes of intense combat with the USS
  KEARSARGE off the coast of France, the CSS ALABAMA sank in waters which
  were then the high seas but are now part of the French territorial sea;
  (3) title to the CSS ALABAMA and her artifacts is vested in and has not
  been abandoned by the United States Government;
  (4) the CSS ALABAMA is an important part of American history and culture
  which transcends regional interests;
  (5) the Government of France and other foreign parties have evinced strong
  interest in the wreck of the CSS ALABAMA;
  (6) the United States State Department has requested the Government of
  France to ensure that no further salvage operations are undertaken without
  the prior approval of the United States Government; and
  (7) the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior and the
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of
  Commerce are recognized as possessing underwater archaeological expertise
  and experience.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  In this Act--
  (1) `CSS ALABAMA' means the sunken vessel CSS ALABAMA, and its cargo,
  ground tackle, deck auxiliaries, masts, rigging, armament, boilers,
  condensers, propulsion machinery, shafting, propeller, furniture, napery,
  cooking utensils, crockery, plate and cutlery, mails and specie, provisions
  and stores, items captured from prizes, crew's personal effects, and all
  other associated artifacts and detritus lying or once lying on the ocean
  floor in its vicinity.
  (2) `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
  National Park Service;
  (3) `Under Secretary' means the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere
  of the Department of Commerce.
SEC. 4. POLICY.
  It is the sense of Congress that--
  (1) the CSS ALABAMA should be preserved for the benefit of the citizens
  of the United States and for other interested international parties;
  (2) the Secretary of State should enter into negotiations with the Government
  of France to ensure that the United States Government continues to maintain
  its title and interest in the CSS ALABAMA and to ensure that the CSS
  ALABAMA is preserved for the benefit of the citizens of the United States.
  (3) the Secretary of State should enter into negotiations with the Government
  of France to allow the United States Government, in cooperation with the
  Government of France, to preserve the CSS ALABAMA from harm, begin the
  recovery and conservation of its artifacts, and conduct other necessary
  activities to explore and preserve the title and interest of the United
  States in this vessel.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.
  (a) Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of State shall conduct all
  bilateral negotiations regarding the CSS ALABAMA.
  (b) The Secretary and the Under Secretary are responsible for all scientific,
  cultural, and conservation activities of the United States directed at
  the CSS ALABAMA, unless, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, these
  activities would be detrimental to relations between the United States
  Government and the Government of France.
SEC. 6. REPORTS.
  (a) Sixty days after enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
  Secretary of State shall prepare and transmit to Congress, the Secretary,
  and the Under Secretary, a report discussing the status of negotiations
  conducted under section 4 until the negotiations are concluded.
  (b) One year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually
  thereafter, the Secretary and the Under Secretary shall prepare and transmit
  to Congress a report on the plans for and status of the activities for
  which they are responsible under section 5 of this Act.