Requires the Secretary of the Interior to provide for the interpretation of historical events and activities that occurred in the vicinity of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie, including: (1) the Battle of Sullivan's Island on June 28, 1776; (2) the bombardment of Fort Sumter by Confederate forces on April 12, 1861; (3) the development of the U.S. coastal defense system; and (4) the lives of the free and enslaved workers who built and maintained, the soldiers who defended, and the prisoners held at, the forts.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) repair, paint, remove hazardous substance from, and improve the condition of the Charleston Light; (2) make improvements to the Light only to the extent necessary to provide utility service and maintain the existing structures and historic landscape; and (3) transfer to the Secretary of the Interior administrative jurisdiction over and management of the Light for inclusion in the Park.
[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2865 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2865
To establish Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park in
the State of South Carolina, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 1, 2002
Mr. Thurmond introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park in
the State of South Carolina, 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 ``Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie
National Historical Park Act of 2002''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) Fort Sumter National Monument was established by the
Joint Resolution entitled ``Joint Resolution to establish the
Fort Sumter National Monument in the State of South Carolina'',
approved April 28, 1948 (62 Stat. 204, chapter 239; 16 U.S.C.
450ee), to commemorate historic events in the vicinity of Fort
Sumter, the site of the first engagement of the Civil War on
April 12, 1861;
(2) Fort Moultrie--
(A) was the site of the first defeat of the British
in the Revolutionary War on June 28, 1776; and
(B) was acquired by the Federal Government from the
State of South Carolina in 1960 under the authority of
the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666, chapter 593);
(3) since 1960, Fort Moultrie has been administered by the
National Park Service as part of the Fort Sumter National
Monument without a clear management mandate or established
boundary;
(4) Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie played important roles in
the protection of Charleston Harbor and in the coastal defense
system of the United States;
(5) Fort Moultrie is the only site in the National Park
System that preserves the history of the United States coastal
defense system during the period from 1776 through 1947; and
(6) Sullivan's Island Life Saving Station, located adjacent
to the Charleston Light--
(A) was constructed in 1896; and
(B) is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Charleston light.--The term ``Charleston Light'' means
the Charleston Light and any associated land and improvements
to the land that are located between Sullivan's Island Life
Saving Station and the mean low water mark.
(2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled
``Boundary Map, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National
Historical Park'', numbered 392/80088, and dated November 30,
2000.
(3) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Fort Sumter and Fort
Moultrie National Historical Park established by section 4(a).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of South
Carolina.
SEC. 4. FORT SUMTER AND FORT MOULTRIE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Fort Sumter and Fort
Moultrie National Historical Park in the State as a unit of the
National Park System to preserve, maintain, and interpret the
nationally significant historical values and cultural resources
associated with Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie.
(b) Boundary.--
(1) In general.--The boundary of the Park shall be
comprised of the land, water, and submerged land depicted on
the map.
(2) Availability of map.--The map shall be on file and
available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of
the National Park Service.
(c) Acquisitions.--
(1) Land.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
Secretary may acquire any land or interest in land
(including improvements) located within the boundaries
of the Park by--
(i) donation;
(ii) purchase with appropriated or donated
funds;
(iii) exchange; or
(iv) transfer from another Federal agency.
(B) Limitation.--Any land or interest in land
(including improvements) located within the boundaries
of the Park that is owned by the State (including
political subdivisions of the State) shall be acquired
by donation only.
(2) Personal property.--The Secretary may acquire by
donation, purchase with appropriated or donated funds,
exchange, or transfer from another Federal agency, personal
property associated with, and appropriate for, interpretation
of the Park.
(d) Administration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Director
of the National Park Service, shall administer the Park in
accordance with this Act and the laws generally applicable to
units of the National Park System, including--
(A) the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et
seq.); and
(B) the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et
seq.).
(2) Interpretation of historical events.--The Secretary
shall provide for the interpretation of historical events and
activities that occurred in the vicinity of Fort Sumter and
Fort Moultrie, including--
(A) the Battle of Sullivan's Island on June 28,
1776;
(B)(i) the bombardment of Fort Sumter by
Confederate forces on April 12, 1861; and
(ii) any other events of the Civil War that are
associated with Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie;
(C) the development of the coastal defense system
of the United States during the period from the
Revolutionary War to World War II; and
(D) the lives of--
(i) the free and enslaved workers who built
and maintained Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie;
(ii) the soldiers who defended the forts;
(iii) the prisoners held at the forts; and
(iv) captive Africans bound for slavery
who, after first landing in the United States,
were brought to quarantine houses in the
vicinity of Fort Moultrie in the 18th Century,
if the Secretary determines that the quarantine
houses and associated historical values are
nationally significant.
(e) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements with public and private entities and individuals
to carry out this Act.
SEC. 5. CHARLESTON LIGHT.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of
Transportation shall transfer to the Secretary, for no consideration,
administrative jurisdiction over, and management of the Charleston
Light for inclusion in the Park.
(b) Condition.--Before transferring the Charleston Light under
subsection (a) the Secretary of Transportation shall repair, paint,
remove hazardous substances from, and improve the condition of the
Charleston Light in any other manner that the Secretary may require.
(c) Improvements.--The Secretary shall make improvements to the
Charleston Light only to the extent necessary to--
(1) provide utility service; and
(2) maintain the existing structures and historic
landscape.
SEC. 6. REPEAL OF EXISTING LAW.
Section 2 of the Joint Resolution entitled ``Joint Resolution to
establish the Fort Sumter National Monument in the State of South
Carolina'', approved April 28, 1948 (62 Stat. 204, chapter 239; 16
U.S.C. 450ee-1), is repealed.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7935)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7935-7936)
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