Bill Details
S.432 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-02-05 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced Date
2025-02-05
Policy Area
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Committees
View committees (1)
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
7
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would create a new National Historical Park in New York at Fort Ontario to preserve and tell the story of the 982 World War II refugees who were sheltered there from August 1944 to February 1946. The park would be part of the National Park System, but it would not officially open until the Interior Secretary decides that enough land has been obtained to make it work as a manageable park. The bill also lets the National Park Service work with the state, local groups, and private partners to educate visitors, interpret the site, and help protect important nearby historic resources.
- The park would focus on preserving and sharing the history of the refugees who lived at Fort Ontario during the final years of World War II.
- The Interior Secretary could get land for the park through donation, purchase, or exchange, but land owned by New York State or a local government could only be added if it is donated.
- The Secretary could enter into agreements with public or private groups to provide visitor programs, education, and help with restoring historic or cultural resources near the park.
- A general management plan for the park would have to be completed within 3 fiscal years after money is made available for the project.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 432 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 432
To establish the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National
Historical Park in the State of New York as a unit of the National Park
System, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 5, 2025
Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself and Mr. Schumer) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National
Historical Park in the State of New York as a unit of the National Park
System, 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 Ontario Holocaust Refugee
Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Fort
Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park
Proposed Boundary'', numbered 962/194,681, and dated September
2024.
(2) National historical park.--The term ``National
Historical Park'' means the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee
Shelter National Historical Park established by section
3(a)(1).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of New York.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT ONTARIO HOLOCAUST REFUGEE SHELTER
NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (3), there is
established in the State as a unit of the National Park System
the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical
Park.
(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the National Historical Park
is to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit of
present and future generations resources associated with the
stories of the 982 refugees from World War II who were housed
at Fort Ontario from August of 1944 until February of 1946.
(3) Conditions of establishment.--
(A) Determination by the secretary.--The National
Historical Park shall not be established until the date
on which the Secretary determines that a sufficient
quantity of land or interests in land has been acquired
from land identified as ``Proposed Boundary'' on the
map to constitute a manageable park unit.
(B) Notice.--Not later than 30 days after the date
on which the Secretary makes a determination under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall publish in the
Federal Register notice of the establishment of the
National Historical Park.
(4) Map.--The map shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park
Service.
(5) Boundary.--The boundary of the National Historical Park
shall include any land or interests in land acquired by the
Secretary under this section.
(b) Administration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer the
National Historical Park in accordance with--
(A) this section; and
(B) the laws generally applicable to units of the
National Park System, including--
(i) sections 100101(a), 100751(a), 100752,
100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States
Code; and
(ii) chapters 1003 and 3201 of title 54,
United States Code.
(2) Agreements.--
(A) Cooperative agreements.--In accordance with
section 101702 of title 54, United States Code, the
Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with
the State or other public and private entities to
provide interpretive and educational services within
the National Historical Park.
(B) Interpretation and restoration agreements.--The
Secretary may enter into agreements to identify,
interpret, and restore nationally significant historic
or cultural resources located on non-Federal land
within the boundary of, or in close proximity to, the
National Historical Park.
(C) Public access.--Any cooperative agreement
entered into under subparagraph (B) to provide
assistance to non-Federal land shall provide for
reasonable public access to the non-Federal land.
(3) Acquisition of land.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
Secretary may acquire land and interests in land
located within the boundary of the National Historical
Park by--
(i) donation;
(ii) purchase with donated or appropriated
funds; or
(iii) exchange.
(B) Limitation.--Any land owned by the State or a
political subdivision of the State may be acquired for
inclusion in the National Historical Park only by
donation.
(4) Management plan.--Not later than 3 fiscal years after
the date on which funds are made available to carry out this
section, the Secretary, in consultation with the State, shall
complete a general management plan for the National Historical
Park in accordance with--
(A) section 100502 of title 54, United States Code;
and
(B) any other applicable laws.
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