Public Law 113-287/Chapter 3083

by U.S. Congress

Chapter 3083—National Underground
Railroad Network to Freedom

• Sec.
• 308301. Definition.
• 308302. Program.
• 308303. Preservation and interpretation of Underground Railroad history, historic sites, and structures.
• 308304. Authorization of appropriations.

§ 308301. Definition

In this chapter, the term “national network” means the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom established under section 308302 of this title.

§ 308302. Program

(a) Establishment; Responsibilities of Secretary.—The Secretary shall establish in the Service the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Under the national network, the Secretary shall—

(1) produce and disseminate appropriate educational materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or electronic information;

(2) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance under subsection (c); and

(3) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or device for the national network and issue regulations for its use.

(b) Elements.—The national network shall encompass the following elements:

(1) All System units and programs of the Service determined by the Secretary to pertain to the Underground Railroad.

(2) Other Federal, State, local, and privately owned properties pertaining to the Underground Railroad that have a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad and that are included on, or determined by the Secretary to be eligible for inclusion on, the National Register of Historic Places.

(3) Other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature that are directly related to the Underground Railroad.

(c) Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.—To achieve the purposes of this chapter and to ensure effective coordination of the Federal and non-Federal elements of the national network with System units and programs of the Service, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding with, and provide technical assistance—

(1) to the heads of other Federal agencies, States, localities, regional governmental bodies, and private entities; and

(2) in cooperation with the Secretary of State, to the governments of Canada, Mexico, and any appropriate country in the Caribbean.

§ 308303. Preservation and interpretation of Underground Railroad history, historic sites, and structures

(a) Authority To Make Grants.—The Secretary may make grants in accordance with this section for the preservation and restoration of historic buildings or structures associated with the Underground Railroad, and for related research and documentation to sites, programs, or facilities that have been included in the national network.

(b) Grant Conditions.—Any grant made under this section shall provide that—

(1) no change or alteration may be made in property for which the grant is used except with the agreement of the property owner and the Secretary;

(2) the Secretary shall have the right of access at reasonable times to the public portions of the property for interpretive and other purposes; and

(3) conversion, use, or disposal of the property for purposes contrary to the purposes of this chapter, as determined by the Secretary, shall result in a right of the United States to compensation equal to all Federal funds made available to the grantee under this chapter.

(c) Matching Requirement.—The Secretary may obligate funds made available for a grant under this section only if the grantee agrees to match, from funds derived from non-Federal sources, the amount of the grant with an amount that is equal to or greater than the grant. The Secretary may waive the requirement if the Secretary determines that an extreme emergency exists or that a waiver is in the public interest to ensure the preservation of historically significant resources.

§ 308304. Authorization of appropriations

(a) Amounts.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this chapter $2,500,000 for each fiscal year, of which—

(1) $2,000,000 shall be used to carry out section 308302 of this title; and

(2) $500,000 shall be used to carry out section 308303 of this title.

(b) Limitation.—No amount may be appropriated for the purposes of this chapter except to the Secretary for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary as set forth in this chapter.