CHAPTER 3083—NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM

        

§308301. Definition

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

(Pub. L. 113–287, §3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3234.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
308301	no source.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Purposes of Pub. L. 105–203

Pub. L. 105–203, §2(b), July 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 679, provided that: "The purposes of this Act [see 54 U.S.C. 308301 et seq.] are the following:

"(1) To recognize the importance of the Underground Railroad, the sacrifices made by those who used the Underground Railroad in search of freedom from tyranny and oppression, and the sacrifices made by the people who helped them.

"(2) To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate and facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to commemorate, honor, and interpret the history of the Underground Railroad, its significance as a crucial element in the evolution of the national civil rights movement, and its relevance in fostering the spirit of racial harmony and national reconciliation."

§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.

(Pub. L. 113–287, §3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3234.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
308302	16 U.S.C. 469l–1.	Pub. L. 105–203, §3, July 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 679; Pub. L. 110–229, title III, subtitle G, §361(a)(1), May 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 801.

In subsection (a), the words "a program to be known as" are omitted as unnecessary. The words "national network" are substituted for "program" because of the definition of "national network" in section 308301 of this title and for consistency with subsections (b) and (c).

§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.

(Pub. L. 113–287, §3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3235.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
308303	16 U.S.C. 469l–2.	Pub. L. 105–203, §4, as added Pub. L. 106–291, title I, §150(h), Oct. 11, 2000, 114 Stat. 959; Pub. L. 110–229, title III, subtitle G, §361(a)(2), May 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 801.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Pub. L. 106–291, title I, §150(b), Oct. 11, 2000, 114 Stat. 956, provided that:

"(1) Findings.—Congress finds that—

"(A) the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (hereinafter 'Freedom Center') is a nonprofit organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio in 1995;

"(B) the objectives of the Freedom Center are to interpret the history of the Underground Railroad through development of a national cultural institution in Cincinnati, Ohio, that will house an interpretive center, including museum, educational, and research facilities, all dedicated to communicating to the public the importance of the quest for human freedom which provided the foundation for the historic and inspiring story of the Underground Railroad;

"(C) the city of Cincinnati has granted exclusive development rights for a prime riverfront location to the Freedom Center;

"(D) the Freedom Center will be a national center linked through state-of-the-art technology to Underground Railroad sites and facilities throughout the United States and to a constituency that reaches across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and beyond; and

"(E) the Freedom Center has reached an agreement with the National Park Service to pursue a range of historical and educational cooperative activities related to the Underground Railroad, including but not limited to assisting the National Park Service in the implementation of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act [see 54 U.S.C. 308301 et seq.].

"(2) Purposes.—The purposes of this section are—

"(A) to promote preservation and public awareness of the history of the Underground Railroad;

"(B) to assist the Freedom Center in the development of its programs and facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio; and

"(C) to assist the National Park Service in the implementation of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act (112 Stat. 679; [former] 16 U.S.C. 469l and following) [see 54 U.S.C. 308301 et seq.]."

§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.

(Pub. L. 113–287, §3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3235.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
308304	16 U.S.C. 469l–3.	Pub. L. 105–203, §5, as added Pub. L. 110–229, title III, subtitle G, §361(a)(3), May 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 801.