HR 452 IH

To authorize the establishment of a memorial to former President Ronald Reagan within the area in the District of Columbia referred to in the Commemorative Works Act as `Area I', to provide for the design and construction of such memorial, and for other purposes.

February 6, 2001

Mr. HANSEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

To authorize the establishment of a memorial to former President Ronald Reagan within the area in the District of Columbia referred to in the Commemorative Works Act as `Area I', to provide for the design and construction of such memorial, 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 `Ronald Reagan Memorial Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) Ronald Reagan is an American hero deserving of recognition by this and future generations of Americans and visitors from around the world.

(2) As President, Ronald Reagan initiated policies that won the Cold War, protected and restored freedom and democracy around the globe, lowered taxes on American citizens, tamed the economic threats of inflation and economic stagnation, and ushered in an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity across the Nation, and his contributions merit permanent memorialization.

(3) The legacies of Ronald Reagan include restoring faith in our system of democracy and capitalism, returning pride in being an American, and renewing the honor and decency of the American Presidency, and are deserving of national recognition.

(4) The contributions of former President Ronald Reagan, and his status as a preeminent twentieth-century American statesman and one of the greatest American Presidents, merit and require a permanent memorialization alongside the other great American leaders memorialized on the Mall in the District of Columbia.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF RONALD REAGAN MEMORIAL; LOCATION AND DESIGN.

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF RONALD REAGAN MEMORIAL-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Ronald Reagan Memorial Commission is authorized to establish the Ronald Reagan Memorial in accordance with this Act, on Federal lands administered by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia.

(2) LOCATION- The memorial shall be situated in a location that is--

(A) recommended by the Ronald Reagan Memorial Commission; and

(B) in the area on the Mall west of the Capitol and east of the Lincoln Memorial, and within the area referred to in the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) as Area I.

(b) DUTIES OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL MEMORIAL COMMISSION AND THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR- The National Capital Memorial Commission and the Secretary of the Interior shall assist the members of the Ronald Reagan Memorial Commission--

(1) in the preparation of a recommendation to the Congress of a permanent location for the memorial; and

(2) the selection of a design for the memorial and the grounds of the memorial.

(c) DETAIL OF DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EMPLOYEES- The Secretary of the Interior shall detail to the Ronald Reagan Memorial Commission such support staff as are necessary to assist the members of the commission in carrying out its responsibilities.

(d) BEGINNING OF PROCESS- The Ronald Reagan Memorial Commission shall begin the process of recommending a location and selecting a design for the memorial no later than six months after the date of enactment of this Act.

(e) MARKER-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall erect, at the site approved by the Congress for the memorial, a suitable marker designating the site as the `Future Site of the Ronald Reagan Memorial'.

(2) REQUIREMENTS- The marker shall be--

(A) installed by the Secretary no later than three months after the date of the enactment of a law approving the location for the memorial;

(B) no smaller than three feet square and constructed of durable material suitable to the outdoor environment; and

(C) maintained at the location by the Secretary until the memorial is completed, dedicated, and open to the public.

(f) RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMMEMORATIVE WORKS ACT- Sections 3(c), 7(a)(2), and 8(a)(1) of the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1003(c), 1007(a)(2), 1008(a)(1)) shall not apply to the memorial.

SEC. 4. RONALD REAGAN MEMORIAL COMMISSION.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established a commission, to be known as the Ronald Reagan Memorial Commission. The commission shall--

(1) be comprised of--

(A) the Chairman of the National Capital Memorial Commission;

(B) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives by no later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(C) one member appointed by the majority leader of the Senate by no later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act;

(2) be chaired by one of its members, to be designated jointly by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the majority leader of the Senate;

(3) meet no later than one month after its members are appointed, and at such other times as may be necessary; and

(4) be exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).

(b) DUTIES- The Ronald Reagan Memorial Commission shall--

(1) raise necessary funds from private sector sources to design, construct, and maintain the memorial;

(2) in cooperation with the National Capital Memorial Commission and the Secretary of the Interior, determine and recommend to the Congress a permanent location for the memorial;

(3) select a design for the memorial from proposals solicited and accepted from qualified American architects; and

(4) issue a report to the Congress and the President on its activities every six months after its first meeting, and issue a final report to the Congress and the President, including a recommended location and final design for the memorial, no later than February 6, 2003.

(c) TERMINATION- The commission shall terminate not later than 90 days after completion of the memorial.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) MEMORIAL- The term `memorial' means the Ronald Reagan Memorial authorized by this Act.

(2) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior.

END