To authorize the establishment of a national database for purposes of identifying, locating, and cataloging the many memorials and permanent tributes to America's veterans.

May 21, 2003

Mr. CAMPBELL introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

To authorize the establishment of a national database for purposes of identifying, locating, and cataloging the many memorials and permanent tributes to America's veterans.

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 `National War Permanent Tribute Historical Database Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) on November 13, 2000, Congress agreed to a resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for cataloging and maintaining public memorials;

(2) there are many thousands of public memorials and permanent tributes throughout the United States and abroad that commemorate military conflicts of the United States and the service of individuals in the Armed Forces;

(3) many of these memorials suffer from neglect and disrepair, and many have been relocated or stored in facilities where the memorials are unavailable to the public and subject to further neglect and damage; and

(4) there exists a need to collect and centralize information regarding the identification, location, and description of these memorials, as no such catalog is available to the public from either the Federal Government or any nongovernmental entity.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF DATABASE.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- In order to locate, identify, and catalog the many thousands of permanent tributes that commemorate the military conflicts of the United States, and the service and sacrifice of individuals in the Armed Forces of the United States, and to make such information readily available for the educational benefit of the public, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may establish and maintain a database known as the National War Permanent Tribute Historical Database.

(b) CONTENT- The database shall contain information on--

(1) the location, history, and background of the permanent tributes;

(2) photographs and other information to enhance the understanding of the permanent tributes;

(3) information about the veterans in whose honor the permanent tributes are dedicated; and

(4) any other information the Secretary considers appropriate and necessary.

(c) PUBLIC ACCESS- The database shall be made accessible to the public, through the Internet or by other means, in a format that permits the public to submit information on permanent tributes for the purpose of updating and expanding the database.

(d) ASSISTANCE- The Secretary of the Interior may seek the assistance of other Federal agencies and the States and their political subdivisions, tribal governments, public or private educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and individuals or other entities that the Secretary considers appropriate in carrying out this Act, and may enter into contracts and cooperative agreements to obtain information or services that assist in the development and implementation of the database.

(e) DEFINITION- As used in this section, the term `permanent tribute' means any statue, structure, or other monument on public property commemorating the service of any person or persons in the Armed Forces.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

Within 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall transmit to Congress a report assessing the efficacy and desirability of establishing a permanent fund within the Treasury for the repair, restoration, and maintenance of the memorials identified and catalogued under section 3. The report shall include recommended criteria regarding appropriate recipients of expenditures from such a fund as well as proposed funding mechanisms and any other information considered by the Secretary to be relevant.

END