109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4376
To authorize the National Park Service to enter into a cooperative
agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on behalf of Springfield
Technical Community College, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 17, 2005
Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To authorize the National Park Service to enter into a cooperative
agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on behalf of Springfield
Technical Community College, 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 `Springfield Armory National Historic Site,
Massachusetts Act of 2005.'
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) The Site commemorates the role of the Springfield Armory in the Nation's
military history, a role that the Armory served for almost 200 years.
(2) The role of the Springfield Armory began in 1777, when the site was
selected as the location for a magazine and laboratory for the development,
production and storage of guns and powder during the American Revolution.
(3) Following the American Revolutionary War, in 1794 Congress officially
established the Springfield Armory and for much of the 19th century the
Springfield Armory developed and supplied most of the military small arms
manufactured by the United States for the United States Armed Services.
(4) In addition to its historical role in the development and manufacturing
of small arms, the Springfield Armory was also the site of Shay's Rebellion.
(5) In 1968 the Armory was deactivated as a military installation and
in 1974 Congress established the Springfield Armory National Historic
Site. A portion of the Site is administered by the National Park Service.
The remainder of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, known
as the `Preservation Control Area', is owned and administered by the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts on behalf of Springfield Technical Community College.
(6) The Preservation Control Area contains several historic buildings
that are in a state of disrepair. The deteriorating condition of these
historic buildings threatens to undermine the character and integrity
of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site and their repair, renovation,
maintenance and rehabilitation is essential to the continued preservation
of the Site and its museum and collections.
SEC. 3. PRESERVATION CONTROL AREA DEFINED.
For purposes of this Act, the term `Preservation Control Area' means that
portion of the Site that is owned by the Commonwealth, as defined in the
Memorandum of Understanding Between the United States and the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts dated August 21, 1999.
SEC. 4. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE PRESERVATION CONTROL
AREA.
Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of the Interior, acting through the National Park Service, shall
enter into a cooperative agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
on behalf of Springfield Technical Community College to provide financial
assistance to that college for the purpose of maintaining, preserving, renovating,
and rehabilitating any historic structures within the Springfield Armory
National Historic Site, including historic structures located within the
Preservation Control Area.
END
