H. R. 2617
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 8, 2013
Ms. Edwards (for herself and Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To establish the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park on the Moon, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the
Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy
Congress finds that—
on July 20, 1969,
Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E.
Buzz Aldrin Jr. became the first
people to set foot on another celestial body, during the Apollo 11
between 1969 and 1972, Apollo Missions 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17 all saw American astronauts visit the surface of the Moon;
the 1970 Apollo 13 mission, which was aborted due to a serious malfunction en route to the Moon, also circled the Moon;
the Apollo lunar program was one of the greatest achievements in American history;
as commercial enterprises and foreign nations acquire the ability to land on the Moon it is necessary to protect the Apollo lunar landing sites for posterity; and
establishing the Historical Park under this Act will expand and enhance the protection and preservation of the Apollo lunar landing sites and provide for greater recognition and public understanding of this singular achievement in American history.
The purposes of this Act are—
to preserve and protect for the benefit of present and future generations the nationally significant historic sites associated with the Historical Park;
to preserve and protect for scientific inquiry the artifacts described in section 5(b); and
to improve public understanding of the Apollo program and its legacy through preservation of the historic resources associated with the Apollo lunar landing sites.
In this Act:
Administrator means the Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Apollo lunar landing sites
Apollo lunar landing sites
means all areas of the Moon where astronauts and instruments connected to the
Apollo program between 1969 and 1972 touched the lunar surface.
Historical Park means the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National
Historical Park established under section 5.
Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
Establishment of Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, there shall be established as a unit of the National Park System the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park.
The Historical Park may only be comprised, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Administrator, of—
the artifacts on the surface of the Moon associated with the Apollo 11 mission, which landed on the lunar surface July 20, 1969, at Mare Tranquillitatis;
the artifacts on the surface of the Moon associated with the Apollo 12 mission, which landed on the lunar surface November 19, 1969, at Oceanus Procellarum;
the artifacts on the surface of the Moon associated with the Apollo 13 mission, which had an instrumentality crash land on the lunar surface April 14, 1970;
the artifacts on the surface of the Moon associated with the Apollo 14 mission, which landed on the lunar surface February 5, 1971, at Fra Mauro;
the artifacts on the surface of the Moon associated with the Apollo 15 mission, which landed on the lunar surface July 30, 1971, at Hadley-Apennines;
the artifacts on the surface of the Moon associated with the Apollo 16 mission, which landed on the lunar surface April 21, 1972, at Descartes; and
the artifacts on the surface of the Moon associated with the Apollo 17 mission, which landed on the lunar surface December 11, 1972, at Taurus-Littrow.
The Secretary shall administer the Historical Park in accordance with—
the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
the National Park System Organic Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1 et seq. ); and
the Act of August 21, 1935 ( 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq. ); and
applicable international law and treaties.
General management plan
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Administrator, pursuant to the interagency management agreement entered into under section 7(a), shall jointly complete a general management plan for the Historical Park.
Donations; cooperative agreements
Agreements with other Federal agencies
The Secretary may enter into one or more agreements with the head of a Federal agency to provide public access to, and management, interpretation, and historic preservation of, historically significant Apollo lunar landing site resources under the jurisdiction or control of the Federal agency.
Donations; cooperative agreements
The Secretary may accept donations from, and enter into cooperative agreements with, foreign governments and international bodies, organizations, or individuals to further the purpose of an interagency agreement entered into under paragraph (1) or to provide visitor services and administrative facilities within reasonable proximity to the Historical Park.
Donations to nasa
For the purposes of this Act, the Administrator may accept, hold, administer, and use gifts, bequests, and devises (including labor and services).
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Administrator shall enter into an agreement providing for the primary management of the Historical Park by the Administrator. The agreement shall delineate the respective duties and responsibilities of the Secretary and the Administrator in managing the Historical Park. Responsibilities of the Administrator shall specifically include—
ensuring proper monitoring of the Apollo lunar landing sites;
managing access to the sites, including through coordination with other spacefaring nations and entities; and
in conjunction with the Director of the Smithsonian Institution, ensuring an accurate cataloguing of items in the Historical Park.
The Secretary and the Administrator shall consult with other agencies, as needed, to effectively carry out management of the Historical Park.
World Heritage Site designation
Not later than 1 year after the establishment of the Historical Park, the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator, shall submit the Apollo 11 lunar landing site to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for designation as a World Heritage Site.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to alter or terminate any existing agreements between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Smithsonian Institution concerning the management of National Aeronautics and Space Administration historical artifacts.