article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``World Trade Center National Memorial Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. (a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows: (1) On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four civilian aircraft, causing two of them to crash into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third into the Pentagon, and a fourth in rural southwest Pennsylvania. (2) Nearly 3,000 people were killed at the World Trade Center site in the most lethal terrorist attack ever committed against the United States. (3) In the months since the historic events of September 11, 2001, thousands of people have visited the World Trade Center site to mourn the dead, to pay tribute to the heroic action and sacrifice of the firefighters, police, emergency personnel, and other responders, and attempt to understand the nature of this attack on the United States. (4) The attack on the World Trade Center resulted in great destruction and damage to homes, churches, schools, and commercial and retail buildings, causing the loss of thousands of jobs and businesses in Lower Manhattan. (5) The human and emotional toll of this attack has been felt across the United States and throughout the world. (6) Many are profoundly concerned about the future disposition of the World Trade Center site, and many citizens, family members, professional organizations, local businesses and residents, and State and local officials have formed coalitions and held forums to provide a voice for all interested and concerned parties. (7) A broad and deep consensus has emerged in the United States that this site is a sacred site that cannot be forgotten and requires the highest form of national recognition. (8) It is appropriate that a national memorial be established at, or proximate to, the World Trade Center site to commemorate the internationally significant events of September 11, 2001, and the lives lost, and that the memorial be designated as a unit of the National Park System. (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as follows: (1) To establish a national memorial at, or proximate to, the World Trade Center site in New York City to commemorate the tragic events of September 11, 2001. (2) To ensure the public has full access to and significant involvement in decisions regarding the location, planning, and design of the national memorial. (3) To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical assistance to the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and to permanently administer the national memorial as a unit of the National Park System for present and future generations. (4) To establish in the Department of the Interior the World Trade Center Memorial Advisory Board to advise the Director of the National Park Service on the management of the memorial. SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the World Trade Center Memorial Advisory Board established in section 7. (2) Corporation.--The term ``Corporation'' means the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, a public agency created to oversee the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site and surrounding area. (3) Governor.--The term ``Governor'' means the Governor of New York. (4) Mayor.--The term ``Mayor'' means the Mayor of New York City. (5) Memorial.--The term ``Memorial'' means a sculpture, structure, or landscape element, including the real property on which it is sited, designed to commemorate the significance to the Nation of the events of September 11, 2001, at or proximate to the World Trade Center site in New York City and designated under section 4. (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. SEC. 4. WORLD TRADE CENTER NATIONAL MEMORIAL. (a) Establishment.--There is authorized to be established as a unit of the National Park System, a national memorial at, or proximate to, the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. The proposed design and boundary of the Memorial shall be determined through a public planning process established by the Corporation and included in the report required by section 5. The final design and boundary of the Memorial shall be approved by the Secretary, the Governor, and the Mayor. (b) Administration.--Upon transfer to the United States by willing sellers of the land upon which the Memorial is to be located, such land and the Memorial shall be administered by the Secretary through the National Park Service, as a unit of the National Park System, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1 through 4), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461-467). SEC. 5. REPORT. (a) Contents.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Corporation shall submit a report to the Secretary, the Governor, and the Mayor for approval. This report shall contain the following: (1) The recommended design and boundary for the Memorial. (2) A description of those considerations incorporated into the boundary and design necessary to permit the effective and efficient management of the Memorial as a unit of the National Park System. (3) A proposal and schedule for the transfer of interests in property as is appropriate to the Secretary. The transfer must ensure that the property upon which the Memorial is to be located is transferred to the United States by willing sellers before construction of the Memorial begins. (4) A description of the processes and opportunities provided for public participation in the development of the report. (5) Any other planning, scheduling, construction, and long- term management issues and recommendations which, in the opinion of the Corporation, merit inclusion in the report. (b) Approval Process.--Not later than 90 days after receiving notification by the Governor and the Mayor of their respective approvals of the report, the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the report. If the Secretary disapproves the report, the Secretary shall advise the Corporation, in writing, of the reasons for such disapproval and shall indicate any recommendations for revisions. Not later than 45 days after receiving any necessary revisions to the report, the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the revised report. (c) Final Report.--The final report approved by the Secretary, the Governor, and the Mayor shall be transmitted to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives. SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. The Secretary is authorized to take the following actions: (1) Upon request by the Corporation, to provide assistance in conducting public meetings and forums. (2) Provide project management assistance for planning, design, and construction activities and in particular, to provide consultation and information permitting the plans and designs included within the report as required in section 5 to incorporate such elements necessary to facilitate the effective and efficient management of the Memorial as a unit of the National Park System. (3) Provide other assistance related to documentation and interpretation of the site and preservation of Memorial artifacts. (4) Acquire from willing sellers the land or interests in land for the Memorial site by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. (5) Administer, through the National Park Service, the Memorial as a unit of the National Park System in accordance with this Act and with the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System. (6) Prepare a charter for the Board established in section 7 to clarify its role and its relationship with the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service. SEC. 7. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL ADVISORY BOARD. (a) Establishment.--Upon transfer of the completed Memorial to the National Park Service, there is established an advisory Board to be known as the ``World Trade Center Memorial Advisory Board''. (b) Duties.--The Board shall operate as an advisor to the National Park Service on the management of the Memorial, taking into consideration input from the public and interested parties. (c) Membership.--The Board shall be composed of 17 members appointed by the Secretary as follows: (1) Two members appointed after consideration of recommendations by each United States Senator from the State of New York. (2) One member appointed after consideration of recommendations by the member of the United States House of Representatives whose district shall encompass the World Trade Center site. (3) Four members appointed after consideration of recommendations by the Mayor, to represent a broad spectrum of interested citizens, agencies, and organizations. (4) Four members appointed after consideration of recommendations by the Governor, to represent a broad spectrum of interested citizens, agencies, and organizations. (5) Six members appointed after consideration of recommendations by the President. (d) Terms.--Members of the Board shall serve for a term of 3 years. Any member of the Board may continue to serve after the expiration of his or her term, until such time as a successor is appointed. Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. (e) Chair.--The members of the Board shall designate 1 of the members as Chair of the Board. (f) Meetings.--The Board shall meet on a regular basis, at least 4 times a year. Notice of meetings shall be published in local newspapers. Board meetings shall be held at locations and in such a manner as to ensure adequate public involvement. (g) Quorum.--A majority of the members serving on the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. (h) Voting.--The Board shall act and advise by a majority vote of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is in attendance. (i) Expenses.--Members of the Board shall serve without compensation, but while engaged in official business shall be entitled to travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in Federal Government service under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. (j) Termination.--The Board shall terminate 60 days after the date upon which the Memorial ceases to be administered by the National Park Service. SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) Construction.--Upon approval of the report required by section 5, the Secretary is authorized to grant such sums as may be necessary to the Corporation for the construction of a permanent Memorial in accordance with the approved report. (b) Matching Requirement.--Funds made available pursuant to subsection (a) shall not exceed 50 percent of the construction cost of the Memorial. (c) Technical Assistance.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the National Park Service, $300,000 for fiscal year 2004 and each fiscal year thereafter to provide technical assistance to the Corporation and to otherwise carry out this Act. (d) Board.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Board such sums as may be necessary to perform its responsibilities under this Act.
summary: World Trade Center National Memorial Act - Authorizes the establishment as a unit of the National Park System of a national memorial at or near the site of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City to commemorate the significance to the Nation of the events of September 11, 2001. Requires the design and boundary of the memorial to be: (1) determined through a public planning process established by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (a public agency created to oversee the rebuilding of the WTC site and surrounding area); and (2) approved by the Secretary of the Interior, the Governor of New York, and the Mayor of New York City..Establishes the World Trade Center Memorial Advisory Board upon transfer of the completed memorial to the National Park Service.