113 STAT. 1678 PUBLIC LAW 106-131—DEC. 7, 1999 Public Law 106-131 106th Congress An Act Dec. 7, 1999 To authorize the Gateway Visitor Center at Independence National Historical Park, [H.R. 449] ^^^ ^°^ other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of Gateway Visitor the United States of America in Congress assembled, Authorization SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. Act of 1999 r~i 16 USC 407m This Act may be cited as the "Gateway Visitor Center note. Authorization Act of 1999". 16 USC 407m SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. "°*^' (a) FINDINGS. —The Congress finds the following: (1) The National Park Service completed and approved In 1997 a general management plan for Independence National Historical Park that establishes goals and priorities for the park's future. (2) The general management plan for Independence National Historical Park calls for the revitalization of Independence Mall and recommends as a critical component of the Independence Mall's revitalization the development of a new "Gateway Visitor Center". (3) Such a visitor center would replace the existing park visitor center and would serve as an orientation center for visitors to the park and to city and regional attractions. (4) Subsequent to the completion of the general management plan, the National Park Service undertook and completed a design project and master plan for Independence Mall which includes the Gateway Visitor Center. (5) Plans for the Gateway Visitor Center call for it to be developed and managed, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior, by a nonprofit organization which represents the various public and civic interests of the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area. (6) The Gateway Visitor Center Corporation, a nonprofit organization, has been established to raise funds for and cooperate in a program to design, develop, construct, and operate the proposed Gateway Visitor Center. (b) PURPOSE. —The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Gateway Visitor Center Corporation to construct and operate a regional visitor center on Independence Mall. SEC. 3. GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER AUTHORIZATION. (a) AGREEMENT.— The Secretary of the Interior, in administering the Independence National Historical Park, may enter into
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