[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2377 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2377
To authorize the White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th
Birthday to establish the National Garden of American Heroes, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 26, 2025
Mr. Mast introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th
Birthday to establish the National Garden of American Heroes, 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 ``National Garden for America's 250th
Anniversary Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL GARDEN OF AMERICAN HEROES.
(a) Establishment.--The Task Force shall--
(1) establish the Garden in accordance with this Act; and
(2) in establishing the Garden, be responsible for any
planning, contracting, implementation of plans, designing,
building, permitting, compliance, and land acquisition or
environmental reviews related to such establishment.
(b) Timeline for Construction of Garden.--
(1) Deadline for commencement.--To the maximum extent
practicable and subject to paragraph (2), the Task Force shall
commence construction of the Garden by not later than July 4,
2026.
(2) Limitation on construction pending approval.--The Task
Force may only commence construction of the Garden after the
Secretary of the Interior approves the location of the Garden.
(c) Location of Garden.--
(1) Authorization of establishment in reserve.--
Notwithstanding section 8908(c) of title 40, United States
Code, the Task Force may establish the Garden in the Reserve.
(2) Authorization of land acquisition.--If the Garden is
not established on Federal land, the Secretary of the Interior
may acquire through purchase, donation, or exchange from a
State, local government, Tribal Government, or private
landowner land on which to establish the Garden.
(d) Individuals Honored.--Notwithstanding section 8903(c) of title
40, United States Code, the Garden may commemorate any individual or
group of individuals.
(e) Private Contributions.--The Task Force shall solicit and accept
private contributions for the Garden.
(f) National Garden Fund.--
(1) In general.--There is hereby established in the
Treasury a fund, to be known as the ``National Garden Fund'',
for the expenses of establishing and maintaining the Garden.
(2) Deposits and credits; obligations.--
(A) In general.--The National Garden Fund shall
consist of--
(i) amounts deposited, and interest and
proceeds credited, under subparagraph (B); and
(ii) obligations obtained under
subparagraph (C).
(B) Deposits and credits.--The Chair of the Task
Force shall deposit in the National Garden Fund the
amounts accepted as contributions under subsection (e).
The Secretary of the Treasury shall credit to the
National Garden Fund the interest on, and the proceeds
from sale or redemption of, obligations held in the
National Garden Fund.
(C) Obligations.--The Secretary of the Treasury
shall invest any portion of the National Garden Fund
that, as determined by the Chair of the Task Force, is
not required to meet current expenses. Each investment
shall be made in an interest-bearing obligation of the
United States or an obligation guaranteed as to
principal and interest by the United States that, as
determined by the Chair of the Task Force, has a
maturity suitable for the National Garden Fund.
(3) Availability of funds.--Such amounts as are necessary
shall be made available from the National Garden Fund to--
(A) the Secretary of the Interior, for the
Secretary to provide administrative support for the
establishment of the Garden;
(B) the Task Force, for the Task Force to establish
the Garden; and
(C) the Director of the National Park Service,
beginning on the date on which the Garden opens to the
public, for the Director to maintain the Garden.
(g) Visitation Fee.--
(1) In general.--The Director may charge a visitation fee
for the Garden if the Director determines that the funds of the
National Garden Fund are insufficient to maintain the Garden.
(2) Use of fee.--Any fees collected under paragraph (1) may
only be used for the maintenance of the Garden.
(h) Reports to Congress.--
(1) Report on establishment of garden.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the
date of enactment of this section, and every 60 days
thereafter until the date that is 1 day before the date
on which the Garden opens to the public, the Task Force
shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the establishment of the Garden,
which shall include information regarding--
(i) prior to the commencement of
construction of the Garden, any proposed
location for the Garden, or a final decision
about such location;
(ii) any plan for the design of the Garden,
and any implementation or planned
implementation of such plan;
(iii) an up-to-date timeline for
establishment of the Garden, including--
(I) prior to the commencement of
construction of the Garden, any
recommendations or initiatives
implemented to enable such commencement
by not later than July 4, 2026; and
(II) after the commencement of
construction of the Garden, a date on
which the Garden plans to open to the
public, recommendations, and any
initiatives related to such date on
which the Garden plans to open to the
public; and
(iv) a detailed and up-to-date budget for
establishing the Garden, including information
on any funds in the National Garden Fund, and
how such funds are used.
(B) Contingency.--If the Task Force determines that
commencement of construction of the Garden by July 4,
2026, is not feasible, then the Task Force shall, not
later than July 4, 2026, submit to Congress a revised
timeline for establishment of the Garden, including a
date on which the Garden plans to open to the public.
(2) Report on maintenance of garden.--Not later than 60
days after the date on which the Garden opens to the public,
and every 60 days thereafter, the Director shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the
maintenance of the Garden, which shall include information
regarding--
(A) the staffing and operations of the Garden;
(B) the conservation and resource management of the
Garden;
(C) visitations to the Garden;
(D) the safety of the public at the Garden;
(E) any security threats or challenges to the
Garden;
(F) any funds in the National Garden Fund, and how
such funds are used; and
(G) any visitation fees collected under
subparagraph (g), and how such fees are used.
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on
Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
(2) Garden.--The term ``Garden'' means the statuary park,
to be known as the National Garden of American Heroes,
described in Executive Order 14189 (90 Fed. Reg. 8849; relating
to celebrating America's 250th birthday) and prior Executive
Orders 13934 (85 Fed. Reg. 41165; relating to building and
rebuilding monuments to American heroes) and 13978 (86 Fed.
Reg. 6809; relating to building the Garden).
(3) Reserve.--The term ``Reserve'' has the meaning given
such term in section 8902 of title 40, United States Code.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such
term in section 6501 of title 31, United States Code.
(5) Task force.--The term ``Task Force'' means the White
House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday
established under Executive Order 14189 (90 Fed. Reg. 8849;
relating to celebrating America's 250th birthday) and prior
Executive Orders 13934 (85 Fed. Reg. 41165; relating to
building and rebuilding monuments to American heroes) and 13978
(86 Fed. Reg. 6809; relating to building the Garden) to
establish the Garden.
(6) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal Government'' has
the meaning given such term in section 421 of the Congressional
Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 658).
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