S. 2543: National Heritage Partnership Act

108th Congress · introduced 2004-06-17 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2004-06-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Thomas, Craig [R-WY] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

National Heritage Partnership Act

Plain summary

National Heritage Partnership Act - (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a National Heritage Areas program under which the Secretary shall provide technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment of National Heritage Areas. Describes the Secretary's duties, including conducting studies, providing technical assistance, and submitting annual reports. (Sec. 4) Specifies the criteria that the Secretary shall apply to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating proposed Areas. States that designation of an Area shall be: (1) by Act of Congress; and (2) contingent on the prior completion of a study and an affirmative determination by the Secretary that the area meets such criteria. (Sec. 5) Sets forth requirements for Area management plans. Instructs local coordinating entities to submit plans to the Secretary for approval. Prohibits a local coordinating entity from using Federal funds authorized by this Act to implement an amendment until the Secretary approves the amendment. (Sec. 6) Requires such an entity to submit annual reports to the Secretary for each fiscal year for which the local coordinating committee receives Federal funds under this Act. Bars local coordinating entities from using Federal funds authorized under this Act to acquire any interest in real property. (Sec. 7) Specifies this Act's effect with regard to: (1) the provision of technical or financial assistance by other Federal agencies; (2) the management or use of Federal land by other Federal agencies; and (3) specified private property and regulatory protections. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations. Terminates the authority of the Secretary to provide financial assistance to an individual local coordinating entity (excluding technical assistance and administrative oversight) 15 years after the initial receipt of the assistance by the local coordinating committee. Limits to five percent the amount of funds that may be used by the Secretary for technical assistance, oversight, and administration. Requires grant recipients to provide, as a condition of receiving a grant under this Act, matching funds from non-Federal sources equal to the grant amount.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

National Heritage Partnership Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Thomas, Craig [R-WY] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 2543, National Heritage Partnership Act (2004-07-19); CBO cost estimate: S. 2543, National Heritage Partnership Act (2004-07-19)

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108s2543.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/s>

Record fed-us-cong108-s2543 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108