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119-hr-5182119th CongressWALLET

To make improvements in the enactment of title 54, United States Code, into a positive law title and to correct related technical errors.

Sponsored By: Representative Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

Passed House

Summary

Would convert Title 54 into positive law to modernize and consolidate federal historic preservation, parks, recreation, and related housing authorities. It would reorganize chapters, revive some formerly repealed provisions, reestablish Preserve America, reconstitute the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery program, set an Underground Railroad purposes framework, and add acquisition limits such as willing‑seller and anti‑lobbying rules.

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  • Local governments and communities: Creates clearer grant types for urban parks, including capital rehabilitation, innovation, and matching grants, while keeping local matching and participation rules.
  • Historic preservation and tourism partners: Establishes a Preserve America grant and recognition program to support heritage tourism and Federal, State, tribal, and local partnerships.
  • Urban park users and at‑risk youth: Defines program elements like at‑risk youth, maintenance, recovery action grants, and allows funding for security improvements in urban parks.
  • Property owners and land acquisition: Requires acquisitions under the specified chapter to be from willing sellers only and bars use of those funds for lobbying Congress.
  • Federal agencies and practitioners: Fixes typos, updates cross‑references and section numbering, treats restated provisions as continuations of their source law, and preserves existing regulations and actions under the new codification.

*Reduces the amount authorized for Preserve America by $6.5 million.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Grants to fix urban parks

If enacted, the Interior Department would give grants to hard‑pressed cities to fix and improve parks. Money would support youth recreation, add safety items like lights and emergency phones, and rebuild or expand facilities. Cities would also get planning and innovation grants to test new, cost‑effective programs. Most grants would be matching, so local funds would be required.

Housing rules for park staff

The bill would set housing rules for National Park Service field employees. It would expand options to build or repair needed housing and rely on private financing when possible. It would protect funds for long‑term upkeep and cut unneeded government housing. A field employee would include staff assigned to a field unit or others with no feasible local housing, and their families.

Historic preservation updates and cut

This bill would update historic preservation programs. It would authorize a Preserve America program with Interior grants and national recognition for communities and partners. It would cut the amount authorized for that section by $6.5 million for funds not yet appropriated as of the date of enactment of the First State National Historical Park Act. The Park Service would be able to coordinate activities that honor and teach about the Underground Railroad. It would also treat some historic preservation sections as never repealed, effective December 19, 2014.

Clearer rules for land deals

The bill would update park and conservation land rules. For Land and Water Conservation Fund aid, “State” would also include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any State‑approved instrumentality. For certain site purchases, the Secretary would be able to buy an eligible site, but only from willing sellers. None of the money under that section would be allowed to lobby Congress. A statutory date would shift from 2020 to 2025.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

NY • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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