9/11 Memorial and Museum Act
Officially: “9/11 Memorial and Museum Act” Read the full text
What it does
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1Short title
This section would let the Act be called the "9/11 Memorial and Museum Act."
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act .
2Definitions
This section would define three terms used in the Act. "National September 11 Memorial & Museum" would mean the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation, Inc., the organization set up to commemorate the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and to honor the victims of those attacks, at the site of the attacks. "Eligible entity" would mean the official organization that, as it exists on the date this Act becomes law, both operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and is a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. "Secretary" would mean the Secretary of Homeland Security.
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2. Definitions In this Act: (1) National September 11 Memorial & Museum The term National September 11 Memorial & Museum means the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation, Inc., established to commemorate the events of, and honor the victims of, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, at the site of such attacks. (2) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means the official organization, as in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, that— (A) operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum; and (B) is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
3One-time grant for National September 11 Memorial & Museum
This section would require the Secretary of Homeland Security, but only if Congress appropriates money in advance for this purpose to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Secretary and Executive Management, to award a one-time grant to the eligible entity, in an amount the Secretary decides, if the Secretary reviews the entity's application and determines the entity meets the required criteria. The grant would have to be used only for the operation, security, and maintenance of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The grant could not be less than $5,000,000 or more than $10,000,000. To be considered, the eligible entity would have to submit an application to the Secretary, at the time, in the manner, and with the information the Secretary requires. If the Secretary determines after reviewing the application that the entity meets the criteria, the Secretary would have to award the grant no later than 90 days after receiving the entity's completed application. In deciding the grant amount, the Secretary would have to consider: the entity's needs and its ability and commitment to use the funds to keep visitors to the Memorial & Museum secure and safe; the number of visitors who would benefit; the entity's ability and commitment to use the funds to preserve the Memorial & Museum's facilities and grounds and to educate future generations; and the entity's ability and commitment to use the funds to increase the number of economically disadvantaged visitors. As a condition of receiving the grant, the eligible entity would have to provide free admission to all facilities and museums associated with the Memorial & Museum for active and retired members of the Armed Forces, individuals who were registered first responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks, and family members of victims of those attacks, and would have to offer dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week. The entity would also have to allow annual federal audits of its financial statements, including revenue from ticket sales, charitable donations, and grants and all spending on salaries and operations, and those audits would be subject to review by the Secretary and would have to be made available to the public. No later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year in which the entity obligates or spends grant funds under this section, the entity would have to submit a report to the House Committees on Natural Resources and Homeland Security and the Senate Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, covering: the amount of grant funds obligated or expended in that fiscal year; the purposes for which those funds were obligated or expended; and any other information the Secretary requires to administer the grant program, as long as the Secretary requested that information from the entity by the last day of that fiscal year. The section would not authorize any additional funds to carry out its requirements, so the grant program would depend entirely on money Congress appropriates in advance for this purpose.
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3. One-time grant for National September 11 Memorial & Museum (a) In general Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose to the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management of the Department of Homeland Security, the Secretary shall award to the eligible entity a grant in an amount determined by the Secretary subject to subsection (c), to be used by such entity solely for the purposes described in subsection (b), if upon review of the application submitted pursuant to subsection (d), the Secretary makes a determination pursuant to subsection (e) that such entity satisfies the criteria required under subsection (f). (b) Purpose The one-time grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be used by the eligible entity for the operation, security, and maintenance of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. (c) Grant amount The one-time grant under this section may not be for less than $5,000,000 or more than $10,000,000. (d) Application To be considered for an award of the one-time grant under this section, the eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (e) Review; deadline for award If the Secretary, after review of the application from the eligible entity, determines that the eligible entity satisfies the criteria under subsection (f), the Secretary shall award the one-time grant to the eligible entity, not later than 90 days after the date of receipt by the Secretary of the completed application submitted by such entity. (f) Criteria In determining the amount of the one-time grant consistent with subsection (c), the Secretary shall consider the following: (1) The needs of the eligible entity, and ability and commitment of such eligible entity to use grant funds, with respect to ensuring the security and safety of visitors at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. (2) The number of visitors to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum who would benefit. (3) The ability and commitment of the eligible entity to use grant funds to— (A) preserve the facilities and grounds of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum; and (B) educate future generations. (4) The ability and commitment of the eligible entity to use grant funds to increase the numbers of economically disadvantaged visitors to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. (g) Condition on receipt of grant As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, the eligible entity shall— (1) provide for— (A) free admission to all facilities and museums associated with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum for active and retired members of the Armed Forces, individuals who were registered first responders to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and family members of victims of such attacks; and (B) dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week; and (2) allow for annual Federal audits of the financial statements of such entity, including revenues associated with ticket sales, charitable donations, grants, and all expenditures on salaries and operations, which shall be subject to review by the Secretary and made available to the public. (h) Reports Not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year for which the recipient obligates or expends funds made available to the recipient pursuant to this section, the recipient shall submit to the Committees on Natural Resources and Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that includes, for the fiscal year covered by the report, each of the following: (1) Information relating to the amount of grant funds obligated or expended for the preceding fiscal year. (2) Information relating to any purposes for which such funds were obligated or expended. (3) Any other information the Secretary may require to effectively administer the one-time grant program under this section, as determined by the Secretary, if not later than the last day of the fiscal year the Secretary notified such entity of such requested information. (i) No additional funds authorized No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this section, and the activities authorized by this section are subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purposes.
Where it is
In the House.