§ 4772. Heritage Center for the National Museum of the United States Army: development and operation

(a)Agreement for Development of Center.— The Secretary of the Army may enter into an agreement with the Army Historical Foundation, a nonprofit organization, for the design, construction, and operation of a facility or group of facilities at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, for the National Museum of the United States Army. The facility or group of facilities constructed pursuant to the agreement shall be known as the Heritage Center for the National Museum of the United States Army (in this section referred to as the “Center”).

(b)Purpose of Center.— The Center shall be used for the identification, curation, storage, and public viewing of artifacts and artwork of significance to the United States Army, as agreed to by the Secretary of the Army. The Center may also be used to support such education, training, research, and associated purposes as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(c)Design and Construction.—

(1) The design of the Center shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Army.

(2) For each phase of the development of the Center, the Secretary may—

(A) accept funds from the Army Historical Foundation for the design and construction of such phase of the Center; or

(B) permit the Army Historical Foundation to contract for the design and construction of such phase of the Center.

(d)Acceptance by Secretary.— Upon the satisfactory completion, as determined by the Secretary of the Army, of any phase of the Center, and upon the satisfaction of any financial obligations incident to such phase of the Center by the Army Historical Foundation, the Secretary shall accept such phase of the Center from the Army Historical Foundation, and all right, title, and interest in and to such phase of the Center shall vest in the United States. Upon becoming the property of the United States, the Secretary shall assume administrative jurisdiction over the Center.

(e)Use of Certain Gifts.—

(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Army, the Commander of the United States Army Center of Military History may, without regard to section 2601 of this title, accept, hold, administer, invest, and spend any gift, devise, or bequest of personal property of a value of $250,000 or less made to the United States if such gift, devise, or bequest is for the benefit of the National Museum of the United States Army or the Center.

(2) The Secretary may pay or authorize the payment of any reasonable and necessary expense in connection with the conveyance or transfer of a gift, devise, or bequest under this subsection.

(f)Lease of Facility.—

(1) Under such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Army considers appropriate, the Secretary may lease portions of the Center to the Army Historical Foundation to be used by the Foundation, consistent with the purpose of the Center, for—

(A) generating revenue for activities of the Center through rental use by the public, commercial and nonprofit entities, State and local governments, and other Federal agencies; and

(B) such administrative purposes as may be necessary for the support of the Center.

(2) The annual amount of consideration paid to the Secretary by the Army Historical Foundation for a lease under paragraph (1) may not exceed an amount equal to the actual cost, as determined by the Secretary, of the annual operations and maintenance of the Center.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall use amounts paid under paragraph (2) to cover the costs of operation of the Center.

(g)Additional Terms and Conditions.— The Secretary of the Army may require such additional terms and conditions in connection with the agreement authorized by subsection (a) as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.

(Added Pub. L. 108–375, div. B, title XXVIII, § 2822(a), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2130.)

Prior Provisions

Prior Provisions

A prior section 4772, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 268, had provided that, when ordered by the President, unappropriated public land could be reserved from entry for an air base, or a field for tests and experiments, for the Army, and that such land and other property of the United States could be designed and used for either of those purposes, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–295, § 1(43)(A), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1298.