Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 4.djvu/789

 PUBLIC LAW 101-607 —NOV. 16, 1990 104 STAT. 3105 Public Law 101-607 101st Congress An Act Nov. 16, 1990 [S. 555] DeSoto Expedition Trail Commission Act of 1990. Research. Historic preservation. 16 USC 1244 note. 16 USC 1244 note. To establish in the Department of the Interior the De Soto Expedition Trail Commission, 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 "De Soto Expedition Trail Commission Act of 1990". SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) FINDINGS.— The Congress finds that— (1) the 450th anniversary of the De Soto expedition and the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landing provide^ appropriate times for the commemoration of this aspect 6f American history; (2) the expedition of Hernando de Soto was the first major European exploration of the interior of the southesistern United States; (3) the chronicles of the expedition provide a rare description of the native societies encountered by the expedition; (4) knowledge gained as a result of the expedition contributed significantly to the subsequent exploration and colonization of the region; (5) discovery of the first winter encampment in Tallahsissee, Florida, is the most recent archeological evidence of the De Soto expedition in the United States; (6) official commemoration of the De Soto expedition will encourage further archeological and historical research, and incresise public awareness of the early historic period of the southeastern United States, including the Native American societies the expedition encountered. 0)) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to establish a Commission to encourage and direct research, and to coordinate the distribution of interpretive materials to the public, regarding the De Soto expedition, the native societies the expedition encountered, and the effects of that contact. SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the purposes of this Act, there is hereby established in the Department of the Interior the De Soto Expedition Trail Commission (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission"). The Commission shall exercise its responsibil- State listing ities and authorities as provided in this Act with respect to that region of the southeastern United States comprising the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "involved States"). The Commission shall 16 USC 1244 note.

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