March 31, 2025
Mr. Ruiz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To establish the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park in the States of California and Arizona, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings and purpose
(a) Findings
Congress finds that—
(1)
on October 8, 2012, the César E. Chávez National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation 8884 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note) for the purposes of protecting and interpreting the nationally significant resources associated with the property in Keene, California, known as Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz
;
(2)
Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz—
(A)
served as the national headquarters of the United Farm Workers; and
(B)
was the home and workplace of César E. Chávez, the family of César E. Chávez, union members, and supporters of César E. Chávez;
(3)
while the César E. Chávez National Monument marks the extraordinary achievements and contributions to the history of the United States by César Chávez and the farmworker movement, there are other significant sites in the States of California and Arizona that are important to the story of the farmworker movement; and
(4)
in the study conducted by the National Park Service entitled César Chávez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment
and submitted to Congress on October 24, 2013, the National Park Service—
(A)
(i)
found that several sites associated with César E. Chávez and the farmworker movement—
(I)
are suitable for inclusion in the National Park System; and
(II)
depict a distinct and important aspect of the history of the United States not otherwise adequately represented at existing units of the National Park System; and
(ii)
recommended that Congress establish a national historical park to honor the role that César E. Chávez played in lifting up the lives of farmworkers; and
(B)
(i)
found that the route of the 1966 march from Delano to Sacramento, California, meets National Historic Landmark criteria;
(ii)
recommended that the potential for designation of the route as a national historic trail be further explored; and
(iii)
indicated that the National Park Service could work with partner organizations and agencies to provide for interpretation programs along the route of the 1966 march from Delano to Sacramento, California.
(b) Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to establish the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park—
(1)
to help preserve, protect, and interpret the nationally significant resources associated with César Chávez and the farmworker movement;
(2)
to interpret and provide for a broader understanding of the extraordinary achievements and contributions to the history of the United States made by César Chávez and the farmworker movement; and
(3)
to support and enhance the network of sites and resources associated with César Chávez and the farmworker movement.
Sec. 3. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Historical park
The term historical park means the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park established by section 4.
(2) Map
The term Map means the map entitled Cesar E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park Proposed Boundary
, numbered 502/179857B, and dated September 2022.
(3) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(4) States
The term States means—
(A)
the State of California; and
(B)
the State of Arizona.
(5) Study
The term Study means the study conducted by the National Park Service entitled César Chávez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment
and submitted to Congress on October 24, 2013.
Sec. 4. César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park
(a) Redesignation of César E. Chávez National Monument
(1) In general
The César E. Chávez National Monument established on October 8, 2012, by Presidential Proclamation 8884 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note) is redesignated as the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park
.
(2) Availability of funds
Any funds available for the purposes of the monument referred to in paragraph (1) shall be available for the purposes of the historical park.
(3) References
Any reference in a law, regulation, document, record, map, or other paper of the United States to the monument referred to in paragraph (1) shall be considered to be a reference to the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park
.
(b) Boundary
(1) In general
The boundary of the historical park shall include the area identified as César E. Chávez National Monument
in Keene, California, as generally depicted on the Map.
(2) Inclusion of additional sites
Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary may include within the boundary of the historical park the following sites, as generally depicted on the Map:
(A)
The Forty Acres in Delano, California.
(B)
Santa Rita Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
(C)
McDonnell Hall in San Jose, California.
(3) Conditions for inclusion
A site described in paragraph (2) shall not be included in the boundary of the historical park until—
(A)
the date on which the Secretary acquires the land or an interest in the land at the site; or
(B)
the date on which the Secretary enters into a written agreement with the owner of the site providing that the site shall be managed in accordance with this Act.
(4) Notice
Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary includes a site described in paragraph (2) in the historical park, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register notice of the addition to the historical park.
(c) Availability of Map
The Map shall be available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
(d) Land acquisition
The Secretary may acquire land and interests in land within the area generally depicted on the Map as Proposed NPS Boundary
by donation, purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
(e) Administration
(1) In general
The Secretary shall administer the historical park in accordance with—
(A)
this section; and
(B)
the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
(i)
section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States Code; and
(ii)
chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code.
(2) Interpretation
The Secretary may provide technical assistance and public interpretation of historic sites, museums, and resources on land not administered by the Secretary relating to the life of César E. Chávez and the history of the farmworker movement.
(3) Cooperative agreements
The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the States, local governments, public and private organizations, and individuals to provide for the preservation, development, interpretation, and use of the historical park.
(f) General management plan
(1) In general
Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary shall prepare a general management plan for the historical park in accordance with section 100502 of title 54, United States Code.
(2) Additional sites
(A) In general
The general management plan prepared under paragraph (1) shall include a determination of whether there are—
(i)
sites located in the Coachella Valley in the State of California that were reviewed in the Study that should be added to the historical park;
(ii)
additional representative sites in the States that were reviewed in the Study that should be added to the historical park; or
(iii)
sites outside of the States in the United States that relate to the farmworker movement that should be linked to, and interpreted at, the historical park.
(B) Recommendation
On completion of the preparation of the general management plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives any recommendations for additional sites to be included in the historical park.
(3) Consultation
The general management plan under paragraph (1) shall be prepared in consultation with—
(A)
any owner of land that is included within the boundaries of the historical park; and
(B)
appropriate Federal, State, and Tribal agencies, public and private organizations, and individuals, including—
(i)
the National Chávez Center; and
(ii)
the César Chávez Foundation.
Sec. 5. Farmworker Peregrinación National Historical Trail study
Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(50) Farmworker Peregrinación National Historic Trail
The Farmworker Peregrinación National Historic Trail, a route of approximately 300 miles taken by farmworkers between Delano and Sacramento, California, in 1966, as generally depicted as
Alternative Cin the study conducted by the National Park Service entitledCésar Chávez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessmentand submitted to Congress on October 24, 2013.