The Secretary, acting through the Director, for the purpose of effectuating the policy expressed in section 320101 of this title, has the powers and shall perform the duties set out in this section.

The Secretary shall secure, collate, and preserve drawings, plans, photographs, and other data of historic and archeologic sites, buildings, and objects.

The Secretary shall make a survey of historic and archeologic sites, buildings, and objects for the purpose of determining which possess exceptional value as commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States.

The Secretary shall make necessary investigations and researches in the United States relating to particular sites, buildings, and objects to obtain accurate historical and archeological facts and information concerning the sites, buildings, and objects.

The Secretary may, for the purpose of this chapter, acquire in the name of the United States by gift, purchase, or otherwise any property, personal or real, or any interest or estate in property, title to any real property to be satisfactory to the Secretary. Property that is owned by any religious or educational institution or that is owned or administered for the benefit of the public shall not be acquired without the consent of the owner. No property shall be acquired or contract or agreement for the acquisition of the property made that will obligate the general fund of the Treasury for the payment of the property, unless Congress has appropriated money that is available for that purpose.

The Secretary may contract and make cooperative agreements with States, municipal subdivisions, corporations, associations, or individuals, with proper bond where considered advisable, to protect, preserve, maintain, or operate any historic or archeologic building, site, or object, or property used in connection with the building, site, or object, for public use, regardless whether the title to the building, site, object, or property is in the United States. No contract or cooperative agreement shall be made or entered into that will obligate the general fund of the Treasury unless or until Congress has appropriated money for that purpose.

The Secretary shall restore, reconstruct, rehabilitate, preserve, and maintain historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and property of national historical or archeological significance and where considered desirable establish and maintain museums in connection with the sites, buildings, objects, and property.

The Secretary shall erect and maintain tablets to mark or commemorate historic or prehistoric places and events of national historical or archeological significance.

The Secretary may operate and manage historic and archeologic sites, buildings, and property acquired under this chapter together with land and subordinate buildings for the benefit of the public and may charge reasonable visitation fees and grant concessions, leases, or permits for the use of land, building space, roads, or trails when necessary or desirable either to accommodate the public or to facilitate administration. The Secretary may grant those concessions, leases, or permits and enter into contracts relating to the contracts, leases, or permits with responsible persons, firms, or corporations without advertising and without securing competitive bids.

When the Secretary determines that it would be administratively burdensome to restore, reconstruct, operate, or maintain any particular historic or archeologic site, building, or property donated to the United States through the Service, the Secretary may cause the restoration, reconstruction, operation, or maintenance to be done by organizing a corporation for that purpose under the laws of the District of Columbia or any State.

The Secretary shall develop an educational program and service for the purpose of making available to the public information pertaining to American historic and archeologic sites, buildings, and properties of national significance. Reasonable charges may be made for the dissemination of any such information.

The Secretary shall perform any and all acts and make regulations not inconsistent with this chapter that may be necessary and proper to carry out this chapter.

(Pub. L. 113–287, § 3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3257.)