For the second time in two years, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation to create a commission that would preserve Gullah-Geechee culture in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. The commission could receive up to $20 million in the course of 10 years if the bill passed by the House on Monday meets with approval in the Senate and from President Bush. Last fall, both the House and Senate passed similar bills to establish a Gullah-Geechee historic corridor that would stretch along the coast from northern Florida to North Carolina. That legislation didn't become law because of a technicality: The separate House and Senate bills were never made consistent with each other during the last congressional session. If the current bill is approved, a commission of experts will work to preserve a way of life that dates to early Colonial times and to West Africa. A distinct dialect and unique crafts, such as sweetgrass basket weaving, contribute to the culture's importance. About one-third of black Americans can trace their roots to the Gullah-Geechee coastline, making the issue of cultural preservation relevant outside Southern states.