[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 986 Referred in House (RFH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 986


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 18, 1993

             Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To provide for an interpretive center at the Civil War Battlefield of 
             Corinth, Mississippi, 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 ``Corinth, Mississippi, Battlefield 
Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the 14 sites located in the vicinity of Corinth, 
        Mississippi, that were designated as a National Historic 
        Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior in 1991 represent 
        nationally significant events in the Siege and Battle of 
        Corinth during the Civil War; and
            (2) the Landmark sites should be preserved and interpreted 
        for the benefit, inspiration, and education of the people of 
        the United States.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to provide for a center 
for the interpretation of the Siege and Battle of Corinth and other 
Civil War actions in the region and to enhance public understanding of 
the significance of the Corinth Campaign in the Civil War relative to 
the Western theater of operations, in cooperation with State or local 
governmental entities and private organizations and individuals.

SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AT CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter 
referred to as the ``Secretary'') is authorized to acquire by donation, 
purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, such lands or 
interests therein in the vicinity of the Corinth Battlefield in the 
State of Mississippi, as the Secretary determines necessary for the 
construction of an interpretive center to commemorate and interpret the 
1862 Civil War Siege and Battle of Corinth: Provided, That such lands 
or interests therein shall only be acquired with the consent of the 
owner thereof.
    (b) Publicly Owned Lands.--Lands and interests in lands owned by 
the State of Mississippi or a political subdivision of the State of 
Mississippi may be acquired only by donation.

SEC. 4. INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND MARKING.

    (a) Construction of Center.--The Secretary is authorized to 
construct, operate, and maintain on the property acquired under section 
3 a center for the interpretation of the Siege and Battle of Corinth 
and associated historical events. The center shall include interpretive 
exhibits and such other features as may be necessary for public 
appreciation and understanding of the Siege and Battle of Corinth.
    (b) Marking.--The Secretary may mark sites associated with the 
Siege and Battle of Corinth National Historic Landmark, as designated 
on May 6, 1991, if such sites are determined by the Secretary to be 
protected by State or local governmental agencies.
    (c) Administration.--The lands and interests in lands acquired, and 
the facilities constructed and maintained pursuant to this Act shall be 
administered by the Secretary as a part of Shiloh National Military 
Park, subject to the appropriate laws and regulations applicable to the 
park, the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535, chapter 408; 16 U.S.C. 
1 et seq.), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666, chapter 593; 
16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), there are authorized to 
be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
    (b) Construction.--Of the amounts made available to carry out this 
Act, not more than $6,000,000 may be used to carry out section 4(a).

            Passed the Senate November 17 (legislative day, November 2 
      1993.

            Attest:

                                             WALTER J. STEWART,

                                                             Secretary.