[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1226 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  1st Session
                                S. 1226

    To require the Secretary of the Interior to prepare a study of 
battlefields of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, to establish 
  an American Battlefield Protection Program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

            September 8 (legislative day, September 5), 1995

 Mr. Jeffords introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require the Secretary of the Interior to prepare a study of 
battlefields of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, to establish 
  an American Battlefield Protection Program, and for other purposes.
    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

 TITLE I--REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND WAR OF 1812 HISTORIC PRESERVATION STUDY

SECTION 101. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Revolutionary War and War of 1812 
Historic Preservation Study Act of 1995''.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 sites provide a 
        means for Americans to understand and interpret the periods in 
        American history during which the Revolutionary War and War of 
        1812 were fought;
            (2) the historical integrity of many Revolutionary War 
        sites and War of 1812 sites is at risk because many of the 
        sites are located in regions that are undergoing rapid urban or 
        suburban development; and
            (3) it is important, for the benefit of the United States, 
        to obtain current information on the significance of, threats 
        to the integrity of, and alternatives for the preservation and 
        interpretation of Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 
        sites.

SEC. 103. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Park Service.
            (2) Revolutionary war site.--The term ``Revolutionary War 
        site'' means a site or structure situated in the United States 
        that is thematically tied with the nationally significant 
        events that occurred during the Revolutionary War.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (4) War of 1812 site.--The term ``War of 1812 site'' means 
        a site or structure situated in the United States that is 
        thematically tied with the nationally significant events that 
        occurred during the War of 1812.

SEC. 104. STUDY.

    (a) Preparation.--The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall 
prepare a study of Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 sites.
    (b) Matters To Be Addressed.--The study under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) identify Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 sites, 
        including sites within units of the National Park System in 
        existence on the date of enactment of this Act;
            (2) determine the relative significance of the sites;
            (3) assess short- and long-term threats to the integrity of 
        the sites;
            (4) provide alternatives for the preservation and 
        interpretation of the sites by Federal, State, and local 
        governments, or other public or private entities, including 
        designation of the sites as units of the National Park System; 
        and
            (5) research and propose land preservation techniques.
    (c) Consultation.--During the preparation of the study under 
subsection (a), the Director shall consult with--
            (1) the Governor of each affected States:
            (2) each affected unit of local government;
            (3) State and local historic preservation organizations;
            (4) scholarly organizations; and
            (5) such other interested parties as the Secretary 
        considers advisable.
    (d) Transmittal to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
on which funds are made available to carry out the study under 
subsection (a), the Director shall transmit a report describing the 
results of the study to the Committee on Resources of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the State.
    (e) Report.--If the Director submits a report on the study to the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Secretary shall 
concurrently transmit copies of the report to the Committee on 
Resources of the House
 of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
of the Senate.

SEC. 105. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$750,000, to remain available until expended.

           TITLE II--AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM

SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``American Battlefield Protection 
Act of 1995''.

SEC. 202. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this title is to assist citizens, public and private 
institutions, and governments at all levels in planning, interpreting, 
and protecting sites where historic battles were fought on American 
soil during the armed conflicts that shaped the growth and development 
of the United States, in order that present and future generations may 
learn and gain inspiration from the ground where Americans made their 
ultimate sacrifice.

SEC. 203. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Battlefield.--The term ``battlefield'' means an area 
        that is listed (or is eligible for listing) in the National 
        Register of Historic Places, or in a comparable State or local 
        register for historic properties, consisting of--
                    (A) lands, waters, or interests therein, and 
                improvements thereon, where armed conflict occurred; 
                and
                    (B) lands, waters, or interests therein, and 
                improvements thereon in the immediate vicinity where 
                combatants prepared for, advanced toward, or retreated 
                from the conflict,
        including any lands, waters, interests, and improvements 
        adjacent to or related to the area that are necessary to 
        protect and interpret the history of the area for the benefit 
        of present and future generations.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
        Park Service.

SEC. 204. PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may study and provide technical and 
financial assistance for the planning, identification, interpretation, 
stabilization, and acquisition of American battlefields in furtherance 
of the purposes of this title.
    (b) Assistance Under Other Law.--Assistance under this title shall 
be supplemental to any other assistance provided under any other law.
    (c) Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) Purpose.--The Secretary shall provide assistance under 
        this title by means of cooperative agreements.
            (2) Contents.--A cooperative agreement shall contain--
                    (A) an agreement on the part of the direct 
                beneficiary of financial assistance that, for the 
                period of time specified by the Secretary--
                            (i) no alteration will be made in the 
                        property for which the assistance is provided 
                        without the concurrence of the Secretary; and
                            (ii) reasonable public access will be 
                        permitted to the property for interpretive and 
                        educational purposes; and
                    (B) such other terms and conditions as the 
                Secretary deems appropriate to protect the public 
                interest and to further the purposes of this title.
    (d) Persons Eligible for Assistance.--The Secretary may provide 
assistance under this title directly to Federal, State, and local 
governments, tribal governments, public and private institutions, 
individuals, corporations, groups, or any other interested person or 
entity.
    (e) Ineligible Projects.--No financial assistance may be provided 
under this title--
            (1) for acquisition or stabilization of land or an interest 
        in land or improvements on land unless the Secretary determines 
        that there is in effect and applicable to the battlefield in 
        which the land is located a battlefield protection plan that 
        supports the preservation of the battlefield in its historic 
        condition; or
            (2) for normal day-to-day operation and maintenance of any 
        property.

SEC. 205. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this title, to remain available until expended.

SEC. 206. REPEAL.

    (a) In General.--This title is repealed as of the date that is 10 
years after the date of enactment of this title.
    (b) No Effect on General Authority.--The Secretary may continue to 
conduct battlefield studies in accordance with other authorities 
available to the Secretary.
    (c) Unobligated Funds.--Any funds made available under this title 
that remain unobligated shall be credited to the general fund of the 
Treasury.
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