[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 791 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  1st Session

                               H. R. 791

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the route of the 
 War of 1812 British invasion of Maryland and Washington, District of 
    Columbia, and the route of the American defense, for study for 
           potential addition to the national trails system.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 791

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the route of the 
 War of 1812 British invasion of Maryland and Washington, District of 
    Columbia, and the route of the American defense, for study for 
           potential addition to the national trails system.

    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 ``Star-Spangled Banner National 
Historic Trail Study Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the British invasion of Maryland and Washington, 
        District of Columbia, during the War of 1812 marks a defining 
        period in the history of our Nation, the only occasion on which 
        the United States of America has been invaded by a foreign 
        power;
            (2) the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail traces 
        the arrival of the British fleet in the Patuxent River in 
        Calvert County and St. Mary's County, Maryland, the landing of 
        British forces at Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake 
        Flotilla at Pig Point in Prince George's County and Anne 
        Arundel County, Maryland, the American defeat at the Battle of 
        Bladensburg, the siege of the Nation's Capital, Washington, 
        District of Columbia (including the burning of the United 
        States Capitol and the White House), the British naval 
        diversions in the upper Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of 
        Caulk's Field in Kent County, Maryland, the route of the 
        American troops from Washington through Georgetown, the 
        Maryland Counties of Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, and the 
        city of Baltimore, Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and 
        the ultimate victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on 
        September 14, 1814, where a distinguished Maryland lawyer and 
        poet, Francis Scott Key, wrote the words that captured the 
        essence of our national struggle for independence, words that 
        now serve as our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner; and
            (3) the designation of this route as a national historic 
        trail--
                    (A) would serve as a reminder of the importance of 
                the concept of liberty to all who experience the Star-
                Spangled Banner National Historic Trail; and
                    (B) would give long overdue recognition to the 
                patriots whose determination to stand firm against 
                enemy invasion and bombardment preserved this liberty 
                for future generations of Americans.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF TRAIL FOR STUDY.

    Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c)) 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (36) (as added by section 3 
        of the El Camino Real Para Los Texas Study Act of 1993 (107 
        Stat. 1497)) as paragraph (37) and in subparagraph (C) by 
        striking ``detemine'' and inserting ``determine'';
            (2) by designating the paragraphs relating to the Old 
        Spanish Trail and the Great Western Scenic Trail as paragraphs 
        (38) and (39), respectively; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(40) Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail.--
            ``(A) In general.--The Star-Spangled Banner National 
        Historic Trail, tracing the War of 1812 route from the arrival 
        of the British fleet in the Patuxent River in Calvert County 
        and St. Mary's County, Maryland, the landing of the British 
        forces at Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at 
        Pig Point, the American defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg, 
        the siege of the Nation's Capital, Washington, District of 
        Columbia (including the burning of the United States Capitol 
        and the White House), the British naval diversions in the upper 
        Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk's Field in Kent 
        County, Maryland, the route of the American troops from 
        Washington through Georgetown, the Maryland Counties of 
        Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, and the city of Baltimore, 
        Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and the ultimate 
        victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814.
            ``(B) Affected areas.--The trail crosses 8 counties within 
        the boundaries of the State of Maryland, the city of Baltimore, 
        Maryland, and Washington, District of Columbia.
            ``(C) Coordination with other congressionally mandated 
        activities.--The study under this paragraph shall be undertaken 
        in coordination with the study authorized under section 603 of 
        the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 
        U.S.C. 1a-5 note; 110 Stat. 4172) and the Chesapeake Bay 
        Gateways and Watertrails Network authorized under the 
        Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; 112 
        Stat. 2961). Such coordination shall extend to any research 
        needed to complete the studies and any findings and 
        implementation actions that result from the studies and shall 
        use available resources to the greatest extent possible to 
        avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.
            ``(D) Deadline for study.--Not later that 2 years after 
        funds are made available for the study under this paragraph, 
        the study shall be completed and transmitted with final 
        recommendations to the Committee on Resources in the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
        Resources in the Senate.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives June 30, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.