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







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 791

 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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 23, 1999

  Mr. Gilchrest (for himself and Mr. Cardin) introduced the following 
         bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 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);
            (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 9 counties 
                within the boundaries of the State of Maryland, the 
                city of Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, District 
                of Columbia.''
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