[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 146 Engrossed in House (EH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 146

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
     To establish a battlefield acquisition grant program for the 
 acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and 
associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, 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 ``Revolutionary War and War of 1812 
Battlefield Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. BATTLEFIELD ACQUISITION GRANT PROGRAM FOR BATTLEFIELDS OF THE 
              REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND WAR OF 1812.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Battlefield report.--The term ``battlefield report'' 
        means the document titled ``Report to Congress on the Historic 
        Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the 
        United States'', prepared by the National Park Service, and 
        dated September 2007.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        State or local government.
            (3) Eligible site.--The term ``eligible site'' means a site 
        that--
                    (A) is not within the exterior boundaries of a unit 
                of the National Park System; and
                    (B) is identified in the battlefield report.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the American Battlefield 
        Protection Program.
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a battlefield 
acquisition grant program for nationally significant battlefields and 
associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under 
which the Secretary may make grants to eligible entities to pay the 
Federal share of the cost of acquiring fee-simple or lesser interests 
from willing sellers in eligible sites for the preservation and 
protection of those eligible sites.
    (c) Nonprofit Partners.--An eligible entity may acquire an interest 
in an eligible site using a grant under this section in partnership 
with a nonprofit organization.
    (d) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the total cost of 
acquiring an interest in an eligible site under this section shall be 
not less than 50 percent.
    (e) Limitations on Land Use.--An interest in an eligible site 
acquired under this section shall be subject to section 6(f)(3) of the 
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 4601-8(f)(3)).
    (f) Willing Sellers.--Acquisitions of land and interests in land 
under this Act shall be limited to acquisitions, from willing sellers 
only, of conservation easements and fee-simple purchases of eligible 
sites.
    (g) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the activities carried out under this 
        section.
            (2) Update on battlefield report.--Not later than 3 years 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
        shall submit to Congress a report that updates the battlefield 
        report to reflect--
                    (A) preservation activities carried out at the 677 
                battlefields and associated sites identified in the 
                battlefield report during the period between 
                publication of the battlefield report and the update;
                    (B) changes in the condition of the battlefields 
                and associated sites during that period; and
                    (C) any other relevant developments relating to the 
                battlefields and associated sites during that period.
    (h) Authorizations of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to 
        provide grants under this Act $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2010 through 2014.
            (2) Update of battlefield report.--There are authorized to 
        be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out subsection 
        (g)(2), $500,000.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 3, 2009.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
111th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 146

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

     To establish a battlefield acquisition grant program for the 
 acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and 
associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and for 
                            other purposes.