[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 110 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 110

To provide for the designation of the River Raisin National Battlefield 
                     Park in the State of Michigan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 6, 2009

Mr. Levin (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) introduced the following bill; 
   which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the designation of the River Raisin National Battlefield 
                     Park in the State of Michigan.

    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 ``River Raisin National Battlefield 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the War of 1812, often referred to as ``America's 
        Second War of Independence'', was significant in the 
        development of the United States because the War--
                    (A) helped forge a national identity;
                    (B) retained and solidified the northern border 
                with Canada; and
                    (C) firmly established the sovereignty of the 
                United States;
            (2) in section 603 of division I of the Omnibus Parks and 
        Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5 note; 
        Public Law 104-333), Congress found that ``the historical 
        integrity of many Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 sites 
        is at risk'';
            (3) the River Raisin battlefield is the site of a major 
        engagement of the War of 1812;
            (4) the battles and subsequent massacre at the River Raisin 
        were some of the most significant military events of the entire 
        War;
            (5) approximately 65 United States prisoners were killed or 
        burned alive the day after the second battle;
            (6) out of the nearly 1,000 United States soldiers and 
        militia members who participated in the battle, only 33 escaped 
        death or capture;
            (7) the defeat of the United States forces at Frenchtown, 
        now Monroe, Michigan, the subsequent massacre, and the burning 
        of the settlement were described by General William Henry 
        Harrison as a ``national calamity'';
            (8) the outrage stemming from the catastrophe aided 
        recruitment efforts for the successful United States campaign 
        in the spring of 1813;
            (9) soldiers marching to Canada the following summer passed 
        through the ashes of Frenchtown and were so moved by the tragic 
        scene that the soldiers were spurred on to victory at the 
        Battle of the Thames, where the soldiers shouted the emotional 
        battle cry, ``Remember the Raisin!'';
            (10) the events that occurred on the River Raisin 
        battlefield remain a significant moment in United States 
        history; and
            (11) the River Raisin battlefield where so many citizens 
        died defending the United States deserves the highest degree of 
        Federal protection and interpretation.

SEC. 3. RIVER RAISIN NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK.

    (a) In General.--If Monroe County or Wayne County, Michigan, or 
other willing landowners in either County offer to donate to the United 
States land relating to the Battles of the River Raisin on January 18 
and 22, 1813, or the aftermath of the battles, the Secretary of the 
Interior (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall accept 
the donated land.
    (b) Designation of Park.--On the acquisition of land under 
subsection (a) that is of sufficient acreage to permit efficient 
administration, the Secretary shall designate the acquired land as a 
unit of the National Park System, to be known as ``River Raisin 
National Battlefield Park''.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate a report describing the progress 
made with respect to--
            (1) acquiring real property under subsection (a); and
            (2) designating the River Raisin National Battlefield Park.
                                 <all>