[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 137 (Tuesday, October 12, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H9855-H9857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              WILDERNESS BATTLEFIELD LAND ACQUISITION ACT

  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1665) to allow the National Park Service to acquire certain 
land for addition to the Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia, as 
previously authorized by law, by purchase or exchange as well as by 
donation, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1665

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADDITION TO WILDERNESS BATTLEFIELD, VIRGINIA.

       (a) Removal of Condition on Battlefield Addition.--Section 
     2(a)(2) of Public Law 102-541 (16 U.S.C. 425k note; 106 Stat. 
     3565) is amended by striking ``: Provided,'' and all that 
     follows through ``Interior''.
       (b) Authorized Methods of Acquisition.--
       (1) Limitations on acquisition methods.--Section 3(a) of 
     Public Law 101-214 (16 U.S.C. 425l(a)) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting ``(1) 
     Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) The lands designated `P04-04' on the map referred to 
     in section 2(a) numbered 326-40072E/89/A and dated September 
     1990 may be acquired only by donation, and the lands 
     designated `P04-01', `P04-02', and `P04-03' on such map may 
     be acquired only by donation, purchase from willing sellers, 
     or exchange.''.
       (2) Removal of restriction on acquisition of addition.--
     Section 2 of Public Law 102-541 (16 U.S.C. 425k note; 106 
     Stat. 3565) is amended by striking subsection (b).
       (c) Technical Correction.--Section 2(a) of Public Law 101-
     214 (16 U.S.C. 425k(a)) is amended by striking 
     ``Spotslyvania'' and inserting ``Spotsylvania''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. 
Romero-Barcelo) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within

[[Page H9856]]

which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1665, introduced by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bateman). The gentleman from Virginia has 
worked hard on this bill which will help the National Park Service 
protect additional Civil War battlefield land. H.R. 1665 allows the 
Park Service to acquire certain land for addition to the Wilderness 
Battlefield in Virginia by purchase or exchange as well as donation. 
Currently, the Park Service can acquire land only by donation, thereby 
preventing landowners from disposing of property the Park Service 
desires to include in the battlefield boundaries. Recently, however, 
the owners of three tracts of land have expressed their desire to 
dispose of property to the Park Service which is within the boundaries 
of the battlefield. Enactment of H.R. 1665 would allow the Park Service 
to acquire this land.
  Mr. Speaker, an amendment was accepted at the subcommittee 
consideration of this bill which makes it clear that disposal of the 
land by purchase will only be from willing sellers. This bill now has 
wide bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1665.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 
1665, and I commend the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bateman) for his 
initiative.
  Mr. Speaker, on May 5 and May 6, 1864, Union troops, under their 
newly promoted overall commander, Ulysses S. Grant, fought a costly 
battle against Confederate troops, under Robert E. Lee, in an area of 
northern Virginia called the Wilderness. Despite a bloody flank attack 
by troops under General Longstreet, the Union soldiers held out and 
eventually won the battle of the Wilderness.
  The Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefield Memorial 
National Military Park was established in 1927 to preserve the area and 
to commemorate the battle which took place there. The park includes a 
national cemetery and portions of four Civil War battlefields, but 
approximately 525 acres of the Wilderness Battlefield, including the 
site of Longstreet's attack, are not included in the park. Congress 
expanded the park's boundaries to include the Wilderness Battlefield in 
1992 but authorized the National Park Service to acquire the land by 
donation only. Unfortunately, the owners of the property have declined 
to donate the lands.
  H.R. 1665 would authorize the National Park Service to acquire the 
525 acres through purchase or exchange as well as donation. Since 
adding these lands to the park is already authorized, H.R. 1665 simply 
expands the mechanisms available to the NPS for accomplishing this 
goal.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a bipartisan bill. It has bipartisan support. We 
urge our colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Bateman).
  (Mr. BATEMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BATEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania and 
the gentleman from Puerto Rico for their support of this measure. I 
also want to express my sincere thanks to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Hansen), who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks and 
Public Lands, for expeditiously moving this legislation through his 
committee and the full Committee on Resources.
  I introduced this legislation that we are considering today because I 
feel strongly that the National Park Service should perpetuate the 
longstanding goal of preserving Civil War battlefields where events 
occurred that are dramatic, tragic and bold. The preservation of these 
lands is critical to conveying the human struggle and tactical 
components of battle that marked a watershed change in the nature of 
combat during the Civil War. This bill, H.R. 1665, as was said, would 
permit the Park Service to buy several tracts of land in the 
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park that embody 
these themes.
  Before I outline the substance of H.R. 1665, let me touch on the 
historical significance of the land that will be protected. These three 
tracts, totaling 532 acres, comprise the area covered by Confederate 
General Longstreet's flank attack and other events associated with the 
Battle of the Wilderness. This ground bore witness to one of the most 
decisive attacks launched by the Confederates during the war in 
Virginia. It also marked the beginning of the end of the Confederate 
war effort.
  On the morning of May 6, 1864, massive Union attacks pummeled 
Confederate lines in this area to the point of collapse. Only the 
timely arrival of General James Longstreet's First Corps of Lee's Army 
of Northern Virginia prevented total disaster. As Longstreet's troops 
arrived at the Widow Tapp Farm, west of the tracts in question here, 
the general threw them into the fight piecemeal, stopping the Union 
assaults, and even pushing the Federals back several hundred yards. At 
midmorning, Longstreet conceived the idea of a surprise counterattack 
against the Union left. Using the unfinished railroad, which borders 
the tracts in question on the south, as cover, Confederate troops 
formed unseen opposite the Union left. By 11 a.m., all was ready.
  Ripping their way through thickets and underbrush, Confederate troops 
on a front more than a quarter-mile long thundered northward into the 
flank of the Union line. The Federals offered brief resistance, but 
then their lines collapsed. The momentum of the Confederate attack 
carried gray-clad troops all the way to the Orange Plank Road. There, 
disaster struck. Confederate General Longstreet was caught in a 
Confederate volley and fell gravely wounded only a few miles from 
where, a year before, Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded by 
Confederate troops. With that devastating blow, the Confederate attack 
lost momentum.
  But the Federal lines had been ruined. Never again would they 
threaten the Confederates in the Wilderness. And indeed later that day, 
the Confederates would resume the attacks and push the Union lines to 
the edge of disaster. Later that day, woods on these lands would take 
fire, consuming wounded and dead alike. The fires of the Wilderness 
would become the signature horror of two of America's most horrific 
days.
  As Members can see, this stretch of land is a key component which 
will serve to complete the Wilderness Battlefield, ensuring our 
heritage for generations to come. The vast majority of this land is 
currently owned by developers. This spring, the prospective developers 
of this land offered a 3-year window for the government to acquire the 
tracts. After 3 years, they intend to move forward with development. 
Recognizing the need to preserve this land, legislation was passed in 
the 102nd Congress to allow the Park Service to acquire the land by 
donation. Since the early 1990s, this tract has been the object of 
intense efforts by nonprofit organizations, all of which have failed to 
preserve the tract.
  I introduced H.R. 1665 because we are running out of time to save 
this battlefield from being lost forever. H.R. 1665 would permit the 
Park Service to buy the land which is already within the authorized 
boundary of the park. The Park Service, which supports H.R. 1665, has 
worked cooperatively with the owners of the land and the Spotsylvania 
County Board of Supervisors to protect the land for several years. Once 
the Park Service has been given legal authorization to acquire the 
land, they will enter into negotiations with the developers and other 
landowners to determine the price to be paid to buy the land. The 
language in this part of the bill prescribes that acquisition of these 
tracts of land will be from willing sellers only.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate being given the opportunity to discuss my 
efforts to save this historically significant

[[Page H9857]]

battlefield. Alternatives to Federal acquisition have been exhausted. 
Congress and the National Park Service must act to acquire the 
Longstreet Flank Attack site. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 
1665.
  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from 
Virginia for his hard work to preserve this historic site. I am 
slightly surprised that he did not refer to our great Civil War as the 
``War of Northern Aggression.''
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1665, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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