[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 165 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15171-S15173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CORINTH BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION ACT OF 1999

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1117) to establish the 
Corinth Unit of Shiloh National Military Park, in the vicinity of the 
city of Corinth, Mississippi, and in the State of Tennessee, and for 
other purposes, which had been reported from the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources, with amendments; as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown in 
italic.)

                                S. 1117

       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 ``Corinth Battlefield 
     Preservation Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) in 1996, Congress authorized the establishment and 
     construction of a center--
       (A) to facilitate the interpretation of the Siege and 
     Battle of Corinth and other Civil War actions in the area in 
     and around the city of Corinth, Mississippi; and
       (B) to enhance public understanding of the significance of 
     the Corinth campaign and the Civil War relative to the 
     western theater of operations, in cooperation with--
       (i) State or local governmental entities;
       (ii) private organizations; and
       (iii) individuals;
       (2) the Corinth Battlefield was ranked as a priority 1 
     battlefield having critical need for coordinated nationwide 
     action by the year 2000 by the Civil War Sites Advisory 
     Commission in its report on Civil War Battlefields of the 
     United States;
       (3) there is a national interest in protecting and 
     preserving sites of historic significance associated with the 
     Civil War; and
       (4) the States of Mississippi and Tennessee and their 
     respective local units of government--
       (A) have the authority to prevent or minimize adverse uses 
     of these historic resources; and
       (B) can play a significant role in the protection of the 
     historic resources related to the Civil War battles fought in 
     the area in and around the city of Corinth.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to establish the Corinth Unit of the Shiloh National 
     Military Park--
       (A) in the city of Corinth, Mississippi; and
       (B) in the State of Tennessee;
       (2) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to manage, 
     protect, and interpret the resources associated with the 
     Civil War Siege and the Battle of Corinth that occurred in 
     and around the city of Corinth, in cooperation with--
       (A) the State of Mississippi;
       (B) the State of Tennessee;
       (C) the city of Corinth, Mississippi;
       (D) other public entities; and
       (E) the private sector; and
       (3) to authorize a special resource study to identify other 
     Civil War sites area in and around the city of Corinth that--
       (A) are consistent with the themes of the Siege and Battle 
     of Corinth;
       (B) meet the criteria for designation as a unit of the 
     National Park System; and
       (C) are considered appropriate for inclusion in the Unit.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled 
     [``Corinth Unit''] ``Park Boundary-Corinth Unit'', numbered 
     304/80,007, and dated October 1998.
       (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Shiloh National 
     Military Park.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (4) Unit.--The term ``Unit'' means the Corinth Unit of 
     Shiloh National Military Park established under section 4.

     SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIT.

       (a) In General.--There is established in the States of 
     Mississippi and Tennessee the Corinth Unit of the Shiloh 
     National Military Park.
       (b) Composition of Unit.--The Unit shall be comprised of--
       [(1) the tract consisting of approximately 20 acres 
     generally depicted as ``Park Boundary'' on the Map, and 
     containing--
       [(A) the Battery Robinett; and
       [(B) the site of the interpretive center authorized under 
     section 602 of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management 
     Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 430f-5); and]
       (1) the tract consisting of approximately 20 acres 
     generally depicted as ``Battery Robinett Boundary'' on the 
     Map; and
       (2) any additional land that the Secretary determines to be 
     suitable for inclusion in the Unit that--
       (A) is under the ownership of a public entity or nonprofit 
     organization; and
       (B) has been identified by the Siege and Battle of Corinth 
     National Historic Landmark Study, dated January 8, 1991.
       (c) Availability of Map.--The Map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the office of the Director 
     of the National Park Service.

     SEC. 5. LAND ACQUISITION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may acquire land and 
     interests in land within the boundary of the Park as depicted 
     on the Map, by--
       (1) donation;
       (2) purchase with donated or appropriated funds; or
       (3) exchange.
       (b) Exception.--Land may be acquired only by donation 
     from--
       (1) the State of Mississippi (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (2) the State of Tennessee (including a political 
     subdivision of the State); or
       (3) the organization known as ``Friends of the Siege and 
     Battle of Corinth''.

     SEC. 6. PARK MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the Unit in 
     accordance with this Act and the laws generally applicable to 
     units of the National Park System, including--
       (1) the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a National Park 
     Service, and for other purposes'', approved August 25, 1916 
     (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
       (2) the Act entitled ``An Act to provide for the 
     preservation of historic American sites, buildings, objects, 
     and antiquities of national significance, and for other 
     purposes'', approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
       (b) Duties.--In accordance with section 602 of the Omnibus 
     Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 
     430f-5), the Secretary shall--
       (1) commemorate and interpret, for the benefit of visitors 
     and the general public, the Siege and Battle of Corinth and 
     other Civil War actions in the area in and around the city of 
     Corinth within the larger context of the Civil War and 
     American history, including the significance of the Civil War 
     Siege and Battle of Corinth in 1862 in relation to other 
     operations in the western theater of the Civil War; and
       (2) identify and preserve surviving features from the Civil 
     War era in the area in and around the city of Corinth, 
     including both military and civilian themes that include--
       (A) the role of railroads in the Civil War;
       (B) the story of the Corinth contraband camp; and
       (C) the development of field fortifications as a tactic of 
     war.
       (c) Cooperative Agreements.--
       (1) In general.--To carry this Act, the Secretary may enter 
     into cooperative agreements with entities in the public and 
     private sectors, including--
       (A) colleges and universities;
       (B) historical societies;
       (C) State and local agencies; and
       (D) nonprofit organizations.
       (2) Technical assistance.--To develop cooperative land use 
     strategies and conduct activities that facilitate the 
     conservation of the historic, cultural, natural, and scenic 
     resources of the Unit, the Secretary may provide technical 
     assistance, to the extent that a recipient of technical 
     assistance is engaged in the protection, interpretation, or 
     commemoration of historically significant Civil War resources 
     in the area in and around the city of Corinth, to--
       (A) the State of Mississippi (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (B) the State of Tennessee (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (C) a governmental entity;
       (D) a nonprofit organization; and
       (E) a private property owner.
       (d) Resources Outside the Unit.--Nothing in subsection 
     (c)(2) authorizes the Secretary to own or manage any resource 
     outside the Unit.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

       (a) In General.--To determine whether certain additional 
     properties are appropriate for inclusion in the Unit, the 
     Secretary shall conduct a special resource study of land in 
     and around the city of Corinth, Mississippi, and nearby areas 
     in the State of Tennessee that--
       (1) have a relationship to the Civil War Siege and Battle 
     of Corinth in 1862; and
       (2) are under the ownership of--
       (A) the State of Mississippi (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (B) the State of Tennessee (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (C) a nonprofit organization; or
       (D) a private person.
       (b) Contents of Study.--The study shall--
       (1) identify the full range of resources and historic 
     themes associated with the Civil War Siege and Battle of 
     Corinth in 1862, including the relationship of the campaign 
     to other operations in the western theater of the Civil War 
     that occurred in--
       (A) the area in and around the city of Corinth; and
       (B) the State of Tennessee;
       (2) identify alternatives for preserving features from the 
     Civil War era in the area in and around the city of Corinth, 
     including both military and civilian themes involving--

[[Page S15172]]

       (A) the role of the railroad in the Civil War;
       (B) the story of the Corinth contraband camp; and
       (C) the development of field fortifications as a tactic of 
     war;
       (3) identify potential partners that might support efforts 
     by the Secretary to carry out this Act, including--
       (A) State entities and their political subdivisions;
       (B) historical societies and commissions;
       (C) civic groups; and
       (D) nonprofit organizations;
       (4) identify alternatives to avoid land use conflicts; and
       (5) include cost estimates for any necessary activity 
     associated with the alternatives identified under this 
     subsection, including--
       (A) acquisition;
       (B) development;
       (C) interpretation;
       (D) operation; and
       (E) maintenance.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year and 180 days after the 
     date on which funds are made available to carry out this 
     section, the Secretary shall submit a report describing the 
     findings of the study under subsection (a) to--
       (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
     Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act, including $3,000,000 for the 
     construction of an interpretive center under section 602(d) 
     of title VI of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management 
     Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 430f-5(d)).
  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1117), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                S. 1117

       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 ``Corinth Battlefield 
     Preservation Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) in 1996, Congress authorized the establishment and 
     construction of a center--
       (A) to facilitate the interpretation of the Siege and 
     Battle of Corinth and other Civil War actions in the area in 
     and around the city of Corinth, Mississippi; and
       (B) to enhance public understanding of the significance of 
     the Corinth campaign and the Civil War relative to the 
     western theater of operations, in cooperation with--
       (i) State or local governmental entities;
       (ii) private organizations; and
       (iii) individuals;
       (2) the Corinth Battlefield was ranked as a priority 1 
     battlefield having critical need for coordinated nationwide 
     action by the year 2000 by the Civil War Sites Advisory 
     Commission in its report on Civil War Battlefields of the 
     United States;
       (3) there is a national interest in protecting and 
     preserving sites of historic significance associated with the 
     Civil War; and
       (4) the States of Mississippi and Tennessee and their 
     respective local units of government--
       (A) have the authority to prevent or minimize adverse uses 
     of these historic resources; and
       (B) can play a significant role in the protection of the 
     historic resources related to the Civil War battles fought in 
     the area in and around the city of Corinth.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to establish the Corinth Unit of the Shiloh National 
     Military Park--
       (A) in the city of Corinth, Mississippi; and
       (B) in the State of Tennessee;
       (2) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to manage, 
     protect, and interpret the resources associated with the 
     Civil War Siege and the Battle of Corinth that occurred in 
     and around the city of Corinth, in cooperation with--
       (A) the State of Mississippi;
       (B) the State of Tennessee;
       (C) the city of Corinth, Mississippi;
       (D) other public entities; and
       (E) the private sector; and
       (3) to authorize a special resource study to identify other 
     Civil War sites area in and around the city of Corinth that--
       (A) are consistent with the themes of the Siege and Battle 
     of Corinth;
       (B) meet the criteria for designation as a unit of the 
     National Park System; and
       (C) are considered appropriate for inclusion in the Unit.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled ``Park 
     Boundary-Corinth Unit'', numbered 304/80,007, and dated 
     October 1998.
       (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Shiloh National 
     Military Park.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (4) Unit.--The term ``Unit'' means the Corinth Unit of 
     Shiloh National Military Park established under section 4.

     SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIT.

       (a) In General.--There is established in the States of 
     Mississippi and Tennessee the Corinth Unit of the Shiloh 
     National Military Park.
       (b) Composition of Unit.--The Unit shall be comprised of--
       (1) the tract consisting of approximately 20 acres 
     generally depicted as ``Battery Robinett Boundary'' on the 
     Map; and
       (2) any additional land that the Secretary determines to be 
     suitable for inclusion in the Unit that--
       (A) is under the ownership of a public entity or nonprofit 
     organization; and
       (B) has been identified by the Siege and Battle of Corinth 
     National Historic Landmark Study, dated January 8, 1991.
       (c) Availability of Map.--The Map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the office of the Director 
     of the National Park Service.

     SEC. 5. LAND ACQUISITION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may acquire land and 
     interests in land within the boundary of the Park as depicted 
     on the Map, by--
       (1) donation;
       (2) purchase with donated or appropriated funds; or
       (3) exchange.
       (b) Exception.--Land may be acquired only by donation 
     from--
       (1) the State of Mississippi (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (2) the State of Tennessee (including a political 
     subdivision of the State); or
       (3) the organization known as ``Friends of the Siege and 
     Battle of Corinth''.

     SEC. 6. PARK MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the Unit in 
     accordance with this Act and the laws generally applicable to 
     units of the National Park System, including--
       (1) the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a National Park 
     Service, and for other purposes'', approved August 25, 1916 
     (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
       (2) the Act entitled ``An Act to provide for the 
     preservation of historic American sites, buildings, objects, 
     and antiquities of national significance, and for other 
     purposes'', approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
       (b) Duties.--In accordance with section 602 of the Omnibus 
     Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 
     430f-5), the Secretary shall--
       (1) commemorate and interpret, for the benefit of visitors 
     and the general public, the Siege and Battle of Corinth and 
     other Civil War actions in the area in and around the city of 
     Corinth within the larger context of the Civil War and 
     American history, including the significance of the Civil War 
     Siege and Battle of Corinth in 1862 in relation to other 
     operations in the western theater of the Civil War; and
       (2) identify and preserve surviving features from the Civil 
     War era in the area in and around the city of Corinth, 
     including both military and civilian themes that include--
       (A) the role of railroads in the Civil War;
       (B) the story of the Corinth contraband camp; and
       (C) the development of field fortifications as a tactic of 
     war.
       (c) Cooperative Agreements.--
       (1) In general.--To carry this Act, the Secretary may enter 
     into cooperative agreements with entities in the public and 
     private sectors, including--
       (A) colleges and universities;
       (B) historical societies;
       (C) State and local agencies; and
       (D) nonprofit organizations.
       (2) Technical assistance.--To develop cooperative land use 
     strategies and conduct activities that facilitate the 
     conservation of the historic, cultural, natural, and scenic 
     resources of the Unit, the Secretary may provide technical 
     assistance, to the extent that a recipient of technical 
     assistance is engaged in the protection, interpretation, or 
     commemoration of historically significant Civil War resources 
     in the area in and around the city of Corinth, to--
       (A) the State of Mississippi (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (B) the State of Tennessee (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (C) a governmental entity;
       (D) a nonprofit organization; and
       (E) a private property owner.
       (d) Resources Outside the Unit.--Nothing in subsection 
     (c)(2) authorizes the Secretary to own or manage any resource 
     outside the Unit.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

       (a) In General.--To determine whether certain additional 
     properties are appropriate for inclusion in the Unit, the 
     Secretary shall conduct a special resource study of land in 
     and around the city of Corinth, Mississippi, and nearby areas 
     in the State of Tennessee that--
       (1) have a relationship to the Civil War Siege and Battle 
     of Corinth in 1862; and
       (2) are under the ownership of--
       (A) the State of Mississippi (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (B) the State of Tennessee (including a political 
     subdivision of the State);
       (C) a nonprofit organization; or
       (D) a private person.
       (b) Contents of Study.--The study shall--
       (1) identify the full range of resources and historic 
     themes associated with the Civil War Siege and Battle of 
     Corinth in 1862, including the relationship of the campaign 
     to other operations in the western theater of the Civil War 
     that occurred in--

[[Page S15173]]

       (A) the area in and around the city of Corinth; and
       (B) the State of Tennessee;
       (2) identify alternatives for preserving features from the 
     Civil War era in the area in and around the city of Corinth, 
     including both military and civilian themes involving--
       (A) the role of the railroad in the Civil War;
       (B) the story of the Corinth contraband camp; and
       (C) the development of field fortifications as a tactic of 
     war;
       (3) identify potential partners that might support efforts 
     by the Secretary to carry out this Act, including--
       (A) State entities and their political subdivisions;
       (B) historical societies and commissions;
       (C) civic groups; and
       (D) nonprofit organizations;
       (4) identify alternatives to avoid land use conflicts; and
       (5) include cost estimates for any necessary activity 
     associated with the alternatives identified under this 
     subsection, including--
       (A) acquisition;
       (B) development;
       (C) interpretation;
       (D) operation; and
       (E) maintenance.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year and 180 days after the 
     date on which funds are made available to carry out this 
     section, the Secretary shall submit a report describing the 
     findings of the study under subsection (a) to--
       (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
     Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act, including $3,000,000 for the 
     construction of an interpretive center under section 602(d) 
     of title VI of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management 
     Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 430f-5(d)).

                          ____________________