[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 106 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H7389-H7391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CORINTH BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION ACT OF 1999
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
Senate 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.
The Clerk read 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
[[Page H7390]]
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--
(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)).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Hansen and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr.
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, S. 1117 establishes the Corinth Unit of the Shiloh
National Military Park in the vicinity of Corinth, Mississippi, in the
State of Tennessee. Companion legislation, H.R. 2249, was introduced by
the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker). The purpose of S. 1117 is
to protect and commemorate areas associated with the Civil War battle
of Corinth. The
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Corinth Unit consists of approximately 20 acres of land and is the
future site of an interpretive center.
The Battle of Shiloh took place in April of 1862 and is considered to
be one of the most important battles of the Civil War. Thousands of men
died in the 2-day battle with the Union forces; and as a result of the
Battle of Shiloh, Confederate troops were forced to withdraw southward.
The Union armies remained intact enough and to continue their
southward advancement, eventually taking Vicksburg and Port Hudson in
1863. The Union advance essentially cut the South in half and many knew
at this point it was solely a matter of time before the Union would
prevail.
The Battle of Corinth played a large part in the overall battle of
Shiloh. Because of this, S. 1117 would direct the Secretary of the
Interior to manage and protect the resources associated with the Battle
of Corinth by establishing the Corinth Unit as part of the Shiloh
National Military Park.
This bill also provides for a resource study to be conducted by the
Secretary to determine whether certain other additional properties are
appropriate for inclusion in the newly established unit.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 1117.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman
from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the chairman of the Subcommittee on National
Parks and Public Lands. I know the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr.
Romero-Barcelo), my colleague and good friend, is on his way.
Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on National
Parks and Public Lands, I am just pinch-hitting for the gentleman from
Puerto Rico.
Mr. Speaker, the area in and around the city of Corinth, Mississippi,
near the Mississippi-Tennessee border, played a significant role in
several early chapters of the American Civil War. Corinth was the
crossroads of two rail-lines vital to Confederate supply efforts, and
the city served as the front line of the western theater of battle.
The battle of Shiloh in April 1862 was launched after 44,000
Confederate troops had withdrawn to Corinth to regroup and to resupply
forces.
Several weeks later, Union forces briefly laid siege to the city,
finally overtaking Corinth and holding it for the rest of the war. The
site of the Battle of Shiloh is a national military park but does not
include the city of Corinth. However, in 1996, Congress authorized the
establishment of an interpretive center for the Corinth campaign.
Mr. Speaker, S. 1117 offered by the majority leader from the other
body, the gentleman from Mississippi, would build on that effort by
establishing Corinth as an official unit of the Shiloh National
Military Park. The new unit would consist of the 21-acre site selected
for that interpretive center, plus any additional land, owned by a
public or a nonprofit entity, which the Secretary determines to be
suitable.
The legislation contains provisions for management of the new unit,
future land acquisition, a special resource study of the area and
authorizes an additional $3 million for the construction of that
interpretive center.
This legislation has the support of the administration and bipartisan
support of both sides of the aisle in this committee.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Corinth Battlefield
Preservation Act. This legislation authorizes $3 million for the
construction of the Corinth-Civil War Preservation and Interpretive
Center and its inclusion into the Shiloh National Military Park. The
bill gives Corinth its proper status as one of America's most pivotal
and important Civil War sites. I would first like to thank my colleague
from Utah, the distinguished Chairman of the Resources Subcommittee on
National Parks and Public Lands, Mr. Hansen, and the Ranking Member,
Mr. Romero-Barcelo, for holding a hearing on this important legislation
in April. The bill before us today is the companion to H.R. 2249, which
I introduced.
As legendary Civil War historian Ed Bearss proclaimed, ``The Battle
of Corinth was the bloodiest battle in the State of Mississippi. Troops
were brought from New Orleans, Mobile, Texas, and Arkansas because
Corinth was such an important place. With the fall of Corinth,
Perryville, Kentucky, and Antietam, Maryland, the Confederacy was
lost.'' We owe it to our ancestors and to future generations to protect
Corinth and the abundance of Civil War history in this small town.
Corinth, referred to as the ``Vertebrae of the South,'' was the
intersection of the Memphis & Charleston railroad and the Mobile & Ohio
railroad which connected the Confederate States of America from the
Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Each
side recognized its significance. In a telegram to Secretary of War
Edwin Stanton in May of 1862, Union General W.H. Halleck expressed the
importance of Corinth: ``Richmond and Corinth are now the great
strategical points of war, and our success at these points should be
insured at all hazards,'' the telegram read.
Mr. Speaker, the Battle of Corinth also involved one of the first
uses of ``earthworks'' as part of modern warfare. These trenches, which
would later be used extensively in World Wars I and II, are considered
to be among the largest and best-preserved fortification groups in the
nation but are in danger of being lost forever.
Sites such as the Corinth battlefield are far too important to be
known only through history books. We need places where Americans can
come and see history right before their eyes. Although the Corinth
Battlefield has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, it is
still considered a ``Civil War Landmark At Risk'' by the Civil War Site
Advisory Commission.
For over one hundred years, the United States Congress has advanced
the idea that our national interest is best served by preserving
America's historic treasures, not only by ensuring the proper
interpretation of important historic events, but also the places and
properties where important military milestones occurred.
Mr. Speaker, this outstanding preservation effort would not be
possible without the hard work and dedication of Mrs. Rosemary Williams
and the Siege and Battle of Corinth Commission, along with the people
of Corinth, and Alcorn County, Mississippi. This bipartisan bill is
widely supported by local, state, regional, and national preservation
organizations. We must take this necessary step to protect our heritage
so that generations to come can gain an understanding of the struggles
of our great nation. Events such as the Siege and Battle of Corinth
have helped shape our American democracy and have transformed our
diverse states and citizens into a united and prosperous nation, better
prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.
I urge my colleagues to support the Corinth Battlefield Preservation
Act.
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the Senate bill, S. 1117.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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