[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 9, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H1843-H1844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2013
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1033) to authorize the acquisition and protection of
nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the
Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield
Protection Program.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1033
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 ``American Battlefield
Protection Program Amendments Act of 2013''.
SEC. 2. REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND WAR OF 1812 AMERICAN
BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION.
Section 7301(c) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act
of 2009 (Public Law 111-11) is amended as follows:
(1) In paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the
following:
``(A) Battlefield report.--The term `battlefield report'
means, collectively--
``(i) the report entitled `Report on the Nation's Civil War
Battlefields', prepared by the Civil War Sites Advisory
Commission, and dated July 1993; and
``(ii) the report entitled `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.''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking ``Battlefield
Report'' and inserting ``battlefield report''.
(2) In paragraph (2), by inserting ``eligible sites or''
after ``acquiring''.
(3) In paragraph (3), by inserting ``an eligible site or''
after ``acquire''.
(4) In paragraph (4), by inserting ``an eligible site or''
after ``acquiring''.
(5) In paragraph (5), by striking ``An'' and inserting ``An
eligible site or an''.
(6) By redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (9).
(7) By inserting after paragraph (5) the following new
paragraphs:
``(6) Willing sellers.--Acquisition of land or interests in
land under this subsection shall be from willing sellers
only.
``(7) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of the
enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report on the activities carried out under this
subsection, including a description of--
``(A) preservation activities carried out at the
battlefields and associated sites identified in the
battlefield report during the period between publication of
the battlefield report and the report required under this
paragraph;
``(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.
``(8) Prohibition on lobbying.--
``(A) In general.--None of the funds provided pursuant to
this section may be used for purposes of lobbying any person
or entity regarding the implementation of this section or be
granted, awarded, contracted, or otherwise be made available
to any person, organization, or entity that participates in
such lobbying.
``(B) Lobbying defined.--For purposes of this paragraph,
the term `lobbying' means to directly or indirectly pay for
any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone
call, letter, printed or written matter, or other device
intended or designed to influence in any manner a Member of
Congress, a jurisdiction, or an official of any government to
favor, adopt, or oppose by vote or otherwise, any
legislation, law, ratification, policy, land use plan
(including zoning), or appropriation of funds before or after
the introduction of any bill, resolution, or other measure
proposing such legislation, law, ratification, policy, or
appropriation.''.
(8) In paragraph (9) (as redesignated by paragraph (6)), by
striking ``2013'' and inserting ``2018''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Wittman) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The American Battlefield Protection Act addressed the preservation
and protection of Civil War battlefields through conservation easements
or through the purchase of land from willing sellers with Federal
grants. H.R. 1033 renews this effort which will soon expire and adds
Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields to those eligible for
protection.
It is important to know that the bill we are considering mirrors the
version from the last Congress that passed the House and included
improvements made by the Natural Resources Committee. Specifically, the
program sunset was moved up from 10 to 5 years, and we retained the
existing authorization of appropriations to provide a more realistic
funding level in these times of deficit spending.
Additionally, the committee added language to prohibit these funds
from being used for lobbying activities or for being distributed to
organizations that participate in lobbying. With so many existing needs
within the National Park Service, we want to ensure that these funds go
specifically for battlefield protection and not outside advocacy.
I would also like to point out that this legislation does not fund
advocacy or educational seminars and programs. These grants are
strictly available to State and local governments for battlefield
protection. There is a separate and distinct Federal authorization for
educational programs and partnership that is not part of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HOLT. I rise in support of the American Battlefield Protection
Program Amendments Act that Mr. Wittman and I have brought to the
committee and now to the floor.
From Lexington, where the shot still reverberates, to Gettysburg, the
site of the battle described so brilliantly and concisely by Lincoln,
to the stories of the American Revolution and the Civil War, it is at
the battlefields that we bring to life the ideals of liberty and
democracy fostered by our Nation's Founders.
History is best experienced by those who can touch it, feel it, live
it; and the battlefields of the American Revolution, the War of 1812,
and the Civil War provide a unique opportunity for Americans to
experience where and how the epic struggle for our Nation's
independence and identity took place. Unfortunately, urbanization,
suburban sprawl, and unplanned commercial and residential development
are constantly encroaching on many of the significant battlefields of
the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. This
encroachment poses a severe and growing risk to the preservation of
these historically significant sites.
Congress recognized this danger to our shared history and in the late
1990s created the American Battlefield Protection Program, a
competitive grant program that matches Federal dollars with private
money to preserve Civil War sites. Since Congress first appropriated
funding for this program, it has helped to save more than 17,000 acres
of hallowed ground in 14 States, again encouraging private funds for
acquiring land from willing sellers.
The bill before us today, H.R. 1033, would build on the success of
the American Battlefield Protection Program in preserving Civil War
battlefield sites and would reauthorize this program and extend the
protection and preservation to battlefields from the Revolutionary War
and the War of 1812.
H.R. 1033 would allow officials at the American Battlefield
Protection Program to collaborate with State and local governments and
nonprofit organizations to preserve and protect the most endangered
historical sites and provide up to 50 percent of the cost of purchasing
the battlefield land threatened by sprawl and commercial development,
again from willing sellers encouraging the use of private funds.
Previously, this legislation has been approved three times by this
House with overwhelming bipartisan support, mostly unanimous.
In a markup in the House Natural Resources Committee last month, the
American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act again passed
unanimously.
As the Civil War Trust said in their letter supporting this
legislation:
[[Page H1844]]
The battlefields of the American Revolutionary War, the War
of 1812, and the Civil War provide a unique opportunity for
Americans to experience the epic battles that helped define
our Nation. Preserving these American historic treasures is
essential to remember the sacrifices that our ancestors made
to secure our freedom and independence and preserve our
Republic.
With the ongoing bicentennial commemoration of the War of 1812 and
the ongoing sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War, this is an
opportune time to recommit ourselves to the protection of our Nation's
hallowed grounds. Historical sites, once lost, are gone forever. We
should act now to preserve these valuable sites.
The National Park Service has done an inventory of sites around the
country, and they point to many that need this protection now.
I thank my colleague from Virginia for his enthusiastic support. I
point out that there is strong bipartisan support for this legislation
as cosponsors and other supporters. And I urge my colleagues to join us
in supporting this bill.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As an original cosponsor of H.R. 1033, I would like to express my
appreciation to Mr. Holt for his continued leadership to preserve and
protect important historic battlefields throughout the United States,
including those in his home State of New Jersey, which is better known
as the ``crossroads of the American Revolution.''
As a Virginian, this legislation is also especially notable as it
will continue to preserve important hallowed ground from our Nation's
independence and the Civil War. The Civil War Battlefield Preservation
program has been particularly beneficial to the Commonwealth of
Virginia. As a result, hard-fought acres of battleground have been
preserved in pivotal sites such as Appomattox, Cedar Creek,
Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Petersburg, and Richmond.
Preserving battlefields does more than just honor those who fought in
those battles; it protects important places from development. I want to
make sure that we continue those efforts in ensuring that we make the
effort to keep these battlefields in their proper place in this
Nation's history.
I also would like to emphasize that this program doesn't increase the
amount of Federal land. I know there's been some criticism to say this
is an effort to increase Federal land within this program. While it
does increase and expand those battlefield areas that are eligible
under the program, it doesn't increase the amount of Federal land in
this particular project.
{time} 1720
I want to make sure people understand that because this is really for
the protection of battlefields outside of national park boundaries,
giving those concerned within those areas the ability to help preserve
those lands. There is no additional management burden on the Federal
Government, so these lands are not going to become part of a system in
which we have to incur more costs to maintain those lands. It's the
ability to make sure that we preserve those lands. Especially today,
with the encroachment of development in these areas, these critical,
historical sites must be preserved, and this gives the folks in those
areas the flexibility and the tools--the ability--to preserve these
lands.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank my good friend from
Virginia, and would reiterate what he has said.
In fact, the original legislation, which we are reauthorizing and
extending through this bill, grew out of Virginia. It was because of
the critical battlefields in Virginia that were at risk of being lost
that this battlefield protection legislation was developed, but it will
be beneficial across many States.
If you look where the War of 1812 was fought--in the Deep South and
around the Great Lakes--and where the Revolutionary War was fought,
which was up and down the Thirteen Colonies, this is something that is
of great national importance; and because the authorization is about to
expire, it is needed; and because so many of these battlefields are at
great risk of being overrun by sprawl and development, it is at the
greatest need now.
I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. WITTMAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As Mr. Holt said, preserving battlefields is extraordinarily
important, but it does more than just honor those who have fought in
the past: it's important that it protects these places that are so
important in our Nation's history.
Preserving these battlefields contributes economically to local
businesses and to historic communities in these areas across the
country. According to a recent study, in just five States, those States
including Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and
Virginia, 15.8 million visitors went to these Civil War sites and spent
nearly $442 million in those local communities and supported 5,150
jobs. We talk all the time up here about jobs and the economy. This is
something that we can do to improve and enhance jobs and the economy in
these local communities.
We are blessed in Virginia, as Mr. Holt said, with a rich history.
According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Civil War site visitors
stay longer and spend more than twice as much as the average visitor to
the Commonwealth. Preserving battlefields is good for local communities
and businesses, and it's good for jobs and the economy.
Mr. HOLT. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. WITTMAN. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
Mr. HOLT. I would like to add to his economic numbers the fiscal fact
that this does not appropriate any funds. We are just reauthorizing
existing legislation and extending it.
I thank the gentleman.
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, again, the bill continues a modest
investment of Federal resources to protect these hallowed grounds where
independence was won and our Republic secured.
I do want to reiterate what Mr. Holt said in that this legislation
does not increase authorized spending. Proponents of this program
sought to double the annual spending authorization and add
Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 sites to those eligible for
grants, but the committee made sure that there was no increase in
spending and insisted that the proposal be added to keep the
authorization flat at these current levels when adding additional war
sites. We wanted to make sure we had the opportunity for sites to be
included, but in understanding where we are with the Nation's deficit,
we wanted to make sure that we could preserve these sites without
adding to the deficit. I think this is a very responsible way to do
that, to make sure that communities have the ability to do the things
they need to do, and also to make sure we keep in mind the times that
we face here at the Federal level.
So I believe it's an extraordinarily good bill, and I urge my
colleagues to support H.R. 1033.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1033.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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