[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6627-H6628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MILL SPRINGS BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT ACT

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5979) to establish the Mill Springs Battlefield National 
Monument in the State of Kentucky as a unit of the National Park 
System, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5979

       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 ``Mill Springs Battlefield 
     National Monument Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled ``Mill 
     Springs Battlefield National Monument, Nancy, Kentucky'' 
     numbered 297/145513, and dated June 2018.
       (2) Monument.--The term ``Monument'' means the Mill Springs 
     Battlefield National Monument established by section 3(a).
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
     Park Service.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF MILL SPRINGS BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL 
                   MONUMENT.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), there is 
     established, as a unit of the National Park System, the Mill 
     Springs Battlefield National Monument in the State of 
     Kentucky, to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit 
     of present and future generations the nationally significant 
     historic resources of the Mill Springs Battlefield and its 
     role in the American Civil War.
       (2) Conditions.--The Monument shall not be established 
     until the Secretary--
       (A) has entered into a written agreement with the owner of 
     any private or non-Federal land within the Mill Springs 
     Battlefield National Monument boundary as depicted on the 
     Map, providing that such property shall be donated to the 
     United States for inclusion in the Monument to be managed 
     consistently with the purposes of the Monument; and
       (B) has determined that sufficient land or interests in 
     land have been acquired within the boundary of the Monument 
     to constitute a manageable unit.
       (b) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the Monument shall be 
     the boundaries generally depicted on the Map.
       (c) Availability of Map.--The Map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of 
     the National Park Service.
       (d) Acquisition Authority.--The Secretary may only acquire 
     land or an interest in land located within the boundary of 
     the Monument by--
       (1) donation;
       (2) purchase with donated funds; or
       (3) exchange.
       (e) Administration.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer the 
     Monument in accordance with--
       (A) this Act; and
       (B) the laws generally applicable to units of the National 
     Park System, including--
       (i) section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 
     100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United 
     States Code; and
       (ii) chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code.
       (2) Management plan.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date on 
     which funds are first made available to the Secretary for 
     this purpose, the Secretary shall prepare a general 
     management plan for the Monument in accordance with section 
     100502 of title 54, United States Code.
       (B) Submit to congress.--On completion of the general 
     management plan, the Secretary shall submit it to the 
     Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate.
       (f) Private Property Protection.--No private property or 
     non-Federal public property shall be managed as part of the 
     Monument without the written consent of the owner of such 
     property.
       (g) No Buffer Zones.--Nothing in this Act, the 
     establishment of the Monument, or the management of the 
     Monument shall be construed to create buffer zones outside of 
     the Monument. The fact that an activity or use can be seen, 
     heard, or detected from within the Monument shall not 
     preclude the conduct of that activity or use outside of the 
     Monument.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. 
Bordallo) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5979, introduced by Representative Hal Rogers of 
Kentucky, establishes the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument in 
Kentucky as a unit of the National Park System.
  The Battle of Mill Springs was one of Kentucky's largest Civil War 
battles and played a crucial role in the Union's success by securing 
the Cumberland Gap and providing the gateway into Tennessee.
  The Battle of Mill Springs bolstered the Union's morale, as it was 
the first major victory of the war following the disastrous defeat at 
First Manassas. Winning the battle enabled the Union to push all 
Confederate powers out of Kentucky and allowed them to advance into 
Confederate strongholds in Middle Tennessee.
  Mill Springs Battlefield was designated as a National Historic 
Landmark in 1994. The boundary was expanded in 2008 and now encompasses 
over 1,500 acres. The nonprofit Mill Springs Battlefield Association 
currently owns 900 acres of battlefield land and operates a visitors 
center at the site.
  H.R. 5979 establishes the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument 
as a unit of the National Park System. The proposed monument would be 
approximately 1,500 acres, of which 900 will be donated to the Park 
Service.
  I am grateful to Mr. Rogers for sponsoring this legislation. It is 
the right way to create a national monument. Monuments ought to be 
created through the open legislative process of Congress and not via 
executive fiat.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill, which is sponsored by Representative Rogers 
from Kentucky, establishes the Mill Springs Battlefield National 
Monument in the State of Kentucky to preserve, protect, and interpret 
for current and future generations, the historic resources of the Mill 
Springs Battlefield and its role in the American Civil War.
  Mill Springs Battlefield in Pulaski County, Kentucky, was the site of 
the Union's first decisive victory in the western theater of the 
American Civil War. Given the Confederacy's presence in the South, the 
Union's performance in Kentucky was perceived as a pivotal turning 
point in the war.
  President Abraham Lincoln articulated the strategic importance of 
Kentucky by stating: ``I hope to have God on my side, but I must have 
Kentucky.''
  This monument designation is a fitting tribute to the historical 
significance of Mill Springs and an encouraging sign that we can 
continue to work across political lines to ensure that our most 
important places are preserved for future generations.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to yield such time as 
he may consume to gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the 
distinguished author of this measure.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5979, the Mill Springs 
Battlefield National Monument Act, legislation that I introduced that 
directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Mill Springs 
Battlefield National Monument as a unit of the National Park System.
  On January 19, 1862, the small Kentucky town of Logan's Cross Roads 
erupted in a blast of artillery and musket fire as Confederate and 
Union forces clashed in the Battle of Mill Springs.
  When the smoke cleared, it was clear that the Union was victorious 
and had secured its first significant victory in the Civil War. To 
honor the site, the Mill Springs Battlefield in Pulaski and Wayne 
Counties in Kentucky was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark 
district in 1994.
  Realizing the need to preserve and protect the battlefield for the 
future,

[[Page H6628]]

the Mill Springs Battlefield Association was founded in 1992. That 
association currently owns more than 900 acres of the battlefield that 
they have pieced together over the years with their own money and grant 
money from various sources. They even built a $1.7 million, 10,000-
square-foot visitor center and museum at the site, which is adjacent to 
the Mill Springs National Cemetery, which, of course, was started by 
the deaths from this battle.
  Mr. Speaker, while the association is currently doing an exemplary 
job in maintaining the battlefield, it simply does not have the 
financial resources to adequately preserve and maintain this site in 
perpetuity.
  To ensure that the Mill Springs Battlefield is protected for future 
generations, I introduced this legislation to add the battlefield to 
the National Park System. This will ensure that the battlefield where 
the Union first tasted victory is protected, preserved, and promoted 
well into the future.
  Mr. Speaker, this effort is supported by the Secretary of the 
Interior, Ryan Zinke, as well as the National Park Service.
  It is also supported by many in Kentucky, including our Governor, our 
friends in our congressional delegation, and countless local and 
regional leaders.

                              {time}  1730

  It is also supported by the Battlefield Association which is willing 
to donate their property, some 900 of the acres, to make this national 
monument a reality.
  I am particularly grateful to Chairman McClintock, Chairman Bishop, 
and their staff who worked closely with us to bring this bill to the 
floor. I can't thank the chairman enough for the great work that he 
does.
  I would also like to specifically thank my friend and colleague, 
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is ushering companion 
legislation through the Senate.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the men and women of the Mill 
Springs Battlefield Association. Without their decades of work to piece 
together and preserve this important site, none of this would be 
possible today. They stage an annual reenactment of this battle which 
is realistic to the nth degree, and I would invite everyone to attend 
the annual reunion of this battle in January of next year.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of the Mill Springs Battlefield 
National Monument Act.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I urge the support of this bill. I have no 
further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, these historic sites provide a tangible 
link between our generation and those who came before us and allow us 
to draw inspiration from the deeds and sacrifices of those who built 
this country and secured freedom for all Americans. This is an 
important part of that story, and I would ask for adoption of the 
measure.
  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 California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5979, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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