[House Report 116-424]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress }                                            { Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session    }                                            { 116-424

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                  KETTLE CREEK BATTLEFIELD SURVEY ACT

                                _______
                                

  May 27, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 306]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 306) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
conduct a special resource study of the site of the Kettle 
Creek Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, and adjacent 
property, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends that 
the bill as amended do pass.
    The amendments are as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. KETTLE CREEK BATTLEFIELD SURVEY.

  (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Kettle Creek 
Battlefield Survey Act''.
  (b) Reconnaissance Survey.--
          (1) Survey.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in 
        this section as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct a 
        reconnaissance survey of the site of the Kettle Creek 
        Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, and adjacent property 
        (referred to in this section as the ``site'').
          (2) Requirements for survey.--In conducting the survey under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall evaluate the likelihood that 
        resources within the site boundary would meet the four criteria 
        for new parklands--
                  (A) national significance;
                  (B) suitability;
                  (C) feasibility; and
                  (D) need for National Park Service management.
          (3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which 
        funds are made available to carry out the survey under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
        Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
        report that describes--
                  (A) the results of the survey; and
                  (B) any conclusions and recommendations of the 
                Secretary.

    Amend the title so as to read:
    A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
reconnaissance survey of the site of the Kettle Creek 
Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, and adjacent property, 
and for other purposes.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 306 is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a reconnaissance survey of the site of the 
Kettle Creek Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, and 
adjacent property, and for other purposes.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    On February 14, 1779, at the Battle of Kettle Creek, 
approximately 350 Patriots defeated approximately 800 British 
Loyalists.\1\ This battle marked the only significant victory 
in Georgia by forces opposed to British rule during the 
American Revolutionary War. In 1975, the Kettle Creek 
Battlefield was added to the National Register of Historic 
Places to protect the site's historic and archeological 
resources.\2\
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    \1\Reported number vary slightly from source to source. See, e.g., 
Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr., GA. Dep't of Nat. Resources, Nat'l Reg. of 
Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form, PH014 2751, Kettle Creek 
Battlefield (War Hill) (1975), https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/july/
2011/GA_75000617.pdf.
    \2\See id.; Kettle Creek Battlefield, Nat'l Reg. of Historic 
Places, https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/july/2011/
Kettle_Creek_Battlefield.htm (last accessed Mar. 2, 2020); Battle of 
Kettle Creek, Hist. Marker Database, https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=10684 
(last revised June 16, 2016).
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    H.R.306, as introduced, would have required the Secretary 
of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the 
Kettle Creek Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, to 
determine if the site merits inclusion in the National Park 
System. Based on testimony and recommendations from the 
National Park Service,\3\ the Committee adopted an amendment at 
markup such that the bill, as reported, requires the Secretary 
of the Interior to conduct a reconnaissance survey to determine 
the suitability and feasibility of designating the site as a 
unit of the National Park System. The scope of the survey is 
more limited than a special resource study.
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    \3\See, e.g., Legislative Hearing on H.R.306, H.R.434, H.R.823, and 
H.R.1708 Before the H.Subcomm. on Nat'l Parks, Forests, & Pub. Lands, 
116th Cong. (2019) (not printed) (statement of P. Daniel Smith, Deputy 
Dir. Exercising the Authority of the Dir., Nat'l Park Serv.), https://
docs.house.gov/meetings/II/II10/20190402/109217/HHRG-116-II10-Wstate-
SmithD-20190402.pdf.
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                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 306 was introduced on January 8, 2019, by 
Representative Jody Hice (R-GA). The bill was referred solely 
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee 
to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public 
Lands. On April 2, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
bill. On January 15, 2020, the Natural Resources Committee met 
to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by 
unanimous consent. Chair Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) offered an 
amendment designated Grijalva #1. The amendment was agreed to 
by unanimous consent. No additional amendments were offered. 
The bill, as amended, was adopted and ordered favorably 
reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.

                                HEARINGS

    For the purposes of section103(i) of H.Res. 6 of the 116th 
Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or consider 
H.R.306: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held on April 2, 2019.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

           COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL 
                               BUDGET ACT

    1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. 
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the 
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, February 14, 2020.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 306, a bill to 
direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
reconnaissance survey of the site of the Kettle Creek 
Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, and adjacent property, 
and for other purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is David Hughes.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.


[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    

    H.R. 306 would require the National Park Service (NPS) to 
conduct a reconnaissance survey of the Kettle Creek Battlefield 
site in Wilkes County, Georgia. The NPS would evaluate the 
likelihood that the site would meet the criteria for admission 
as a national park unit and report to the Congress on the 
survey results.
    CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted in fiscal year 
2020. Using information from the NPS, CBO estimates that 
completing the survey would cost less than $500,000; any 
spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated 
funds.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Hughes. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Director of Budget Analysis.
    2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and 
objectives of this bill are to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a reconnaissance survey of the site of the 
Kettle Creek Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, and 
adjacent property.

                           EARMARK STATEMENT

    This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives.

                 UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                           EXISTING PROGRAMS

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
program.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

               PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW

    Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or 
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's 
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of ArticleVI of the 
U.S. Constitution.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing 
law.

        SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS

    None.