[106th Congress Public Law 135]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


<DOC>
[DOCID: f:publ135.106]

Public Law 106-135
106th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To <<NOTE: Dec. 7, 1999 -  [H.R. 791]>> amend the National Trails System 
   Act to designate the route of the War of 1812 British invasion of 
  Maryland and Washington, District of Columbia, and the route of the 
   American defense, for study for potential addition to the national 
                             trails system.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in <<NOTE: Star-Spangled Banner National 
Historic Trail Study Act of 1999. 16 USC 1241 note.>> Congress 
assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Star-Spangled Banner National 
Historic Trail Study Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the British invasion of Maryland and Washington, 
        District of Columbia, during the War of 1812 marks a defining 
        period in the history of our Nation, the only occasion on which 
        the United States of America has been invaded by a foreign 
        power;
            (2) the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail traces 
        the arrival of the British fleet in the Patuxent River in 
        Calvert County and St. Mary's County, Maryland, the landing of 
        British forces at Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake 
        Flotilla at Pig Point in Prince George's County and Anne Arundel 
        County, Maryland, the American defeat at the Battle of 
        Bladensburg, the siege of the Nation's Capital, Washington, 
        District of Columbia (including the burning of the United States 
        Capitol and the White House), the British naval diversions in 
        the upper Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk's Field 
        in Kent County, Maryland, the route of the American troops from 
        Washington through Georgetown, the Maryland Counties of 
        Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, and the City of 
        Baltimore, Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and the 
        ultimate victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on September 
        14, 1814, where a distinguished Maryland lawyer and poet, 
        Francis Scott Key, wrote the words that captured the essence of 
        our national struggle for independence, words that now serve as 
        our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner; and
            (3) the designation of this route as a national historic 
        trail--
                    (A) would serve as a reminder of the importance of 
                the concept of liberty to all who experience the Star-
                Spangled Banner National Historic Trail; and
                    (B) would give long overdue recognition to the 
                patriots whose determination to stand firm against enemy 
                invasion and bombardment preserved this liberty for 
                future generations of Americans.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF TRAIL FOR STUDY.

    Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c)) 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (36) (as added by section 3 
        of the El Camino Real Para Los Texas Study Act of 1993 (107 
        Stat. 1497)) as paragraph (37) and in subparagraph (C) by 
        striking ``detemine'' and inserting ``determine'';
            (2) by designating the paragraphs relating to the Old 
        Spanish Trail and the Great Western Scenic Trail as paragraphs 
        (38) and (39), respectively; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(40) Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail.--
            ``(A) In general.--The Star-Spangled Banner National 
        Historic Trail, tracing the War of 1812 route from the arrival 
        of the British fleet in the Patuxent River in Calvert County and 
        St. Mary's County, Maryland, the landing of the British forces 
        at Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at Pig 
        Point, the American defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg, the 
        siege of the Nation's Capital, Washington, District of Columbia 
        (including the burning of the United States Capitol and the 
        White House), the British naval diversions in the upper 
        Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk's Field in Kent 
        County, Maryland, the route of the American troops from 
        Washington through Georgetown, the Maryland Counties of 
        Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, and the City of 
        Baltimore, Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and the 
        ultimate victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on September 
        14, 1814.
            ``(B) Affected areas.--The trail crosses eight counties 
        within the boundaries of the State of Maryland, the City of 
        Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, District of Columbia.
            ``(C) Coordination with other congressionally mandated 
        activities.--The study under this paragraph shall be undertaken 
        in coordination with the study authorized under section 603 of 
        the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 
        U.S.C. 1a-5 note; 110 Stat. 4172) and the Chesapeake Bay 
        Gateways and Watertrails Network authorized under the Chesapeake 
        Bay Initiative Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; 112 Stat. 2961). 
        Such coordination shall extend to any research needed to 
        complete the studies and any findings and implementation actions 
        that result from the studies and shall use available resources 
        to the greatest extent possible to avoid unnecessary duplication 
        of effort.
            ``(D) Deadline for study.--Not later that 2 years after 
        funds are made available for the study under this paragraph, the 
        study shall be completed and transmitted with final 
        recommendations to the Committee on Resources in the House

        of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
        Resources in the Senate.''.

    Approved December 7, 1999.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 791 (S. 441):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-189 (Comm. on Resources).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 106-63 accompanying S. 441 (Comm. on Energy and 
Natural Resources).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 145 (1999):
            June 30, considered and passed House.
            Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate.

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