Preserving America's Battlefields Act
This bill reauthorizes though FY2028 the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program and expands the purposes of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002. Specifically, the Act's purposes shall include:
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3505 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3505
To provide for partnerships among State and local governments, regional
entities, and the private sector to preserve, conserve, and enhance the
visitor experience at nationally significant battlefields of the
American Revolution, War of 1812, and Civil War, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 26, 2018
Mr. Isakson (for himself, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Blunt)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for partnerships among State and local governments, regional
entities, and the private sector to preserve, conserve, and enhance the
visitor experience at nationally significant battlefields of the
American Revolution, War of 1812, and Civil War, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Preserving America's Battlefields
Act''.
SEC. 2. CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION ACT OF 2002.
Section 2 of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002
(Public Law 107-359) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
``(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
``(1) Battlefields of the American Revolution, War of 1812
and the Civil War--
``(A) provide a means for the people of the United
States to understand our Nation's turbulent first
century;
``(B) serve as living memorials to those who fought
and sacrificed in these conflicts to establish and
maintain our freedom and liberty;
``(C) serve as training grounds for our Nation's
Armed Forces; and
``(D) serve as heritage tourism destinations,
generating revenue for local economies.
``(2) According to the Report on the Nation's Civil War
Battlefields, prepared by the National Park Service and updated
in 2010, of the 383 Civil War battlefields identified as
national preservation priorities--
``(A) only at 31 battlefields is more than half of
the surviving landscape permanently protected;
``(B) at 227 battlefields, less than half of the
surviving landscape is permanently protected;
``(C) 65 battlefields have no protection at all;
and
``(D) 113 battlefields have been severely hampered
by development since the Civil War or are on the verge
of being overwhelmed.
``(3) According to the 2007 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, of the 243 principal Revolutionary War and War of 1812
battlefields identified as national preservation priorities--
``(A) almost 70 percent lie within urban areas as
denoted in the 2000 U.S. Census;
``(B) 141 are lost or extremely fragmented, with
residential and commercial development being the chief
threats;
``(C) 100 other battlefields retain significant
features and lands from the period of battle, although
on average these battlefields retain only 37 percent of
the original historic scene;
``(D) of these 100 surviving but diminished battle
landscapes, 82 are partially owned and protected by
public and nonprofit stewards, although the extent of
that protection varies from site to site;
``(E) 18 are without any legal protection;
``(F) the condition of two battlefields is unknown,
with additional research and survey being required to
determine their exact location and condition; and
``(G) the paucity of existing battlefield
landscapes necessitates preservation and maintenance of
what precious little remains today.
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
``(1) to act quickly and proactively to preserve and
protect nationally significant battlefields of the American
Revolution, War of 1812, and Civil War through conservation
easements and fee-simple purchases of those battlefields from
willing sellers; and
``(2) to create partnerships among State and local
governments, regional entities, and the private sector to
preserve, conserve, and enhance the visitor experience at
nationally significant battlefields of the American Revolution,
War of 1812, and Civil War.''.
SEC. 3. PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE.
Section 308103(f) of title 54, United States Code, is amended to
read as follows:
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to provide grants under this section
$20,000,000 for each fiscal year through 2028, of which not more than
10 percent may be used each fiscal year as follows:
``(1) Not more than $1,000,000 for projects and programs
that modernize battlefield interpretive and educational assets
through the deployment of technology, disbursed through the
competitive grant process to non-profit organizations.
``(2) Not more than $1,000,000 for grants to organizations
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code
to be used for projects that restore day-of-battle conditions
on land preserved through Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant
Program funds.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 115-535.
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