49–006 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 109–289 

FRANKLIN NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD STUDY ACT 

NOVEMBER 10, 2005.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. POMBO, from the Committee on Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1972] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 

(H.R. 1972) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of including in the National Park System certain sites in Williamson 

County, Tennessee, relating to the Battle of Franklin, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and 

recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 

The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Franklin National Battlefield Study Act’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the Interior. 

(2) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘study area’’ means the cities of Brentwood, 

Franklin, Triune, Thompson’s Station, and Spring Hill, Tennessee. 

SEC. 3. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct a special resource study of sites in 

the study area relating to the Battle of Franklin to determine— 

(1) the national significance of the sites; and 

(2) the suitability and feasibility of including the sites in the National Park 

System. 

(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The study conducted under subsection (a) shall include the 

analysis and recommendations of the Secretary on— 

(1) the effect on the study area of including the sites in the National Park 

System; and 

(2) whether the sites could be included in an existing unit of the National 

Park System or other federally designated unit in the State of Tennessee. 

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(c) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary 

shall consult with— 

(1) appropriate Federal agencies and State and local government entities; and 

(2) interested groups and organizations. 

(d) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study required under subsection (a) shall be conducted 

in accordance with Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–1 et seq.). 

SEC. 4. REPORT. 

Not later than 3 years after the date funds are made available for the study, the 

Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report 

that describes— 

(1) the findings of the study; and 

(2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary. 

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out 

this Act. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 1972 is to direct the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resources study to determine the suitability 

and feasibility of including in the National Park System certain 

sites in Williamson County, Tennessee, relating to the Battle of 

Franklin. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The Battle of Franklin was a significant battle leading to the 

Union victory over the Confederacy in the Civil War. Additionally, 

the Battle was one of the deadliest during the Civil War. Currently, there is no National Cemetery or National Battlefield commemorating the Battle. The study authorized by this bill will include the cities of Brentwood, Franklin, Triune, Thompson’s Station, and Spring Hill, Tennessee. The Secretary of the Interior will 

determine if sites within the study area have national significance 

and if they can be included in an existing unit of the National Park 

System or another federally designated unit. As ordered reported, 

the bill instructs the Secretary to report the findings of the study 

no later than three years following the date on which funds are 

made available for the study. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 1972 was introduced on April 28, 2005, by Congresswoman 

Marsha Blackburn (R–TN). The bill was referred to the Committee 

on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 

National Parks. On September 29, 2005, the Subcommittee held a 

hearing on the bill. On October 19, 2005, the full Committee on Resources met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged 

from further consideration of the bill by unanimous consent. Congressman Stevan Pearce (R–NM) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute which gives the Secretary of the Interior three 

years to complete the study from the date funds are made available 

for the study. The Pearce amendment was adopted by unanimous 

consent. The bill, as amended, was then ordered favorably reported 

to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. 

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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 Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in 

the body of this report. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8, and Article IV, section 3 of the Constitution 

of the United States grant Congress the authority to enact this bill. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of 

the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that Rule provides 

that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule 

XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 

308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this bill does not 

contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in tax expenditures. According 

to the Congressional Budget Office, enactment of this bill would increase offsetting receipts and direct spending, but ‘‘any net change 

in direct spending would be negligible.’’ 

3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 

clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective 

of this bill is to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 

special resources study to determine the suitability and feasibility 

of including in the National Park System certain sites in 

Williamson County, Tennessee, relating to the Battle of Franklin. 

4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 

3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 

section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the 

Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

H.R. 1972—Franklin National Battlefield Study Act 

H.R. 1972 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 

a special resource study of sites in Tennessee related to the Battle 

of Franklin. The purpose of the study would be to determine the 

national significance of various sites and to evaluate the suitability 

and feasibility of including them in the National Park System. 

Based on information provided by the National Park Service and 

assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates 

that carrying out the proposed study would cost about $250,000 

over the next three years. Enacting H.R. 1972 would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

have no significant impact on the budgets of state, local, or tribal 

governments. 

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On October 4, 2005, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 955, 

the Franklin National Battlefield Study Act, as ordered reported by 

the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on September 28, 2005. The two versions of the legislation are very similar, and the cost estimates are identical. 

The CBO staff contract for this estimate is Deborah Reis. This 

estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

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

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