106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 791

AN ACT

To amend the National Trails System Act to destional trails system. fense, for study for potential addition to the na- Columbia, and the route of the American de- sion of Maryland and Washington, District of ignate the route of the War of 1812 British inva-
106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 791

AN ACT

To 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.
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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Star-Spangled Banner

5 National Historic Trail Study Act of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress finds that—

8 (1) the British invasion of Maryland and Wash9 ington, District of Columbia, during the War of

10 1812 marks a defining period in the history of our

11 Nation, the only occasion on which the United

12 States of America has been invaded by a foreign

13 power;

14 (2) the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic

15 Trail traces the arrival of the British fleet in the Pa16 tuxent River in Calvert County and St. Mary’s

17 County, Maryland, the landing of British forces at

18 Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at

19 Pig Point in Prince George’s County and Anne

20 Arundel County, Maryland, the American defeat at

21 the Battle of Bladensburg, the siege of the Nation’s

22 Capital, Washington, District of Columbia (including

23 the burning of the United States Capitol and the

24 White House), the British naval diversions in the

25 upper Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of
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1 Caulk’s Field in Kent County, Maryland, the route

2 of the American troops from Washington through

3 Georgetown, the Maryland Counties of Montgomery,

4 Howard, and Baltimore, and the city of Baltimore,

5 Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and the ulti6 mate victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on

7 September 14, 1814, where a distinguished Mary8 land lawyer and poet, Francis Scott Key, wrote the

9 words that captured the essence of our national

10 struggle for independence, words that now serve as

11 our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner; and

12 (3) the designation of this route as a national

13 historic trail—

14 (A) would serve as a reminder of the im15 portance of the concept of liberty to all who ex16 perience the Star-Spangled Banner National

17 Historic Trail; and

18 (B) would give long overdue recognition to

19 the patriots whose determination to stand firm

20 against enemy invasion and bombardment pre21 served this liberty for future generations of

22 Americans.

23 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF TRAIL FOR STUDY.

24 Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16

25 U.S.C. 1244(c)) is amended—
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1 (1) by redesignating paragraph (36) (as added

2 by section 3 of the El Camino Real Para Los Texas

3 Study Act of 1993 (107 Stat. 1497)) as paragraph

4 (37) and in subparagraph (C) by striking

5 ‘‘detemine’’ and inserting ‘‘determine’’;

6 (2) by designating the paragraphs relating to

7 the Old Spanish Trail and the Great Western Scenic

8 Trail as paragraphs (38) and (39), respectively; and

9 (3) by adding at the end the following:

10 ‘‘(40) STAR-SPANGLED BANNER NATIONAL HIS11 TORIC TRAIL.—

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Star-Spangled Banner

13 National Historic Trail, tracing the War of 1812

14 route from the arrival of the British fleet in the Pa15 tuxent River in Calvert County and St. Mary’s

16 County, Maryland, the landing of the British forces

17 at Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla

18 at Pig Point, the American defeat at the Battle of

19 Bladensburg, the siege of the Nation’s Capital,

20 Washington, District of Columbia (including the

21 burning of the United States Capitol and the White

22 House), the British naval diversions in the upper

23 Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk’s

24 Field in Kent County, Maryland, the route of the

25 American troops from Washington through George-
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1 town, the Maryland Counties of Montgomery, How2 ard, and Baltimore, and the city of Baltimore, Mary3 land, to the Battle of North Point, and the ultimate

4 victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on Sep5 tember 14, 1814.

6 ‘‘(B) AFFECTED AREAS.—The trail crosses 8

7 counties within the boundaries of the State of Mary8 land, the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and Wash9 ington, District of Columbia.

10 ‘‘(C) COORDINATION WITH OTHER CONGRES11 SIONALLY MANDATED ACTIVITIES.—The study under

12 this paragraph shall be undertaken in coordination

13 with the study authorized under section 603 of the

14 Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act

15 of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5 note; 110 Stat. 4172) and

16 the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Net17 work authorized under the Chesapeake Bay Initia18 tive Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; 112 Stat.

19 2961). Such coordination shall extend to any re20 search needed to complete the studies and any find21 ings and implementation actions that result from the

22 studies and shall use available resources to the

23 greatest extent possible to avoid unnecessary dupli24 cation of effort.
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1 ‘‘(D) DEADLINE FOR STUDY.—Not later that 2

2 years after funds are made available for the study

3 under this paragraph, the study shall be completed

4 and transmitted with final recommendations to the

5 Committee on Resources in the House of Represent6 atives and the Committee on Energy and Natural

7 Resources in the Senate.’’.

Passed the House of Representatives June 30, 1999.

Attest:

Clerk.