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Union Calendar No. 108

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 791

[Report No. 106–189]

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.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 23, 1999

Mr. GILCHREST (for himself and Mr. CARDIN) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on Resources

JUNE 17, 1999

Additional sponsors: Mr. HOYER and Mrs. MORELLA

JUNE 17, 1999

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 23, 1999]

A BILL

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.
2

•HR 791 RH

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 1812

10 marks a defining period in the history of our Nation,

11 the only occasion on which the United States of

12 America has been invaded by a foreign power;

13 (2) the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic

14 Trail traces the arrival of the British fleet in the Pa15 tuxent River in Calvert County and St. Mary’s Coun16 ty, Maryland, the landing of British forces at Bene17 dict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at Pig

18 Point in Prince George’s County and Anne Arundel

19 County, Maryland, the American defeat at the Battle

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

21 Washington, District of Columbia (including the

22 burning of the United States Capitol and the White

23 House), the British naval diversions in the upper

24 Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk’s Field

25 in Kent County, Maryland, the route of the American
3

•HR 791 RH

1 troops from Washington through Georgetown, the

2 Maryland Counties of Montgomery, Howard, and

3 Baltimore, and the city of Baltimore, Maryland, to

4 the Battle of North Point, and the ultimate victory of

5 the Americans at Fort McHenry on September 14,

6 1814, where a distinguished Maryland lawyer and

7 poet, Francis Scott Key, wrote the words that cap8 tured the essence of our national struggle for inde9 pendence, words that now serve as our national an10 them, the Star-Spangled Banner; and

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

12 historic trail—

13 (A) would serve as a reminder of the impor14 tance of the concept of liberty to all who experi15 ence the Star-Spangled Banner National His16 toric Trail; and

17 (B) would give long overdue recognition to

18 the patriots whose determination to stand firm

19 against enemy invasion and bombardment pre20 served this liberty for future generations of

21 Americans.

22 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF TRAIL FOR STUDY.

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

24 U.S.C. 1244(c)) is amended—
4

•HR 791 RH

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 ‘‘detemine’’

5 and inserting ‘‘determine’’;

6 (2) by designating the paragraphs relating to the

7 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 HISTORIC

11 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 Coun16 ty, Maryland, the landing of the British forces at

17 Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at

18 Pig Point, the American defeat at the Battle of

19 Bladensburg, the siege of the Nation’s Capital, Wash20 ington, District of Columbia (including the burning

21 of the United States Capitol and the White House),

22 the British naval diversions in the upper Chesapeake

23 Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk’s Field in Kent

24 County, Maryland, the route of the American troops

25 from Washington through Georgetown, the Maryland
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•HR 791 RH

1 Counties of Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore,

2 and the city of Baltimore, Maryland, to the Battle of

3 North Point, and the ultimate victory of the Ameri4 cans at Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814.

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

6 counties within the boundaries of the State of Mary7 land, the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and Wash8 ington, District of Columbia.

9 ‘‘(C) COORDINATION WITH OTHER CONGRESSION10 ALLY MANDATED ACTIVITIES.—The study under this

11 paragraph shall be undertaken in coordination with

12 the study authorized under section 603 of the Omni13 bus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996

14 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5 note; 110 Stat. 4172) and the Chesa15 peake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network au16 thorized under the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of

17 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; 112 Stat. 2961). Such co18 ordination shall extend to any research needed to

19 complete the studies and any findings and implemen20 tation actions that result from the studies and shall

21 use available resources to the greatest extent possible

22 to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.

23 ‘‘(D) DEADLINE FOR STUDY.—Not later that 2

24 years after funds are made available for the study

25 under this paragraph, the study shall be completed
6

•HR 791 RH

1 and transmitted with final recommendations to the

2 Committee on Resources in the House of Representa3 tives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Re4 sources in the Senate.’’.

Union Calendar No. 108

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 791

[Report No. 106–189]

A BILL

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 invaJUNE 17, 1999Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,