H. R. 791

One Hundred Sixth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine

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.

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 ‘‘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
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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
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of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural

Resources in the Senate.’’.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.