I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1548

To provide for an interpretive center at the Civil War Battlefield of Corinth,

Mississippi, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 2, 1995

Mr. WICKER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Resources

A BILL

To provide for an interpretive center at the Civil War

Battlefield of Corinth, Mississippi, and for other purposes.

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 ‘‘Corinth, Mississippi,

5 Battlefield Act of 1995’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

7 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—

8 (1) the sites located in the vicinity of Corinth,

9 Mississippi, that were designated as a National His10 toric Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior in
2

•HR 1548 IH

1 1991 represent nationally significant events in the

2 Siege and Battle of Corinth during the Civil War;

3 and

4 (2) the Landmark sites should be preserved and

5 interpreted for the benefit, inspiration, and edu6 cation of the people of the United States.

7 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to provide

8 for a center for the interpretation of the Siege and Battle

9 of Corinth and other Civil War actions in the region and

10 to enhance public understanding of the significance of the

11 Corinth Campaign in the Civil War relative to the Western

12 theater of operations, in cooperation with State or local

13 governmental entities and private organizations and indi14 viduals.

15 SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AT CORINTH, MIS16 SISSIPPI.

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior (re18 ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall acquire by

19 donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds,

20 or exchange, such land and interests in land in the vicinity

21 of the Corinth Battlefield, in the State of Mississippi, as

22 the Secretary determines to be necessary for the construc23 tion of an interpretive center to commemorate and inter24 pret the 1862 Civil War Siege and Battle of Corinth.
3

•HR 1548 IH

1 (b) PUBLICLY OWNED LAND.—Land and interests in

2 land owned by the State of Mississippi or a political sub3 division of the State of Mississippi may be acquired only

4 by donation.

5 SEC. 4. INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND MARKING.

6 (a) INTERPRETIVE CENTER.—

7 (1) CONSTRUCTION OF CENTER.—The Sec8 retary shall construct, operate, and maintain on the

9 property acquired under section 3 a center for the

10 interpretation of the Siege and Battle of Corinth

11 and associated historical events for the benefit of the

12 public.

13 (2) DESCRIPTION.—The center shall contain

14 approximately 5,300 square feet, and include inter15 pretive exhibits, an auditorium, a parking area, and

16 other features appropriate to public appreciation and

17 understanding of the site.

18 (b) MARKING.—The Secretary may mark sites associ19 ated with the Siege and Battle of Corinth National His20 toric Landmark, as designated on May 6, 1991, if the sites

21 are determined by the Secretary to be protected by State

22 or local governmental agencies.

23 (c) ADMINISTRATION.—The land and interests in

24 land acquired, and the facilities constructed and main25 tained pursuant to this Act, shall be administered by the
4

•HR 1548 IH

1 Secretary as a part of Shiloh National Military Park, sub2 ject to the appropriate laws (including regulations) appli3 cable to the park, the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to establish

4 a National Park Service, and for other purposes’’, ap5 proved August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and the

6 Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the preservation of

7 historic American sites, buildings, objects, and antiquities

8 of national significance, and for other purposes’’, approved

9 August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).

10 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), there

12 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec13 essary to carry out this Act.

14 (b) CONSTRUCTION.—Of the amounts made available

15 to carry out this Act, not more than $6,000,000 may be

16 used to carry out section 4(a).

Æ