II 

Calendar No. 612 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4164 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 

study of the Cahokia Mounds and surrounding land in the States of 

Illinois and Missouri, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 18, 2024 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Ms. DUCKWORTH) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 

Reported by Mr. MANCHIN, with an amendment 

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

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 

special resource study of the Cahokia Mounds and surrounding land in the States of Illinois and Missouri, 

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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cahokia Mounds Mis3 sissippian Culture Study Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds that— 

6 (1) the city of Cahokia— 

7 (A) was inhabited from approximately A.D. 

8 700 to 1400; and 

9 (B) at its peak from A.D. 1050 to 1200— 

10 (i) covered nearly 6 square miles; and 

11 (ii) was home to 10,000 to 20,000 

12 people; 

13 (2) more than 120 mounds were built over time 

14 at the site of the city of Cahokia; 

15 (3) the site of the city of Cahokia is named for 

16 the Cahokia subtribe of the Illinois Confederation, 

17 who moved into the area in the 1600s; 

18 (4) the city of Cahokia was the central hub and 

19 largest city of the Mississippian culture that ruled 

20 and traded across half of North America, more than 

21 1,250,000 square miles; 

22 (5) the city of Cahokia— 

23 (A) was the first known organized urban24 ization and government north of Mexico; and 

25 (B) at its peak, was larger than most Eu26 ropean cities, including London; 


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1 (6) some of the Cahokia Mounds, which were 

2 built from A.D. 900 to 1400, still stand as earthen 

3 monuments and remnants of Mississippian culture, 

4 which is the greatest prehistoric ancient culture in 

5 North America, the people of which are ancestors to 

6 many of today’s First People and Nations; and 

7 (7) the Cahokia Mounds are designated as— 

8 (A) a National Historic Landmark; 

9 (B) an Illinois State Historic Site; and 

10 (C) a United Nations Educational, Sci11 entific, and Cultural Organization World Herit12 age Site. 

13 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act: 

15 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

16 the Secretary of the Interior. 

17 (2) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘Study Area’’ 

18 means— 

19 (A) the Cahokia Mounds site; 

20 (B) land in Collinsville and Monroe, Madi21 son, and St. Clair Counties, Illinois, and St. 

22 Louis County, Missouri, surrounding the 

23 Cahokia Mounds site; 

24 (C) satellite sites thematically connected to 

25 the Cahokia Mounds site; and 


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1 (D) Mitchell Mound, Sugarloaf Mound, 

2 Emerald Mound, Pulcher Mounds, East St. 

3 Louis Mounds, and the St. Louis Mound 

4 Group. 

5 SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

6 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a special 

7 resource study of the Study Area. 

8 (b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub9 section (a), the Secretary shall— 

10 (1) evaluate the national significance of the 

11 Study Area; 

12 (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 

13 designating the Study Area as a unit of the National 

14 Park System; 

15 (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 

16 protection, and interpretation of the Study Area 

17 by— 

18 (A) Federal, State, or local governmental 

19 entities; or 

20 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; 

21 (4) consult with— 

22 (A) interested entities of the Federal Gov23 ernment or State or local governmental entities; 

24 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; or 

25 (C) any other interested individuals; and 


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1 (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal ac2 quisition, development, interpretation, operation, and 

3 maintenance associated with the alternatives consid4 ered under paragraph (3). 

5 (c) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study required under 

6 subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with sec7 tion 100507 of title 54, United States Code. 

8 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

9 on which funds are first made available to conduct the 

10 study required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 

11 submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Re12 sources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Re13 sources of the House of Representatives a report con14 taining— 

15 (1) the results of the study; and 

16 (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the 

17 Secretary. 

18 (e) FUNDING.—The study required under subsection 

19 (a) shall be carried out using existing funds of the Na20 tional Park Service. 

21 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

22 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cahokia Mounds Mis23 sissippian Culture Study Act’’. 

24 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

25 In this Act: 


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

2 the Secretary of the Interior. 

3 (2) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘Study Area’’ 

4 means— 

5 (A) the Cahokia Mounds site; 

6 (B) land in Collinsville and Monroe, Madi7 son, and St. Clair Counties, Illinois, and St. 

8 Louis County, Missouri, surrounding the 

9 Cahokia Mounds site; 

10 (C) satellite sites thematically connected to 

11 the Cahokia Mounds site; and 

12 (D) Mitchell Mound, Sugarloaf Mound, Em13 erald Mound, Pulcher Mounds, East St. Louis 

14 Mounds, and the St. Louis Mound Group. 

15 SEC. 3. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

16 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a special re17 source study of the Study Area. 

18 (b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub19 section (a), the Secretary shall— 

20 (1) evaluate the national significance of the 

21 Study Area; 

22 (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 

23 designating the Study Area as a unit of the National 

24 Park System; 


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1 (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 

2 protection, and interpretation of the Study Area by— 

3 (A) Federal, State, or local governmental 

4 entities; or 

5 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; 

6 (4) consult with— 

7 (A) interested entities of the Federal Gov8 ernment or State or local governmental entities; 

9 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; or 

10 (C) any other interested individuals; and 

11 (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acqui12 sition, development, interpretation, operation, and 

13 maintenance associated with the alternatives consid14 ered under paragraph (3). 

15 (c) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study required under sub16 section (a) shall be conducted in accordance with section 

17 100507 of title 54, United States Code. 

18 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date on 

19 which funds are first made available to conduct the study 

20 required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit 

21 to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 

22 Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

23 House of Representatives a report containing— 

24 (1) the results of the study; and 


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1 (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the 

2 Secretary. 


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Calendar No. 612 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4164 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conlinois and Missouri, and for other purposes. Mounds and surrounding land in the States of Il- duct a special resource study of the Cahokia 

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 

Reported with an amendment 


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