II 

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 

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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cahokia Mounds Mis5 sissippian Culture Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 

8 (1) the city of Cahokia— 


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

2 700 to 1400; and 

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

4 (i) covered nearly 6 square miles; and 

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

6 people; 

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

8 at the site of the city of Cahokia; 

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

10 the Cahokia subtribe of the Illinois Confederation, 

11 who moved into the area in the 1600s; 

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

13 largest city of the Mississippian culture that ruled 

14 and traded across half of North America, more than 

15 1,250,000 square miles; 

16 (5) the city of Cahokia— 

17 (A) was the first known organized urban18 ization and government north of Mexico; and 

19 (B) at its peak, was larger than most Eu20 ropean cities, including London; 

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

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

23 monuments and remnants of Mississippian culture, 

24 which is the greatest prehistoric ancient culture in 


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1 North America, the people of which are ancestors to 

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

3 (7) the Cahokia Mounds are designated as— 

4 (A) a National Historic Landmark; 

5 (B) an Illinois State Historic Site; and 

6 (C) a United Nations Educational, Sci7 entific, and Cultural Organization World Herit8 age Site. 

9 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

10 In this Act: 

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

12 the Secretary of the Interior. 

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

14 means— 

15 (A) the Cahokia Mounds site; 

16 (B) land in Collinsville and Monroe, Madi17 son, and St. Clair Counties, Illinois, and St. 

18 Louis County, Missouri, surrounding the 

19 Cahokia Mounds site; 

20 (C) satellite sites thematically connected to 

21 the Cahokia Mounds site; and 

22 (D) Mitchell Mound, Sugarloaf Mound, 

23 Emerald Mound, Pulcher Mounds, East St. 

24 Louis Mounds, and the St. Louis Mound 

25 Group. 


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1 SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

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

3 resource study of the Study Area. 

4 (b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub5 section (a), the Secretary shall— 

6 (1) evaluate the national significance of the 

7 Study Area; 

8 (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 

9 designating the Study Area as a unit of the National 

10 Park System; 

11 (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 

12 protection, and interpretation of the Study Area 

13 by— 

14 (A) Federal, State, or local governmental 

15 entities; or 

16 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; 

17 (4) consult with— 

18 (A) interested entities of the Federal Gov19 ernment or State or local governmental entities; 

20 (B) private and nonprofit organizations; or 

21 (C) any other interested individuals; and 

22 (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal ac23 quisition, development, interpretation, operation, and 

24 maintenance associated with the alternatives consid25 ered under paragraph (3). 


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

2 subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with sec3 tion 100507 of title 54, United States Code. 

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

5 on which funds are first made available to conduct the 

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

7 submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Re8 sources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Re9 sources of the House of Representatives a report con10 taining— 

11 (1) the results of the study; and 

12 (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the 

13 Secretary. 

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

15 (a) shall be carried out using existing funds of the Na16 tional Park Service. 

Æ 


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