I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8182 

To establish the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve in the State 

of Georgia, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 30, 2024 

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia (for himself, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 

ALLEN, Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Mr. COLLINS, Mr. FERGUSON, Ms. 

GREENE of Georgia, Mr. LOUDERMILK, Mr. MCCORMICK, Mr. JOHNSON

of Georgia, Mrs. MCBATH, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, and Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and 

Preserve in the State of Georgia, 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 ‘‘Ocmulgee Mounds Na5 tional Park and Preserve Establishment Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Advisory 

2 Council’’ means the Ocmulgee Mounds National 

3 Park and Preserve Advisory Council established 

4 under section 5(a). 

5 (2) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map en6 titled ‘‘Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Pre7 serve Proposed Boundary’’, numbered 363/193026, 

8 and dated April 2024. 

9 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

10 the Secretary of the Interior. 

11 (4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

12 of Georgia. 

13 (5) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the 

14 Muscogee (Creek) Nation. 

15 SEC. 3. REDESIGNATION OF OCMULGEE MOUNDS NA16 TIONAL PARK AND ESTABLISHMENT OF 

17 OCMULGEE MOUNDS NATIONAL PRESERVE. 

18 (a) REDESIGNATION OF OCMULGEE MOUNDS NA19 TIONAL PARK; LAND ACQUISITION.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Ocmulgee Mounds Na21 tional Historical Park designated by section 

22 2102(b)(1)(A) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conserva23 tion, Management, and Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. 

24 410yyy–3(b)(1)(A)) shall be known and designated 

25 as the ‘‘Ocmulgee Mounds National Park’’. 


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1 (2) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, 

2 map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of 

3 the United States to the ‘‘Ocmulgee Mounds Na4 tional Historical Park’’ shall be considered to be a 

5 reference to the ‘‘Ocmulgee Mounds National Park’’. 

6 (3) LAND ACQUISITION FOR OCMULGEE

7 MOUNDS NATIONAL PARK.— 

8 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may ac9 quire land or any interest in land within the 

10 area depicted as ‘‘National Park Area’’ on the 

11 Map for inclusion in the Ocmulgee Mounds Na12 tional Park by purchase from a willing seller, 

13 donation, or exchange. 

14 (B) ADMINISTRATION.—Any land or inter15 est in land acquired under subparagraph (A) 

16 shall be— 

17 (i) incorporated into the Ocmulgee 

18 Mounds National Park; and 

19 (ii) administered by the Secretary in 

20 accordance with section 4. 

21 (C) PROHIBITION ON USE OF EMINENT

22 DOMAIN.—Nothing in this paragraph authorizes 

23 the use of eminent domain to acquire land or 

24 an interest in land. 


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1 (D) BOUNDARIES.—The boundaries of the 

2 Ocmulgee Mounds National Park shall reflect 

3 the land and interests in land acquired for the 

4 Ocmulgee Mounds National Park under sub5 paragraph (A). 

6 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF OCMULGEE MOUNDS NA7 TIONAL PRESERVE.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Effective on the date on 

9 which the Secretary publishes in the Federal Reg10 ister a notice that the Secretary has determined that 

11 sufficient land within the area depicted as ‘‘National 

12 Preserve Area’’ on the Map has been acquired under 

13 paragraph (2) to constitute a manageable unit, there 

14 is established the Ocmulgee Mounds National Pre15 serve in the State as a unit of the National Park 

16 System. 

17 (2) LAND ACQUISITION FOR OCMULGEE

18 MOUNDS NATIONAL PRESERVE.— 

19 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may ac20 quire land or any interest in land within the 

21 area depicted as ‘‘National Preserve Area’’ on 

22 the Map for inclusion in the Ocmulgee Mounds 

23 National Preserve by purchase from a willing 

24 seller, donation, or exchange. 


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1 (B) ADMINISTRATION.—Any land or inter2 est in land acquired under subparagraph (A) 

3 shall be— 

4 (i) incorporated into the Ocmulgee 

5 Mounds National Preserve; and 

6 (ii) administered by the Secretary in 

7 accordance with section 4. 

8 (C) PROHIBITION ON USE OF EMINENT

9 DOMAIN.—Nothing in this paragraph authorizes 

10 the use of eminent domain to acquire land or 

11 an interest in land. 

12 (3) BOUNDARIES.—The boundaries of the 

13 Ocmulgee Mounds National Preserve shall reflect 

14 the land and interests in land acquired for the 

15 Ocmulgee Mounds National Preserve under para16 graph (2)(A). 

17 (c) MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall file with 

19 the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 

20 the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources 

21 of the House of Representatives— 

22 (A) as soon as practicable after the date of 

23 enactment of this Act, a map and legal descrip24 tion of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park; 

25 and 


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1 (B) as soon as practicable after the date of 

2 establishment of the Ocmulgee Mounds Na3 tional Preserve, a map and legal description of 

4 the Ocmulgee Mounds National Preserve. 

5 (2) CORRECTIONS.—The maps and legal de6 scriptions filed under paragraph (1) shall have the 

7 same force and effect as if included in this Act, ex8 cept that the Secretary may make technical correc9 tions to the maps and legal descriptions. 

10 (3) AVAILABILITY.—The maps and legal de11 scriptions filed under paragraph (1) shall be on file 

12 and available for public inspection in the appropriate 

13 offices of the National Park Service. 

14 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF OCMULGEE MOUNDS NA15 TIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Ocmulgee Mounds National 

17 Park and the Ocmulgee Mounds National Preserve shall— 

18 (1) be administered as a single unit of the Na19 tional Park System in accordance with— 

20 (A) this section; 

21 (B) the laws generally applicable to units 

22 of the National Park System, including— 

23 (i) section 100101(a), chapter 1003, 

24 and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, 


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1 and 102101 of title 54, United States 

2 Code; and 

3 (ii) chapter 3201 of title 54, United 

4 States Code; and 

5 (C) any co-management agreement entered 

6 into under subsection (b); and 

7 (2) collectively be known and designated as the 

8 ‘‘Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve’’. 

9 (b) CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.—Not later than 

10 1 year after the date of receipt of the recommendations 

11 of the Advisory Council under section 5(b)(2), the Sec12 retary shall enter into an agreement with the Tribe to pro13 vide for the co-management of the Ocmulgee Mounds Na14 tional Park and Preserve by the Secretary and the Tribe. 

15 (c) HUNTING AND FISHING.— 

16 (1) HUNTING.—The Secretary shall allow hunt17 ing on lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary 

18 within the boundaries of the Ocmulgee Mounds Na19 tional Preserve in accordance with applicable Fed20 eral and State laws. 

21 (2) FISHING.—The Secretary shall allow fishing 

22 on waters under the jurisdiction of the Secretary 

23 within the boundaries of the Ocmulgee Mounds Na24 tional Park and Preserve in accordance with applica25 ble Federal and State laws. 


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1 (3) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may designate 

2 zones in which, and establish periods during which, 

3 no hunting, fishing, or both, shall be allowed for rea4 sons of public safety, administration, fish or wildlife 

5 management, or emergencies. 

6 (4) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall en7 sure any regulations prescribing such restrictions 

8 under this subsection shall be put into effect only 

9 after consultation with the State. 

10 (5) PRIVATE LAND.—Nothing in this subsection 

11 prohibits hunting, fishing, or trapping on private 

12 land in accordance with applicable State and Federal 

13 laws. 

14 (6) CONGRESSIONAL INTENT.—Nothing in this 

15 Act is intended to affect the jurisdiction or respon16 sibilities of the State with respect to fish and wild17 life. 

18 (d) HIRING PREFERENCE.—The Secretary shall es19 tablish policies to provide a preference for hiring members 

20 of the Tribe for positions at the Ocmulgee Mounds Na21 tional Park and Preserve, consistent with the Indian pref22 erence policy established by the Secretary of the Interior 

23 under section 12 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly 

24 known as the ‘‘Indian Reorganization Act’’) (48 Stat. 986, 

25 chapter 576; 25 U.S.C. 5116). 


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1 (e) EFFECT ON ADMINISTRATION OF BOND SWAMP

2 NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para4 graph (2), nothing in this Act affects the continued 

5 administration of the Bond Swamp National Wildlife 

6 Refuge by the Director of the United States Fish 

7 and Wildlife Service as a unit of the National Wild8 life Refuge System. 

9 (2) CULTURAL INTERPRETATION ACTIVITIES.— 

10 The Director of the National Park Service shall con11 sult with the Tribe to provide cultural programs and 

12 related activities with respect to the Bond Swamp 

13 National Wildlife Refuge with the consent of the Di14 rector of the United States Fish and Wildlife Serv15 ice. 

16 (f) TRIBAL USES.—Subject to any terms and condi17 tions that the Secretary determines to be necessary and 

18 in accordance with applicable law, the Secretary shall 

19 allow for the continued use of the Ocmulgee Mounds Na20 tional Park and Preserve by members of the Tribe for— 

21 (1) traditional ceremonies; and 

22 (2) hunting, fishing, and trapping. 

23 (g) MILITARY ACTIVITIES.—Nothing in this Act pre24 cludes— 


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1 (1) low-level overflights of military aircraft over 

2 the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve; 

3 (2) the designation of new units of special use 

4 airspace over the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park 

5 and Preserve; 

6 (3) the use or establishment of military flight 

7 training routes over the Ocmulgee Mounds National 

8 Park and Preserve; 

9 (4) access to electronic tracking and commu10 nications sites associated with special use airspace or 

11 military flight training routes over the Ocmulgee 

12 Mounds National Park and Preserve; 

13 (5) ground access to respond to emergency or 

14 accident locations relating to special use airspace or 

15 military flight training routes over the Ocmulgee 

16 Mounds National Park and Preserve; 

17 (6) continued use of the Ocmulgee Mounds Na18 tional Park and Preserve by tactical ground parties 

19 or the maintenance of existing associated ground in20 strumentation, in accordance with any applicable 

21 interagency agreements in effect on the date of en22 actment of this Act; or 

23 (7) the Secretary of Defense from entering into 

24 new or renewed agreements with the Secretary relat25 ing to the use by military aircraft of airspace over 


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1 the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve 

2 or the maintenance of associated ground instrumen3 tation or tactical ground parties— 

4 (A) that will not interfere with the man5 agement of the Ocmulgee Mounds National 

6 Park and Preserve for the purposes for which 

7 the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Pre8 serve was established; and 

9 (B) in accordance with applicable laws. 

10 SEC. 5. ADVISORY COUNCIL. 

11 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

12 an advisory council, to be known as the ‘‘Ocmulgee 

13 Mounds National Park and Preserve Advisory Council’’. 

14 (b) DUTIES.—The Advisory Council shall— 

15 (1) advise the Secretary with respect to the 

16 preparation and implementation of a management 

17 plan for the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and 

18 Preserve; and 

19 (2) not later than 3 years after the date of en20 actment of this Act, submit to the Secretary rec21 ommendations relating to the management of the 

22 Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve, in23 cluding the role of the Tribe with respect to the del24 egation of any aspects of Federal decisionmaking, 

25 including land management, species management, 


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1 and the interpretation of cultural resources and re2 sources of the Tribe at the Ocmulgee Mounds Na3 tional Park and Preserve. 

4 (c) MEMBERS.—The Advisory Council shall consist of 

5 9 members, to be appointed by the Secretary, as follows: 

6 (1) The superintendent of the Ocmulgee 

7 Mounds National Park and Preserve. 

8 (2) The Secretary of Culture and Humanities of 

9 the Tribe. 

10 (3) The Secretary of Interior Affairs of the 

11 Tribe. 

12 (4) The Principal Chief of the Tribe. 

13 (5) A representative of the applicable National 

14 Park Service regional office for the State. 

15 (6) A representative of the applicable United 

16 States Fish and Wildlife Service regional office for 

17 the State. 

18 (7) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service 

19 project leader of the Bond Swamp National Wildlife 

20 Refuge. 

21 (8) A representative of the State Department of 

22 Natural Resources. 

23 (9) A representative of the Middle Georgia Re24 gional Commission. 


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1 (d) APPLICABLE LAW.—The Advisory Council shall 

2 be subject to chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code 

3 (commonly referred to as the ‘‘Federal Advisory Com4 mittee Act’’) and other applicable laws. 

5 (e) VACANCY.—A vacancy on the Advisory Council 

6 shall be filled in the same manner as the original appoint7 ment. 

8 (f) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the Ad9 visory Council (including not fewer than 1 member who 

10 is a designated representative of the Tribe) shall con11 stitute a quorum. 

12 (g) CHAIRPERSON.—The Advisory Council shall— 

13 (1) elect a chairperson of the Advisory Council 

14 from among the members of the Advisory Council; 

15 and 

16 (2) establish any rules and procedures for the 

17 Advisory Council that the Advisory Council deter18 mines to be appropriate. 

19 (h) NO COMPENSATION.—Members of the Advisory 

20 Council shall serve without compensation. 

21 (i) TERMINATION.—The Advisory Council shall ter22 minate on the date on which the Advisory Council com23 pletes the management plan for the Ocmulgee Mounds 

24 National Park and Preserve. 


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1 SEC. 6. LAND TO BE HELD IN TRUST. 

2 All right, title, and interest of the United States in 

3 and to the approximately 126 acres of land in the 

4 Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve owned in 

5 fee by the Tribe are hereby taken into trust for the benefit 

6 of the Tribe. Such land— 

7 (1) is part of Indian country (as defined in sec8 tion 1151 of title 18, United State Code) of the 

9 Tribe; and 

10 (2) shall be administered in accordance with the 

11 laws and regulations generally applicable to property 

12 held in trust by the United States for the benefit of 

13 an Indian Tribe. 

Æ 


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