September 10, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5735 

AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS 

ACT OF 2012 

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. 

Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 

and pass the bill (H.R. 2489) to authorize the acquisition and protection of 

nationally significant battlefields and 

associated sites of the Revolutionary 

War and the War of 1812 under the 

American Battlefield Protection Program, as amended. 

The Clerk read the title of the bill. 

The text of the bill is as follows: 

H.R. 2489 

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 ‘‘American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 

2012’’. 

SEC. 2. REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND WAR OF 1812 

AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION. 

Section 7301(c) of the Omnibus Public Land 

Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–11) is 

amended as follows: 

(1) In paragraph (1)— 

(A) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(A) BATTLEFIELD REPORT.—The term ‘battlefield report’ means, collectively— 

‘‘(i) the report entitled ‘Report on the Nation’s 

Civil War Battlefields’, prepared by the Civil 

War Sites Advisory Commission, and dated July 

1993; and 

‘‘(ii) the report entitled ‘Report to Congress on 

the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War 

and War of 1812 Sites in the United States’, prepared by the National Park Service, and dated 

September 2007.’’; and 

(B) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking ‘‘Battlefield Report’’ and inserting ‘‘battlefield report’’. 

(2) In paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘eligible 

sites or’’ after ‘‘acquiring’’. 

(3) In paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘an eligible 

site or’’ after ‘‘acquire’’. 

(4) In paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘an eligible 

site or’’ after ‘‘acquiring’’. 

(5) In paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘An’’ and inserting ‘‘An eligible site or an’’. 

(6) By redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (9). 

(7) By inserting after paragraph (5) the following new paragraphs: 

‘‘(6) WILLING SELLERS.—Acquisition of land or 

interests in land under this subsection shall be 

from willing sellers only. 

‘‘(7) REPORT.—Not later than 5 years after the 

date of the enactment of this subsection, the 

Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 

the activities carried out under this subsection, 

including a description of— 

‘‘(A) preservation activities carried out at the 

battlefields and associated sites identified in the 

battlefield report during the period between 

publication of the battlefield report and the report required under this paragraph; 

‘‘(B) changes in the condition of the battlefields and associated sites during that period; 

and 

‘‘(C) any other relevant developments relating 

to the battlefields and associated sites during 

that period. 

‘‘(8) PROHIBITION ON LOBBYING.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds provided 

pursuant to this section may be used for purposes of lobbying any person or entity regarding 

the implementation of this section or be granted, 

awarded, contracted, or otherwise be made 

available to any person, organization, or entity 

that participates in such lobbying. 

‘‘(B) LOBBYING DEFINED.—For purposes of this 

paragraph, the term ‘lobbying’ means to directly 

or indirectly pay for any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone call, letter, 

printed or written matter, or other device intended or designed to influence in any manner 

a Member of Congress, a jurisdiction, or an official of any government to favor, adopt, or oppose by vote or otherwise, any legislation, law, 

ratification, policy, land use plan (including 

zoning), or appropriation of funds before or 

after the introduction of any bill, resolution, or 

other measure proposing such legislation, law, 

ratification, policy, or appropriation.’’. 

(8) In paragraph (9) (as redesignated by paragraph (6)), by striking ‘‘2013’’ and inserting 

‘‘2017’’. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 

Washington (Mr. HASTINGS) and the 

gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. HOLT) 

each will control 20 minutes. 

The Chair recognizes the gentleman 

from Washington. 

GENERAL LEAVE

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. 

Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 

all Members may have 5 legislative 

days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material 

on the bill under consideration. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentleman from Washington? 

There was no objection. 

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. 

Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 

may consume. 

The American Battlefield Protection 

Act of 1996 addressed the preservation 

and protection of Civil War battlefields 

through conservation easements or 

through the purchase of land from willing sellers through Federal grants. 

H.R. 2489 renews this effort, which will 

soon expire, and it adds the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 battlefields to those eligible for protection. 

The Natural Resources Committee 

made several improvements to the legislation as introduced, including a reduction of the authorization from 10 

years to 5 years. Also, the authorization was cut in half to save up to $50 

million over the course of the program. 

It is important to note that we have 

not raised the authorization one cent 

over current levels; therefore, there is 

no increase in spending. 

Finally, the committee added language to prohibit these funds from 

being used for lobbying activities or 

from being distributed to organizations 

that participate in lobbying. With so 

many existing needs within the National Park Service, we want to ensure 

that these funds go specifically for battlefield protection and not to outside 

advocacy groups. These battlefields are 

part of our history, and we should do 

everything we can to ensure that future generations understand what our 

forefathers went through to ensure our 

freedoms. 

So, with that, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my 

time. 

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 

I would like to thank my colleagues 

from the Natural Resources Committee 

for working with me to bring this bill 

to the floor today, our bipartisan bill, 

which is the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act. I 

was pleased to work with Chairman 

HASTINGS and Chairman BISHOP and 

Ranking Members MARKEY and GRIJALVA to move this bill through our 

committee, and I would like to thank 

the majority and minority staffs for 

their hard work. 

The bill before us today reauthorizes 

the American Battlefield Protection 

Program, which is a competitive grant 

program that matches Federal dollars 

with private money to preserve historic war sites. H.R. 2489 builds on the 

success of the Civil War Battlefield 

Protection Program, which has preserved Civil War battlefield sites. The 

legislation also expands the grant program to include over 670 historic battlefields and associated sites from the 

Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. 

Since 1996, when the Battlefield Protection Program was first authorized, 

the program has helped preserve many 

important sites, including, for example, the Fort Gregg, New Market 

Heights Battlefield in Virginia. 

b 1630 

In fiscal year 2011, a protection grant 

helped preserve a 7.2-acre property best 

remembered because of the unquestioned valor of the African American 

Union soldiers who fought there. There 

are many other examples that I could 

point to: the Wilderness Crossroads, 

the Reynolds Tract, Perryville Battlefield in Kentucky, the Slaughter Pen 

Farm, Fredericksburg Battlefield in 

Virginia, and so forth. 

H.R. 2489 would allow the American 

Battlefield Protection Program to collaborate with State and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and 

willing sellers—and I do want to emphasize that point—to protect the most 

endangered historical sites, and to provide up to half the costs of purchasing 

battlefield land threatened by sprawl 

and commercial development. 

From Lexington, where the shot was 

heard around the world, to Gettysburg, 

where Lincoln brilliantly summarized 

the description of the conception and 

proposition of our Nation, the stories 

of the American Revolution and the 

Civil War bring to life the ideals of liberty and democracy fostered by our 

Founders. 

Unfortunately, urbanization, suburban sprawl, and unplanned commercial 

and residential development are constantly encroaching on many of the 

significant battlefields of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the 

Civil War. This encroachment poses a 

severe and growing risk to the preservation of these historic sites. 

History is best experienced by those 

who can touch it, feel it, and live it, 

and the battlefields of the American 

Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, 

and the Civil War provide a unique opportunity for Americans to experience 

where and how the epic struggle for our 


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H5736 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 10, 2012 

Nation’s independence and identity 

took place. 

In my home State of New Jersey, 

there are more sites of military engagements than in any other State. 

More military engagements were 

fought in New Jersey than in any other 

State. New Jersey played an influential 

role in the War for Independence. 

I was pleased to join Representative 

FRELINGHUYSEN and Senator LAUTENBERG, and the rest of the New Jersey 

delegation, in establishing some years 

ago the Crossroads of the American 

Revolution National Heritage Area in 

our State. The Crossroads Association 

has made enormous progress toward 

promoting our State’s rich heritage, 

and the bill before us today, I think, is 

vital for organizations like Crossroads 

in New Jersey and others to perform 

their important work. 

As the Civil War Trust said in their 

letter supporting this legislation: 

Preserving these American historic treasures is essential to remember the sacrifices 

our ancestors made to secure our freedom 

and independence, and to preserve our Republic. 

Historical sites, once lost, are gone 

forever. They exist only on the pages of 

books and in fading memories. We 

must act to preserve these valuable 

sites while we still can. Approving this 

bill will demonstrate that the Members 

of this House can work together. Historic preservation is not a Republican 

issue, not a Democratic issue. Historic 

preservation is an American issue because it is our shared history that we 

are working to preserve and to protect. 

I thank the majority for working 

with me on this bill. During the 111th 

Congress, similar legislation was twice 

approved by this body with near unanimous support. In this Congress, the 

American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act is again enjoying bipartisan support, and I certainly 

hope the other body will act promptly 

so that we can get about the work of 

preserving these sites. 

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 

2489, and I yield back the balance of my 

time. 

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. 

Speaker, this is good legislation, and I 

urge its adoption. 

With that, I yield back the balance of 

my time. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

question is on the motion offered by 

the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 

HASTINGS) that the House suspend the 

rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2489, as 

amended 

The question was taken; and (twothirds being in the affirmative) the 

rules were suspended and the bill, as 

amended, was passed. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on 

the table. 

f 

STUDY OF VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY-BASED FLOOD INSURANCE 

OPTIONS 

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I move 

to suspend the rules and pass the bill 

(H.R. 6186) to require a study of voluntary community-based flood insurance options and how such options 

could be incorporated into the national 

flood insurance program, and for other 

purposes. 

The Clerk read the title of the bill. 

The text of the bill is as follows: 

H.R. 6186 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 

Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. STUDIES OF VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY-BASED FLOOD INSURANCE OPTIONS. 

(a) STUDY.— 

(1) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Administrator of 

the Federal Emergency Management Agency 

shall conduct a study to assess options, 

methods, and strategies for making available 

voluntary community-based flood insurance 

policies through the National Flood Insurance Program. 

(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—The study conducted 

under paragraph (1) shall— 

(A) take into consideration and analyze 

how voluntary community-based flood insurance policies— 

(i) would affect communities having varying economic bases, geographic locations, 

flood hazard characteristics or classifications, and flood management approaches; 

and 

(ii) could satisfy the applicable requirements under section 102 of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a); 

and 

(B) evaluate the advisability of making 

available voluntary community-based flood 

insurance policies to communities, subdivisions of communities, and areas of residual 

risk. 

(3) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the 

study required under paragraph (1), the Administrator may consult with the Comptroller General of the United States, as the 

Administrator determines is appropriate. 

(b) REPORT BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.— 

(1) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 18 

months after the date of enactment of this 

Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 

Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that contains the results and conclusions of the study conducted 

under subsection (a). 

(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under 

paragraph (1) shall include recommendations 

for— 

(A) the best manner to incorporate voluntary community-based flood insurance 

policies into the National Flood Insurance 

Program; and 

(B) a strategy to implement voluntary 

community-based flood insurance policies 

that would encourage communities to undertake flood mitigation activities, including 

the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of levees, dams, or other flood 

control structures. 

(c) REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL.— 

Not later than 6 months after the date on 

which the Administrator submits the report 

required under subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United States shall— 

(1) review the report submitted by the Administrator; and 

(2) submit to the Committee on Banking, 

Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and 

the Committee on Financial Services of the 

House of Representatives a report that contains— 

(A) an analysis of the report submitted by 

the Administrator; 

(B) any comments or recommendations of 

the Comptroller General relating to the report submitted by the Administrator; and 

(C) any other recommendations of the 

Comptroller General relating to communitybased flood insurance policies. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 

Illinois (Mrs. BIGGERT) and the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. MOORE) 

each will control 20 minutes. 

The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois. 

GENERAL LEAVE

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask 

unanimous consent that all Members 

may have 5 legislative days in which to 

revise and extend their remarks and to 

add extraneous material on this bill. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Illinois? 

There was no objection. 

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 

myself such time as I may consume. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support 

of H.R. 6186, introduced by my friend 

and colleague on the Financial Services Committee, Congresswoman GWEN

MOORE. 

H.R. 6816 would require the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency, 

FEMA, the agency which administers 

the National Flood Insurance Program, 

NFIP, to conduct a study on the advantages and disadvantages of providing 

voluntary community-based flood insurance through NFIP and report its 

recommendations for implementation 

to Congress within 18 months. H.R. 6186 

also requires the Government Accountability Office, GAO, to analyze FEMA’s 

report and submit its comments or recommendations on it to Congress within 

6 months. 

Community-based flood insurance is 

an insurance technique where a risk assessment is made for all the buildings 

in a community, and then premiums to 

cover that risk are paid collectively by 

that community rather than the current practice of assessing each building 

individually and having each individual owner pay a premium. This innovative tool may represent a new and 

better way for some communities at 

risk of flooding to take the necessary 

steps to protect their citizens. 

In fact, FEMA has stated in congressional testimony that voluntary community-based flood insurance could 

help the NFIP better account for the 

full cost of flood risk, as well as provide incentives to encourage communities to implement greater flood mitigation measures. Thus, we think it’s 

appropriate to commission this study 

of the community-based flood insurance concept so that FEMA can understand how it could be put to the greatest benefit. 

Congresswoman MOORE’s communitybased flood insurance study provision 

was originally introduced as part of 

H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform 

Act of 2011, the bipartisan, long-term 

NFIP reauthorization measure that 

passed the House with over 400 votes 


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