I

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 710

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 27, 2000

Referred to the Committee on Resources

AN ACT

To authorize a feasibility study on the preservation of certain

Civil War battlefields along the Vicksburg Campaign Trail.

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 ‘‘Vicksburg Campaign

5 Trail Battlefields Preservation Act of 1999’’.
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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

2 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

3 (1) there are situated along the Vicksburg

4 Campaign Trail in the States of Mississippi, Lou5 isiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee the sites of several

6 key Civil War battles;

7 (2) the battlefields along the Vicksburg Cam8 paign Trail are collectively of national significance in

9 the history of the Civil War; and

10 (3) the preservation of those battlefields would

11 vitally contribute to the understanding of the herit12 age of the United States.

13 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author14 ize a feasibility study to determine what measures should

15 be taken to preserve certain Civil War battlefields along

16 the Vicksburg Campaign Trail.

17 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

18 In this Act:

19 (1) CAMPAIGN TRAIL STATE.—The term ‘‘Cam20 paign Trail State’’ means each of the States of Mis21 sissippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee, in22 cluding political subdivisions of those States.

23 (2) CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD.—The term ‘‘Civil

24 War battlefield’’ includes the following sites (includ25 ing related structures adjacent to or thereon)—
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1 (A) the battlefields at Helena and Arkan2 sas Post, Arkansas;

3 (B) Goodrich’s Landing near Transylvania,

4 and sites in and around Lake Providence, East

5 Carroll Parish, Louisiana;

6 (C) the battlefield at Milliken’s Bend,

7 Madison Parish, Louisiana;

8 (D) the route of Grant’s march through

9 Louisiana from Milliken’s Bend to Hard Times,

10 Madison and Tensas Parishes, Louisiana;

11 (E) the Winter Quarters at Tensas Parish,

12 Louisiana;

13 (F) Grant’s landing site at Bruinsburg,

14 and the route of Grant’s march from

15 Bruinsburg to Vicksburg, Claiborne, Hinds, and

16 Warren Counties, Mississippi;

17 (G) the battlefield at Port Gibson (includ18 ing Shaifer House, Bethel Church, and the

19 ruins of Windsor), Claiborne County, Mis20 sissippi;

21 (H) the battlefield at Grand Gulf, Clai22 borne County, Mississippi;

23 (I) the battlefield at Raymond (including

24 Waverly, (the Peyton House)), Hinds County,

25 Mississippi;
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1 (J) the battlefield at Jackson, Hinds Coun2 ty, Mississippi;

3 (K) the Union siege lines around Jackson,

4 Hinds County, Mississippi;

5 (L) the battlefield at Champion Hill (in6 cluding Coker House), Hinds County, Mis7 sissippi;

8 (M) the battlefield at Big Black River

9 Bridge, Hinds and Warren Counties, Mis10 sissippi;

11 (N) the Union fortifications at Haynes

12 Bluff, Confederate fortifications at Snyder’s

13 Bluff, and remnants of Federal exterior lines,

14 Warren County, Mississippi;

15 (O) the battlefield at Chickasaw Bayou,

16 Warren County, Mississippi;

17 (P) Pemberton’s Headquarters at Warren

18 County, Mississippi;

19 (Q) the site of actions taken in the Mis20 sissippi Delta and Confederate fortifications

21 near Grenada, Grenada County, Mississippi;

22 (R) the site of the start of Greirson’s Raid

23 and other related sites, LaGrange, Tennessee;

24 and
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1 (S) any other sites considered appropriate

2 by the Secretary.

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

4 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di5 rector of the National Park Service.

6 SEC. 4. FEASIBILITY STUDY.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after funds

8 are made available for this Act, the Secretary shall com9 plete a feasibility study to determine what measures

10 should be taken to preserve Civil War battlefields along

11 the Vicksburg Campaign Trail.

12 (b) COMPONENTS.—In completing the study, the Sec13 retary shall—

14 (1) review current National Park Service pro15 grams, policies and criteria to determine the most

16 appropriate means of ensuring the Civil War battle17 fields and associated natural, cultural, and historical

18 resources are preserved;

19 (2) evaluate options for the establishment of a

20 management entity for the Civil War battlefields

21 consisting of a unit of government or a private non22 profit organization that—

23 (A) administers and manages the Civil

24 War battlefields; and

25 (B) possesses the legal authority to—
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1 (i) receive Federal funds and funds

2 from other units of government or other

3 organizations for use in managing the Civil

4 War battlefields;

5 (ii) disburse Federal funds to other

6 units of government or other nonprofit or7 ganizations for use in managing the Civil

8 War battlefields;

9 (iii) enter into agreements with the

10 Federal government, State governments, or

11 other units of government and nonprofit

12 organizations; and

13 (iv) acquire land or interests in land

14 by gift or devise, by purchase from a will15 ing seller using donated or appropriated

16 funds, or by donation;

17 (3) make recommendations to the Campaign

18 Trail States for the management, preservation, and

19 interpretation of the natural, cultural, and historical

20 resources of the Civil War battlefields;

21 (4) identify appropriate partnerships among

22 Federal, State, and local governments, regional enti23 ties, and the private sector, including nonprofit orga24 nizations and the organization known as ‘‘Friends of
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1 the Vicksburg Campaign and Historic Trail’’, in fur2 therance of the purposes of this Act; and

3 (5) recommend methods of ensuring continued

4 local involvement and participation in the manage5 ment, protection, and development of the Civil War

6 battlefields.

7 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date

8 of completion of the study under this section, the Sec9 retary shall submit a report describing the findings of the

10 study to—

11 (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re12 sources of the Senate; and

13 (2) the Committee on Resources of the House

14 of Representatives.

15 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is

16 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act

17 $1,500,000.

Passed the Senate November 19, 1999.

Attest: GARY SISCO,

Secretary.