II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 544 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of alternatives 

for commemorating and interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers 

in the early years of the National Parks, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 10, 2011 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. BOXER) 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 

study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting 

the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early years of 

the National Parks, 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 ‘‘Buffalo Soldiers in 

5 the National Parks Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 544 IS

1 (1) In the late 19th century and early 20th cen2 tury, African-American troops who came to be 

3 known as the Buffalo Soldiers served in many crit4 ical roles in the western United States, including 

5 protecting some of the first National Parks. 

6 (2) Based at the Presidio in San Francisco, 

7 Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to Sequoia and Yo8 semite National Parks where they patrolled the 

9 backcountry, built trails, stopped poaching, and oth10 erwise served in the roles later assumed by National 

11 Park rangers. 

12 (3) The public would benefit from having op13 portunities to learn more about the Buffalo Soldiers 

14 in the National Parks and their contributions to the 

15 management of National Parks and the legacy of Af16 rican-Americans in the post-Civil War era. 

17 (4) As the centennial of the National Park 

18 Service in 2016 approaches, it is an especially ap19 propriate time to conduct research and increase pub20 lic awareness of the stewardship role the Buffalo 

21 Soldiers played in the early years of the National 

22 Parks. 

23 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author24 ize a study to determine the most effective ways to in25 crease understanding and public awareness of the critical 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 544 IS

1 role that the Buffalo Soldiers played in the early years 

2 of the National Parks. 

3 SEC. 3. STUDY. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior shall 

5 conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and 

6 interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early 

7 years of the National Parks. 

8 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The study shall in9 clude— 

10 (1) a historical assessment, based on extensive 

11 research, of the Buffalo Soldiers who served in Na12 tional Parks in the years prior to the establishment 

13 of the National Park Service; 

14 (2) an evaluation of the suitability and feasi15 bility of establishing a national historic trail com16 memorating the route traveled by the Buffalo Sol17 diers from their post in the Presidio of San Fran18 cisco to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks and 

19 to any other National Parks where they may have 

20 served; 

21 (3) the identification of properties that could 

22 meet criteria for listing in the National Register of 

23 Historic Places or criteria for designation as Na24 tional Historic Landmarks; 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 544 IS

1 (4) an evaluation of appropriate ways to en2 hance historical research, education, interpretation, 

3 and public awareness of the story of the Buffalo Sol4 diers’ stewardship role in the National Parks, in5 cluding ways to link the story to the development of 

6 National Parks and the story of African-American 

7 military service following the Civil War; and 

8 (5) any other matters that the Secretary of the 

9 Interior deems appropriate for this study. 

10 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after funds are 

11 made available for the study, the Secretary of the Interior 

12 shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of 

13 the House of Representatives and the Committee on En14 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report con15 taining the study’s findings and recommendations. 

Æ 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS