I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 548 

To assist citizens, public and private institutions, and governments at all 

levels in planning, interpreting, and protecting sites where historic battles 

were fought on American soil during the armed conflicts that shaped 

the growth and development of the United States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 15, 2009 

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California (for himself, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. ISRAEL, and Mr. GORDON of Tennessee) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To assist citizens, public and private institutions, and governments at all levels in planning, interpreting, and protecting sites where historic battles were fought on American soil during the armed conflicts that shaped the 

growth and development of the United States, 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 ‘‘Civil War Battlefield 

5 Preservation Act of 2009’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM. 

2 The purpose of this Act is to assist citizens, public 

3 and private institutions, and governments at all levels in 

4 planning, interpreting, and protecting sites where historic 

5 battles were fought on American soil during the armed 

6 conflicts that shaped the growth and development of the 

7 United States, in order that present and future genera8 tions may learn and gain inspiration from the ground 

9 where Americans made their ultimate sacrifice. 

10 SEC. 3. PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Using the established national 

12 historic preservation program to the extent practicable, 

13 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the American 

14 Battlefield Protection Program, shall encourage, support, 

15 assist, recognize, and work in partnership with citizens, 

16 Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, other public 

17 entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit or18 ganizations in identifying, researching, evaluating, inter19 preting, and protecting historic battlefields and associated 

20 sites on a National, State, and local level. 

21 (b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—To carry out sub22 section (a), the Secretary may use a cooperative agree23 ment, grant, contract, or other generally adopted means 

24 of providing financial assistance. 


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1 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

2 are authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 annually to 

3 carry out this section, to remain available until expended. 

4 SEC. 4. BATTLEFIELD ACQUISITION GRANT PROGRAM. 

5 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

6 (1) BATTLEFIELD REPORT.—The term ‘‘Battle7 field Report’’ means the document entitled ‘‘Report 

8 on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields’’, prepared by 

9 the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, and dated 

10 July 1993. 

11 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti12 ty’’ means a State or local government. 

13 (3) ELIGIBLE SITE.—The term ‘‘eligible site’’ 

14 means a site— 

15 (A) that is not within the exterior bound16 aries of a unit of the National Park System; 

17 and 

18 (B) that is identified in the Battlefield Re19 port. 

20 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

21 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 

22 American Battlefield Protection Program. 

23 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

24 a battlefield acquisition grant program under which the 

25 Secretary may provide grants to eligible entities to pay 


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1 the Federal share of the cost of acquiring interests in eligi2 ble sites for the preservation and protection of those eligi3 ble sites. 

4 (c) NONPROFIT PARTNERS.—An eligible entity may 

5 acquire an interest in an eligible site using a grant under 

6 this section in partnership with a nonprofit organization. 

7 (d) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal share 

8 of the total cost of acquiring an interest in an eligible site 

9 under this section shall be not less than 50 percent. 

10 (e) LIMITATION ON LAND USE.—An interest in an 

11 eligible site acquired under this section shall be subject 

12 to section 6(f)(3) of the Land and Water Conservation 

13 Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–8(f)(3)). 

14 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

15 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to provide 

16 grants under this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 

17 years 2009 through 2013. 

Æ 


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