I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 524
To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage 
Area in the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2003
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN (for himself, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. 
SAXTON, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. 
HOLT, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. MENENDEZ, and 
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution Na-
tional Heritage Area in the State of New Jersey, and 
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Crossroads of the 
American Revolution National Heritage Area Act of 
2003’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) New Jersey was of critical importance dur-
ing the American Revolution due to its strategic lo-
cation between the British armies headquartered in 
New York City and the Continental Congress sitting 
in the City of Philadelphia. 
(2) General George Washington spent almost 
half of the period of the American Revolution per-
sonally commanding troops of the Continental Army 
in New Jersey including 2 severe winter encamp-
ments at what is now Morristown National Histor-
ical Park, a unit of the National Park System. 
(3) It was during the 10 crucial days of the 
American Revolution between December 25, 1776, 
and January 3, 1777, when General Washington, 
after retreating across New Jersey from New York 
City to Pennsylvania in the face of total defeat for 
the Nation’s cause, recrossed the Delaware River on 
Christmas night, 1776, and won crucial battles at 
Trenton and Princeton. Thomas Paine, who accom-
panied the troops during the retreat, described the 
events as, ‘‘the times that try men’s souls’’. 
(4) There are situated in the State of New Jer-
sey the sites of 296 engagements including several 
important battles of the American Revolution, which 
collectively are of significant importance to the out-
come of the overall conflict and the history of the 
United States. Among these are National Historic 
Landmarks including Washington’s Crossing, the 
Old Trenton Barracks, and Princeton, Monmouth 
and Red Bank Battlefields. 
(5) Additional national Historic Landmarks in-
clude the homes of Richard Stockton, Joseph Hewes, 
John Witherspoon, and Francis Hopkinson, all sign-
ers of the Declaration of Independence, Elias 
Boudinout, President of the Continental Congress 
and William Livingston, patriot and Governor of 
New Jersey from 1776 to 1790. 
(6) Portions of the landscapes important to the 
strategies of both armies including waterways, 
mountains, farms, wetlands, villages and roadways 
retain integrity of the period of the American Revo-
lution and offer outstanding opportunities for con-
servation, education, and recreation. 
(7) The National Register of Historic Places 
lists 251 buildings and sites in the National Park 
Service study area for Crossroads of the American 
Revolution associated with the period of the Amer-
ican Revolution. 
(8) Civilian populations residing in New Jersey 
suffered extreme hardships during the American
Revolution due to the continuous conflict within its 
borders, foraging armies, and marauding contingents 
of loyalist Tories and rebel sympathizers. 
(9) Because of the important role that New 
Jersey played in the successful outcome of the 
American Revolution there is a Federal interest for 
the development of a regional framework to assist 
the State of New Jersey, other local organizations 
and governments, and private citizens to preserve 
and protect natural, cultural, and historic resources 
of the period and to bring recognition to this impor-
tant heritage for the educational and recreational 
benefit of this and future generations of Americans. 
(10) The National Park Service has conducted 
a National Heritage Feasibility Study in the State 
of New Jersey that demonstrates the sufficient as-
semblage of nationally distinctive natural, cultural, 
and historic resources necessary to establish the 
Crossroads of the American Revolution National 
Heritage Area. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol-
lows: 
(1) To build the capacity of communities, orga-
nizations, and citizens in New Jersey to preserve the
special historic identity of the region and its impor-
tance to the Nation. 
(2) To foster a close working relationship with 
all levels of government, the private sector, and the 
local communities in New Jersey. 
(3) To provide for the management, preserva-
tion, protection, and interpretation of the natural, 
historic, and cultural resources of the region for the 
educational and inspirational benefit of future gen-
erations. 
(4) To strengthen the value of Morristown Na-
tional Historical Park as an asset to the region by 
establishing a network of related historic resources, 
protected landscapes, educational opportunities, and 
events depicting the revolutionary landscape of New 
Jersey. 
(5) To strengthen partnerships among Morris-
town National Historical Park and other public and 
privately owned resources in the heritage area, that 
together represent the strategic fulcrum of the 
American Revolution, as assets in the quality of life 
in the region. 
(6) To authorize Federal financial and technical 
assistance to serve these purposes.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) ASSOCIATION.—The term ‘‘Association’’ 
means the Crossroads of the American Revolution 
Association, Inc., a nonprofit corporation in the 
State of New Jersey. 
(2) BOUNDARIES.—The term ‘‘boundaries’’ 
means the boundaries of the heritage area specified 
in section 4. 
(3) HERITAGE
AREA.—The term ‘‘heritage 
area’’ means the Crossroads of the American Revo-
lution National Heritage Area as established in sec-
tion 4. 
(4) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the management plan submitted 
under section 5. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 4. CROSSROADS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION NA-
TIONAL HERITAGE AREA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
State of New Jersey the Crossroads of the American Revo-
lution National Heritage Area. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The boundaries of the heritage 
area shall include all those lands and waters depicted on 
a map entitled ‘‘Crossroads of the American Revolution
National Heritage Area’’, numbered CRREL80,000 and 
dated April 2002. The map shall be on file in the appro-
priate offices of the National Park Service. 
(c) MANAGEMENT ENTITY.—The management entity 
for the heritage area shall be the Association. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORITIES, PROHIBITIONS, AND DUTIES OF THE 
ASSOCIATION. 
(a) DUTIES OF THE ASSOCIATION.—To further the 
purposes of the heritage area, the Association shall—
(1) prepare and submit a management plan for 
the heritage area to the Secretary in accordance 
with section 6; 
(2) assist units of local government, regional 
planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations 
in implementing the approved management plan 
by—
(A) carrying out programs and projects 
that recognize, protect, and enhance important 
resource values within the heritage area; 
(B) establishing and maintaining interpre-
tive exhibits and programs within the heritage 
area; 
(C) developing recreational and educational 
opportunities in the heritage area;
(D) increasing public awareness of and ap-
preciation for natural, historic, and cultural re-
sources of the heritage area; 
(E) protecting and restoring historic sites 
and buildings in the heritage area that are con-
sistent with heritage area themes; 
(F) ensuring that clear, consistent, and ap-
propriate signs identifying points of public ac-
cess and sites of interest are posted throughout 
the heritage area; and 
(G) promoting a wide range of partner-
ships among governments, organizations, and 
individuals to further the purposes of the herit-
age area; 
(3) consider the interests of diverse units of 
government, businesses, organizations, and individ-
uals in the heritage area in the preparation and im-
plementation of the management plan; 
(4) conduct Association meetings open to the 
public at least semiannually regarding the develop-
ment and implementation of the management plan; 
(5) submit an annual report to the Secretary 
for any fiscal year in which the Association receives 
Federal funds under this Act, setting forth its ac-
complishments, expenses, and income, including
grants to any other entities during the year for 
which the report is made; 
(6) make available for audit for any fiscal year 
in which it receives Federal funds under this Act, all 
information pertaining to the expenditure of such 
funds and any matching funds, and require in all 
agreements authorizing expenditures of Federal 
funds by other organizations, that the receiving or-
ganizations make available for such audit all records 
and other information pertaining to the expenditure 
of such funds; 
(7) encourage by appropriate means economic 
viability that is consistent with the purposes of the 
heritage area; and 
(8) maintain its headquarters at Morristown 
National Historical Park and in Mercer County. 
(b) AUTHORITIES.—The Association may, for the 
purposes of preparing and implementing the management 
plan for the heritage area, use Federal funds made avail-
able through this Act to—
(1) make grants to the State of New Jersey, its 
political subdivisions, nonprofit organizations and 
other persons; 
(2) enter into cooperative agreements with or 
provide technical assistance to the State of New Jer-
sey, its political jurisdictions, nonprofit organiza-
tions, and other interested parties; 
(3) hire and compensate staff which shall in-
clude individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, 
historic resources protection, and heritage program-
ming; 
(4) obtain money or services from any source, 
including any that are provided under any other 
Federal law or program; 
(5) contract for goods or services; and 
(6) undertake to be a catalyst for any other ac-
tivity that furthers the purposes of the heritage area 
and is consistent with the approved management 
plan. 
(c) PROHIBITIONS ON THE ACQUISITION OF REAL 
PROPERTY.—The Association may not use Federal funds 
received under this Act to acquire real property, but may 
use any other source of funding, including other Federal 
funding, intended for the acquisition of real property. 
SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The management plan for the 
heritage area shall—
(1) include comprehensive polices, strategies 
and recommendations for conservation, funding, 
management, and development of the heritage area;
(2) take into consideration existing State, coun-
ty, and local plans in the development of the man-
agement plan and its implementation; 
(3) include a description of actions that govern-
ments, private organizations, and individuals have 
agreed to take to protect the natural, historic, and 
cultural resources of the heritage area; 
(4) specify the existing and potential sources of 
funding to protect, manage, and develop the heritage 
area in the first 5 years of implementation; 
(5) include an inventory of the natural, histor-
ical, cultural, educational, scenic and recreational re-
sources of the heritage area related to the themes of 
the heritage area that should be preserved, restored, 
managed, developed, or maintained; 
(6) recommend policies and strategies for re-
source management which consider and detail the 
application of appropriate land and water manage-
ment techniques including, but not limited to, the 
development of intergovernmental and interagency 
cooperative agreements to protect the heritage area’s 
natural, historical, cultural, educational, scenic and 
recreational resources; 
(7) describe a program of implementation for 
the management plan including plans for resource
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may, upon 
the request of the Association provide technical as-
sistance on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis 
and financial assistance to the heritage area to de-
velop and implement the approved management 
plan. The Secretary is authorized to enter into coop-
erative agreements with the Association and other 
public or private entities for this purpose. In assist-
ing the heritage area, the Secretary shall give pri-
ority to actions that in general assist in—
(A) conserving the significant natural, his-
toric, cultural, and scenic resources of the herit-
age area; and 
(B) providing educational, interpretive, and 
recreational opportunities consistent with the 
purposes of the heritage area. 
(2) OTHER
ASSISTANCE.—Upon request, the 
Superintendent of Morristown National Historical 
Park may provide to public and private organiza-
tions within the heritage area, including the Associa-
tion, such operational assistance as appropriate to 
support the implementation of the management plan 
for the heritage area, subject to the availability of 
appropriated funds. The Secretary is authorized to 
enter into cooperative agreements with public and
private organizations for the purpose of imple-
menting this subsection. 
(3) 
PRESERVATION
OF
HISTORIC
PROP-
ERTIES.—The Secretary may provide assistance to 
State or local government or nonprofit organizations 
for appropriate treatment of historic objects or 
structures listed or eligible for listing on the Na-
tional Register of Historic Places to further the pur-
poses of this Act. 
(b) APPROVAL AND DISAPPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT 
PLAN.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall approve 
or disapprove the management plan not later than 
90 days after receiving the management plan. 
(2) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—In determining 
to approve the management plan, the Secretary shall 
consider whether—
(A) the Board of Directors of the Associa-
tion is representative of the diverse interests of 
the heritage area including governments, nat-
ural and historic resource protection organiza-
tions, education, business, and recreation; 
(B) the Association has afforded adequate 
opportunity, including public hearings, for pub-
lic and governmental involvement in the prepa-
ration of the management plan; 
(C) the resource protection and interpreta-
tion strategies contained in the management 
plan, if implemented, would adequately protect 
the natural, historic, and cultural resources of 
the heritage area; and 
(D) the Secretary has received adequate 
assurances from the appropriate State and local 
officials whose support is needed to ensure the 
effective implementation of the State and local 
aspects of the management plan. 
(3) ACTION FOLLOWING DISAPPROVAL.—If the 
Secretary disapproves the management plan, the 
Secretary shall advise the Association in writing of 
the reasons therefore and shall make recommenda-
tions for revisions to the management plan. The Sec-
retary shall approve or disapprove a proposed revi-
sion within 60 days after the date it is submitted. 
(4) APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS.—Substantial 
amendments to the management plan shall be re-
viewed by the Secretary and approved in the same 
manner as provided for the original management 
plan. The Association shall not use Federal funds 
authorized by this Act to implement any amend-
ments until the Secretary has approved the amend-
ments. 
SEC. 8. DUTIES OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
Any Federal agency conducting or supporting activi-
ties directly affecting the heritage area shall—
(1) consult with the Secretary and the Associa-
tion with respect to such activities; 
(2) cooperate with the Secretary and the Asso-
ciation in carrying out their duties under this Act 
and, to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate 
such activities with the carrying out of such duties; 
and, 
(3) to the maximum extent practicable, conduct 
or support such activities in a manner which the as-
sociation determines will not have an adverse effect 
on the heritage area. 
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated for the purposes of this Act not more than 
$1,000,000 for any fiscal year. Not more than a total of 
$10,000,000 may be appropriated for the Association 
under this Act. 
(b) MATCHING FUNDS.—Federal funding provided 
under this Act may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost
of any assistance or grant provided or authorized under 
this Act. 
SEC. 10. SUNSET. 
The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance 
under this Act shall terminate on the day occurring 15 
years after the date of the enactment of the Act.
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