H. R. 791
One Hundred Sixth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine
An Act
To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the route of the War of
1812 British invasion of Maryland and Washington, District of Columbia, and
the route of the American defense, for study for potential addition to the national
trails system.
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 ‘‘Star-Spangled Banner National
Historic Trail Study Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) the British invasion of Maryland and Washington, Dis-
trict of Columbia, during the War of 1812 marks a defining
period in the history of our Nation, the only occasion on which
the United States of America has been invaded by a foreign
power;
(2) the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail traces
the arrival of the British fleet in the Patuxent River in Calvert
County and St. Mary’s County, Maryland, the landing of British
forces at Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at
Pig Point in Prince George’s County and Anne Arundel County,
Maryland, the American defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg,
the siege of the Nation’s Capital, Washington, District of
Columbia (including the burning of the United States Capitol
and the White House), the British naval diversions in the
upper Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk’s Field
in Kent County, Maryland, the route of the American troops
from Washington through Georgetown, the Maryland Counties
of Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, and the City of Balti-
more, Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and the ultimate
victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on September 14,
1814, where a distinguished Maryland lawyer and poet, Francis
Scott Key, wrote the words that captured the essence of our
national struggle for independence, words that now serve as
our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner; and
(3) the designation of this route as a national historic
trail—
(A) would serve as a reminder of the importance of
the concept of liberty to all who experience the Star-Span-
gled Banner National Historic Trail; and
(B) would give long overdue recognition to the patriots
whose determination to stand firm against enemy invasion
H. R. 791—2
and bombardment preserved this liberty for future genera-
tions of Americans.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF TRAIL FOR STUDY.
Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C.
1244(c)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraph (36) (as added by section
3 of the El Camino Real Para Los Texas Study Act of 1993
(107 Stat. 1497)) as paragraph (37) and in subparagraph (C)
by striking ‘‘detemine’’ and inserting ‘‘determine’’;
(2) by designating the paragraphs relating to the Old
Spanish Trail and the Great Western Scenic Trail as para-
graphs (38) and (39), respectively; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(40) STAR-SPANGLED BANNER NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Star-Spangled Banner National His-
toric Trail, tracing the War of 1812 route from the arrival
of the British fleet in the Patuxent River in Calvert County
and St. Mary’s County, Maryland, the landing of the British
forces at Benedict, the sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at
Pig Point, the American defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg,
the siege of the Nation’s Capital, Washington, District of
Columbia (including the burning of the United States Capitol
and the White House), the British naval diversions in the
upper Chesapeake Bay leading to the Battle of Caulk’s Field
in Kent County, Maryland, the route of the American troops
from Washington through Georgetown, the Maryland Counties
of Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, and the City of Balti-
more, Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and the ultimate
victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on September 14,
1814.
‘‘(B) AFFECTED
AREAS.—The trail crosses eight counties
within the boundaries of the State of Maryland, the City of
Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, District of Columbia.
‘‘(C) COORDINATION WITH OTHER CONGRESSIONALLY MAN-
DATED ACTIVITIES.—The study under this paragraph shall be
undertaken in coordination with the study authorized under
section 603 of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Manage-
ment Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5 note; 110 Stat. 4172) and
the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network
authorized under the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998
(16 U.S.C. 461 note; 112 Stat. 2961). Such coordination shall
extend to any research needed to complete the studies and
any findings and implementation actions that result from the
studies and shall use available resources to the greatest extent
possible to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.
‘‘(D) DEADLINE FOR STUDY.—Not later that 2 years after
funds are made available for the study under this paragraph,
the study shall be completed and transmitted with final rec-
ommendations to the Committee on Resources in the House
H. R. 791—3
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources in the Senate.’’.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.