106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 659
AN ACT
To authorize appropriations for the protection of
Paoli and Brandywine Battlefields in Pennsyl-
vania, to direct the National Park Service to con-
duct a special resource study of Paoli and Bran-
dywine Battlefields, to authorize the Valley Forge
Museum of the American Revolution at Valley
Forge National Historical Park, and for other
purposes.
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 659
AN ACT
To authorize appropriations for the protection of Paoli and
Brandywine Battlefields in Pennsylvania, to direct the
National Park Service to conduct a special resource
study of Paoli and Brandywine Battlefields, to authorize
the Valley Forge Museum of the American Revolution
at Valley Forge National Historical Park, 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 ‘‘Protect America’s
Treasures of the Revolution for Independence for Our To-
morrow Act’’ or the ‘‘PATRIOT Act’’.
TITLE I—PAOLI AND
BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELDS
SEC. 101. PAOLI BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION.
(a) PAOLI BATTLEFIELD.—The Secretary of the In-
terior (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) is au-
thorized to provide funds to the borough of Malvern,
Pennsylvania, for the acquisition of the area known as the
‘‘Paoli Battlefield’’, located in the borough of Malvern,
Pennsylvania, as generally depicted on the map entitled
‘‘Paoli Battlefield’’ numbered 80,000 and dated April
1999 (referred to in this title as the ‘‘Paoli Battlefield’’).
The map shall be on file in the appropriate offices of the
National Park Service.
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND TECHNICAL AS-
SISTANCE.—The Secretary shall enter into a cooperative
agreement with the borough of Malvern, Pennsylvania, for
the management by the borough of the Paoli Battlefield.
The Secretary may provide technical assistance to the bor-
ough of Malvern to assure the preservation and interpreta-
tion of the battlefield’s resources.
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated $1,250,000 to carry out
this section. Such funds shall be expended in the ratio of
$1 of Federal funds for each dollar of funds contributed
by non-Federal sources. Any funds provided by the Sec-
retary shall be subject to an agreement that provides for
the protection of the land’s resources.
SEC. 102. BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION.
(a) BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELD.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized
to provide funds to the Commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth,
or the Brandywine Conservancy, for the acquisition,
protection, and preservation of land in an area gen-
erally known as the Meetinghouse Road Corridor, lo-
cated in Chester County, Pennsylvania, as depicted
on a map entitled ‘‘Brandywine Battlefield—Meet-
inghouse Road Corridor’’, numbered 80,000 and
dated April 1999 (referred to in this title as the
‘‘Brandywine Battlefield’’). The map shall be on file
in the appropriate offices of the National Park Serv-
ice.
(2) WILLING SELLERS OR DONORS.—Interests
in land shall be acquired pursuant to this section
only from willing sellers or donors.
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND TECHNICAL AS-
SISTANCE.—The Secretary shall enter into a cooperative
agreement with the same entity that is provided funds
under subsection (a) for the management by the entity
of the Brandywine Battlefield. The Secretary may also
provide technical assistance to the entity to assure the
preservation and interpretation of the battlefield’s re-
sources.
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 to carry out
this section. Such funds shall be expended in the ratio of
$1 of Federal funds for each dollar of funds contributed
by non-Federal sources. Any funds provided by the Sec-
retary shall be subject to an agreement that provides for
the protection of the land’s resources.
SEC. 103. STUDY OF BATTLEFIELDS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after
the date on which funds are made available to carry out
this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives
a resource study of the property described in sections 101
and 102.
(b) CONTENTS.—The study shall—
(1) identify the full range of resources and his-
toric themes associated with the Paoli Battlefield
and the Brandywine Battlefield, including their rela-
tionship to the American Revolutionary War and the
Valley Forge National Historical Park; and
(2) identify alternatives for National Park Serv-
ice involvement at the sites and include cost esti-
mates for any necessary acquisition, development,
interpretation, operation, and maintenance associ-
ated with the alternatives identified.
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this section.
TITLE II—VALLEY FORGE
NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Valley Forge Museum
of the American Revolution Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 202. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) Valley Forge National Historical Park, for-
merly a State park, was established as a unit of the
National Park System in 1976. The National Park
Service acquired various lands and structures associ-
ated with the park, including a visitor center, from
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(2) Valley Forge National Historical Park
maintains an extensive collection of artifacts, books,
and other documents associated with the Continental
Army’s winter encampment of 1777–1778 at Valley
Forge, Revolutionary War-era artifacts of military
life, important archaeological resources, and numer-
ous structures and associated artifacts.
(3) Between 1982 and 1997 the National Park
Service completed a general management plan, long-
range interpretive plan, and strategic business plan
for Valley Forge National Historical Park that es-
tablish goals and priorities for management of the
park.
(4) These plans identify inadequacies in the
park’s current visitor center and interpretive pro-
grams. The plans call for the development of a new
or significantly renovated visitor center that would
make the collection accessible to the public through
exhibits and research facilities. Plans also call for
improving the interpretation of the landscape and
improving the circulation into and through the park.
(5) The Valley Forge Historical Society was es-
tablished in 1918 as a nonprofit organization to pre-
serve and interpret for future generations the sig-
nificant history and artifacts of the American Revo-
lution in their historic setting at Valley Forge. The
Valley Forge Historical Society has amassed valu-
able holdings of artifacts, art, books, and other doc-
uments relating to the 1777–1778 encampment of
Washington’s Continental Army at Valley Forge, the
American Revolution, and the American colonial era.
The Society continues to pursue additional impor-
tant collections through bequests, exchanges, and ac-
quisitions.
(6) The Society’s collection is currently housed
in a facility inadequate to properly maintain, pre-
serve, and display their ever-growing collection. The
Society is interested in developing an up-to-date mu-
seum and education facility.
(7) The Society and the National Park Service
have discussed the idea of a joint museum and edu-
cation and visitor facility. Such a collaborative
project would directly support the historical, edu-
cational, and interpretive activities and needs of Val-
ley Forge National Historical Park and those of the
Valley Forge Historical Society. A joint facility
would combine 2 outstanding museum collections
and provide an enhanced experience at Valley Forge
for visitors, scholars, and researchers.
(8) The Society has proposed to raise funds to
construct a new museum and education and visitor
center on park property at Valley Forge National
Historical Park that would be planned, developed,
and operated jointly with Valley Forge National His-
torical Park.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this title is to author-
ize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agree-
ment with the Valley Forge Historical Society to construct
and operate a museum within the boundary of Valley
Forge National Historical Park in cooperation with the
Secretary.
SEC. 203. VALLEY FORGE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REV-
OLUTION AUTHORIZATION.
(a) AGREEMENT AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of
the Interior, in administering the Valley Forge National
Historical Park, is authorized to enter into an agreement
under appropriate terms and conditions with the Valley
Forge Historical Society to facilitate the planning, con-
struction, and operation of the Valley Forge Museum of
the American Revolution on Federal land within the
boundary of Valley Forge National Historical Park.
(b) CONTENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AGREE-
MENT.—An agreement entered into under subsection (a)
shall—
(1) authorize the Society to develop and operate
the museum pursuant to plans developed by the Sec-
retary and to provide at the museum appropriate
and necessary programs and services to visitors to
Valley Forge National Historical Park, related to
the story of Valley Forge and the American Revolu-
tion;
(2) only be carried out in a manner consistent
with the General Management Plan and other plans
for the preservation and interpretation of the re-
sources and values of Valley Forge National Histor-
ical Park;
(3) authorize the Secretary to undertake at the
museum activities related to the management of Val-
ley Forge National Historical Park, including, but
not limited to, provision of appropriate visitor infor-
mation and interpretive facilities and programs re-
lated to Valley Forge National Historical Park;
(4) authorize the Society, acting as a private
nonprofit organization, to engage in activities appro-
priate for operation of a museum that may include,
but are not limited to, charging appropriate fees,
conducting events, and selling merchandise, tickets,
and food to visitors to the museum;
(5) provide that the Society’s revenues from the
museum’s facilities and services shall be used to off-
set the expenses of the museum’s operation; and
(6) authorize the Society to occupy the struc-
ture(s) so constructed for the term specified in the
Agreement and subject to the following terms and
conditions:
(A) The conveyance by the Society to the
United States of America of all right, title, and
interest in the structure(s) to be constructed at
Valley Forge National Historical Park.
(B) The Society’s right to occupy and use
the structure(s) shall be for the exhibition, pres-
ervation, and interpretation of artifacts associ-
ated with the Valley Forge story and the Amer-
ican Revolution, to enhance the visitor experi-
ence of Valley Forge National Historical Park,
and to conduct appropriately related activities
of the Society consistent with its mission and
with the purposes for which the Valley Forge
National Historical Park was established. Such
right shall not be transferred or conveyed with-
out the express consent of the Secretary.
(C) Any other terms and conditions as may
be determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 204. PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION.
Nothing in this Act shall authorize the Secretary or
the Society to take any actions in derogation of the preser-
vation and protection of the values and resources of Valley
Forge National Historical Park. An agreement entered
into under section 203 shall be construed and imple-
mented in light of the high public value and integrity of
the Valley Forge National Historical Park and the Na-
tional Park System.
SEC. 205. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS ON PURCHASE OF
AMERICAN-MADE GOODS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the Society, in
constructing and operating the Museum, purchase Amer-
ican-made goods to the greatest degree practicable.
Passed the House of Representatives June 22, 1999.
Attest:
Clerk.