I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7550 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Defense, and the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to inventory Confederate commemorative 
works on certain Federal lands, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2020 
Mr. MCEACHIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on 
Armed Services, and Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of 
Defense, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to inven-
tory Confederate commemorative works on certain Fed-
eral lands, 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 ‘‘Confederate Com-
memorative Works Inventory and Joint Resource Study 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The American Civil War was fought be-
tween 1861 and 1865. 
(2) As early as 1864, efforts were underway to 
preserve places that had been the location of pivotal 
battles during the Civil War, even before surrender 
occurred. 
(3) The National Park Service preserves 
unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and 
values of the National Park System for the enjoy-
ment, education, and inspiration of this and future 
generations, including sites dedicated to the inter-
pretation of the American Civil War. 
(4) The National Park Service, the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense 
administer public lands that are responsible for Con-
federate commemorative works. Public lands play a 
vital role in capturing the historical and cultural sto-
ries that shape the Nation’s history, and the lands 
administered by the National Park Service, the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, and the Department 
of Defense help facilitate the national narrative of 
the American Civil War. 
(5) There are 147 national cemeteries in the 
United States. Fourteen are maintained by the De-
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partment of the Interior, through the National Park 
Service. The Department of Veterans Affairs, 
through the National Cemetery Administration, ad-
ministers 131 cemeteries. The Department of De-
fense, through the Army, administers 2 cemeteries. 
(6) The Department of Defense has jurisdiction 
over— 
(A) 10 major United States military instal-
lations named in honor of Confederate military 
leaders; and 
(B) Navy ships named after Confederate 
victories. 
(7) Given the significance these public lands 
and works play in our Nation’s education and reflec-
tion of the American Civil War, a full inventory and 
special resource study are necessary to locate Con-
federate commemorative works and help evaluate 
their suitability as resources for the interpretation of 
the American Civil War. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) CONFEDERATE COMMEMORATIVE WORK.— 
The term ‘‘Confederate commemorative work’’— 
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(A) means any work that mentions individ-
uals or units who participated or served in the 
advancement of Confederate efforts; and 
(B) includes the Confederate flag and any 
other symbols or signage that honors the Con-
federacy, including any monument, statue, or 
plaque that honors a Confederate leader, sol-
dier, or supporter of the Confederate States of 
America. 
(2) CONFEDERATE FLAG.—The term ‘‘Confed-
erate flag’’— 
(A) means the national flag of the Confed-
eracy from 1861 through 1865; and 
(B) includes the Stars and Bars, the 
Stainless Banner, the Blood-Stained Banner, 
the Confederate States Navy flag, the battle 
flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, any 
State or regimental flag as such flag was de-
picted from 1861 through 1865, and modern 
representations of the Confederate battle flag. 
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the National Park Service. 
(4) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’ means the Secretary of the Inte-
rior, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of 
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Veterans Affairs, each in reference to Federal land 
under the jurisdiction of that Secretary. 
SEC. 4. INVENTORY AND RESOURCE STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each Secretary concerned shall— 
(1) conduct a full inventory of Confederate 
commemorative works under the administrative ju-
risdiction of that Secretary; and 
(2) submit a copy of that inventory to the Di-
rector. 
(b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—Using the inventories re-
ceived pursuant to subsection (a), the Director shall con-
duct a special resource study that— 
(1) examines works, commemorating and inter-
preting the Civil War, the commemoration thereof, 
the soldiers, people on the home front and battle 
lines, and the related locations in the United States 
from 1861 through 1865; and 
(2) identifies— 
(A) a historical assessment, based on ex-
tensive research, of each inventoried Confed-
erate commemorative work; 
(B) an evaluation of the suitability and 
feasibility of retaining the Confederate com-
memorative work; 
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(C) the identification of properties that 
could meet criteria for listing in the National 
Register of Historic Places or criteria for des-
ignation as National Historic Landmarks or if 
the Confederate commemorative work is already 
on the or part of, another designation or dis-
trict; 
(D) an evaluation of relevant historical re-
search on, education about, interpretation of, 
and public awareness of the Confederate com-
memorative work; and 
(E) any other matters that the Director 
determines to be appropriate for this study. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after funds are 
made available for the study, the Secretary of the Interior 
shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report con-
taining the findings of the study required under subsection 
(b) and any related recommendations. 
Æ 
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