II
Calendar No. 198
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 791
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JULY 1, 1999
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar
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.
HR 791 PCS
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 ‘‘Star-Spangled Banner
National Historic Trail Study Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) the British invasion of Maryland and Wash-
ington, District 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 Pa-
tuxent 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
HR 791 PCS
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 Baltimore,
Maryland, to the Battle of North Point, and the ulti-
mate victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on
September 14, 1814, where a distinguished Mary-
land 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 im-
portance of the concept of liberty to all who ex-
perience the Star-Spangled Banner National
Historic Trail; and
(B) would give long overdue recognition to
the patriots whose determination to stand firm
against enemy invasion and bombardment pre-
served this liberty for future generations 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—
HR 791 PCS
(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 paragraphs (38) and (39), respectively; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(40) STAR-SPANGLED BANNER NATIONAL HIS-
TORIC TRAIL.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Star-Spangled Banner
National Historic Trail, tracing the War of 1812
route from the arrival of the British fleet in the Pa-
tuxent 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 George-
HR 791 PCS
town, the Maryland Counties of Montgomery, How-
ard, and Baltimore, and the city of Baltimore, Mary-
land, to the Battle of North Point, and the ultimate
victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on Sep-
tember 14, 1814.
‘‘(B) AFFECTED AREAS.—The trail crosses 8
counties within the boundaries of the State of Mary-
land, the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and Wash-
ington, District of Columbia.
‘‘(C) COORDINATION
WITH
OTHER
CONGRES-
SIONALLY MANDATED 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 Management Act
of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5 note; 110 Stat. 4172) and
the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Net-
work authorized under the Chesapeake Bay Initia-
tive Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; 112 Stat.
2961). Such coordination shall extend to any re-
search needed to complete the studies and any find-
ings and implementation actions that result from the
studies and shall use available resources to the
greatest extent possible to avoid unnecessary dupli-
cation of effort.
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‘‘(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 recommendations to the
Committee on Resources in the House of Represent-
atives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources in the Senate.’’.
Passed the House of Representatives June 30, 1999.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.
Calendar No. 198
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 791
AN ACT
To amend the National Trails System Act to des-
ignate the route of the War of 1812 British inva-
sion of Maryland and Washington, District of
Columbia, and the route of the American de-
fense, for study for potential addition to the na-
tional trails system.
JULY 1, 1999
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar