I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1992 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study 
of the site of the Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park in Jessamine 
County, Kentucky, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 6, 2017 
Mr. BARR (for himself and Ms. FUDGE) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 
resource study of the site of the Camp Nelson Civil 
War Heritage Park in Jessamine County, Kentucky, 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 ‘‘Camp Nelson Heritage 
Park Study Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
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(1) In June 1863, Camp Nelson was founded 
and 
constructed 
by 
Major 
General 
Ambrose 
Burnside and the unit under his command, the 9th 
Corps of the Army of Ohio. 
(2) Camp Nelson was established as a supply 
depot for the Union Army during the Civil War and 
helped support the Union Army’s campaigns in Ken-
tucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. 
(3) Camp Nelson was one of the Nation’s larg-
est recruitment and training centers for African 
American soldiers during the Civil War, as well as 
a refugee camp for the wives and children of many 
of those soldiers. 
(4) Because of its proximity to Confederate 
States, thousands of slaves fled to Camp Nelson 
with their families to escape enslavement and to en-
list in the Union Army, thereby gaining their free-
dom. 
(5) Eight regiments of ‘‘U.S. Colored Troops’’, 
the designation of African American regiments at 
that time, were founded at Camp Nelson, and three 
other regiments were trained at the site. 
(6) Camp Nelson established a refugee camp 
for enlisted African American soldiers’ families, 
housing over 3,000 people, primarily women and 
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children, and included a school house, hospital, mess 
hall, and other accommodations. 
(7) Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park was 
designated as part of the National Park Service’s 
National Underground Railroad Network to Free-
dom in 2008 and designated a National Historic 
Landmark in 2013. 
(8) In 1998, Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage 
Park was created by Jessamine County Fiscal Court 
using Federal, State, and local support, and has pre-
served large tracts of this site, constructed a visitor 
center, constructed a replica barracks, recreated a 
fort, developed interpretive trails, and educated the 
public about this historic site. 
(9) There is strong community interest in mak-
ing Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park a unit of 
the National Park System. 
(10) Jessamine County Fiscal Court has ex-
pressed its desire to donate the preserved historic 
site as a gift to the United States. 
SEC. 3. STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall conduct a 
special resource study of the site of the Camp Nelson Civil 
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War Heritage Park in Jessamine County, Kentucky, and 
adjacent property (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘site’’). 
(b) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall conduct the 
study under subsection (a) in accordance with section 
100507 of title 54, United States Code. 
(c) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) evaluate the national significance of the 
site; 
(2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
designating the site as a unit of the National Park 
System; 
(3) include cost estimates for any necessary ac-
quisition, development, operation, and maintenance 
of the site; and 
(4) consult with interested Federal, State, or 
local governmental entities, private and nonprofit or-
ganizations, or other interested individuals. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds 
are made available to carry out the study under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Sen-
ate a report that describes— 
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