I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 791
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.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 23, 1999
Mr. GILCHREST (for himself and Mr. CARDIN) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
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 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
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—
(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);
(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 Brit-
ish fleet in the Patuxent River in Calvert Coun-
ty and St. Mary’s County, Maryland, the land-
ing of the British forces at Benedict, the sink-
ing 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 Baltimore, 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
9 counties within the boundaries of the State of
Maryland, the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and
Washington, District of Columbia.’’
Æ