I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1192
To establish the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2005
Mr. LAHOOD (for himself, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. 
EMANUEL, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. ISSA, Mr. 
SOUDER, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. EVANS, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. 
GUTIERREZ, Mr. HYDE, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 
KIRK, Mr. WELLER, Mr. COSTELLO, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. JOHNSON of Il-
linois, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. RUSH, and Ms. BEAN) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To establish the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, 
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 ‘‘Abraham Lincoln National 
Heritage Area Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Heritage Area is a cohesive assemblage 
of natural, historic, cultural, or recreational re-
sources that—
(A) together represent distinctive aspects 
of American heritage worthy of recognition, 
conservation, interpretation, and continuing 
use; and 
(B) are best managed through partner-
ships between private and public entities. 
(2) The Heritage Area reflects traditions, cus-
toms, beliefs, or folklife, or some combination there-
of, that are a valuable part of the heritage of the 
United States. 
(3) The Heritage Area provides outstanding op-
portunities to conserve natural, cultural, or historic 
features, or a combination thereof. 
(4) The Heritage Area provides outstanding 
recreational and interpretive opportunities. 
(5) The Heritage Area has an identifiable 
theme and resources important to the theme retain 
integrity capable of supporting interpretation. 
(6) Residents, nonprofit organizations, other 
private entities, and units of government throughout 
the Heritage Area demonstrate support for designa-
tion of the Heritage Area as a national heritage area
and for management of the Heritage Area as appro-
priate for such designation. 
(7) As our Nation enters the 21st Century, 
there is a compelling need to educate and cultivate 
among our citizens, particularly youth, an under-
standing appreciation for, and a renewed commit-
ment to integrity, courage, self-initiative, and prin-
cipled leadership in public and private life. 
(8) Few individuals in our Nation’s history have 
as broadly exemplified such qualities as Abraham 
Lincoln, and few have so profoundly influenced 
United States history and the Character of our Na-
tion as has our 16th president. 
(9) The story and example of Lincoln’s life-his 
inspiring rise from humble origins to the highest of-
fice in the land, and his decisive leadership through 
the most harrowing and dangerous time in our Na-
tion’s history, continues to bring hope and inspira-
tion to millions in our country and around the world. 
(10) The great issues of Lincoln’s time, na-
tional unity, equality and race relations, the capacity 
for democratic government and ideals to address 
these and related issues, continue to this day to de-
fine the challenges facing our Nation. The ideals 
Lincoln espoused and the sentiments he expressed in