A bill to authorize the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield Protection Program.

Bill: 111-hr-1694
Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12]
Introduced: 2009-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Conflicts and wars
Europe
Historic sites and heritage areas
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Outdoor recreation
U.S. history
United Kingdom

Summary:
action_date: 2009-03-24
text: 
Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act - Amends the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 to direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the American Battlefield Protection Program, to establish an acquisition grant program for battlefields and associated sites identified in the Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States (battlefield report). 

Authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to states or local governments (eligible entities) to pay the federal share of the cost of acquiring fee-simple or lesser interests from willing sellers in such sites. Permits eligible entities to acquire an interest in eligible sites using such grants in partnership with nonprofit organizations. 
 
Requires the non-federal share of the cost of acquisition of eligible sites to be not less than 50% of the total. 
 
Subjects acquired property to the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act's prohibition against conversion to other than public outdoor recreation uses without the Secretary's approval. 

Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress a report on activities carried out under this Act and an update of the battlefield report. 

action_date: 2009-04-21
text: 

 

 
Amends the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (the Act), with respect to the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program, to: (1) expand the current definition of &quot;battlefield report&quot; to include the report entitled &quot;Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States&quot;; and (2) expand the Program to permit the acquisition not only of an &quot;interest in an eligible site,&quot; but also an &quot;eligible site.&quot;
 
Requires acquisitions of lands or interests under the Act to be from willing sellers only. 
 
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on related activities, including: (1) preservation carried out at the battlefields and associated sites identified in the battlefield report; (2) changes in their condition; and (3) other relevant developments related to such battlefields and sites.

action_date: 2010-03-02
text: 
Amends the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (the Act), with respect to the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program, to: (1) expand the current definition of &quot;battlefield report&quot; to include the report entitled &quot;Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States&quot;; and (2) expand the Program to permit the acquisition not only of an &quot;interest in an eligible site,&quot; but also an &quot;eligible site.&quot;
 
Requires acquisitions of lands or interests under the Act to be from willing sellers only. 
 
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on related activities, including: (1) preservation carried out at the battlefields and associated sites identified in the battlefield report; (2) changes in their condition; and (3) other relevant developments related to such battlefields and sites.
 
 
Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary to provide grants under the Program through FY2019 for the protection of Civil War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 battlefields.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-03-02
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 302.
action_date: 2010-03-02
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 111-152.
action_date: 2010-03-02
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 111-152.
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2009-07-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.
action_date: 2009-04-22
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4528)
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H4528)
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1694.
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4528-4530)
action_date: 2009-04-21
text: Mrs. Christensen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2009-03-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2009-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-03-24
text: Introduced in House