Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site Act of 1991
PL 102-304 (H.R.1642), enacted 06/23/1992

106 STAT. 256 
PUBLIC LAW 102-304—JUNE 23, 1992 
Public Law 102-304 
102d Congress 
An Act 
June 23,1992 
To establish in the State of Texas the Palo Alto Battlefield National ffistoric 
[H.R. 1642] 
Site, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
Palo Alto 
the United States of 
America in Congress assembled. 
Battlefield 
' 
^ 
National 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
AJt*Sn99?^ 
This Act may be cited as the 'Talo Alto Battlefield National 
16USC461' 
Historic Site Act of 1991". 
16^'SC461 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
note. 
The Congress finds that: 
(1) "file study conducted by the National Park Service under 
section 506(b) of Public Law 95-625 has resulted in a precise 
identification of the location of the Battle of Palo Alto and 
the area requiring protection. 
(2) Palo Alto is the only unit of the National Park System 
directed to the preservation and interpretation of resources 
related to the Mexican-American War. 
16 u s e 461 
SEC. 3. PALO ALTO BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL mSTORIC SITE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—In order to preserve for the education, bene-
fit, and inspiration of present and fiiture generations the nationally 
significant site of the first battle of the Mexican-American War, 
and to provide for its interpretation in such mainner as to portray 
the battle and the Mexican-American War and its related political, 
diplomatic, military and social causes and consequences, there is 
hereby established the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site 
in the State of Texas (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
"historic site"). 
(b) BOUNDARY.—(1) The historic site shall consist of approximately 
3,400 acres as generally depicted on the map entitled "Palo Alto 
Battlefield National Historic Site", numbered 469-80,002, and dated 
March 1991. The map shall be on file and available for public 
inspection in the offices of the Director of the National Park Service, 
Department of the Interior. 
(2) Within 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
, 
the Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this Act referred to 
as the "Secretary") shedl file a legal description of the historic 
site with the Committee on Interior and Insular Afiairs of the 
United States House of Representatives and with the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate. 
Such legal description shall have the same force and effect as 
if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct clerical 
and typographic errors in such legal description and in the map 
referred to in paragraph (1). The legal description shall be on 
file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National 
Park Service, Department of the Interior. The Secretsiry may, from 
time to time, make minor revisions in the boundary of the historic 
site. 
PUBLIC LAW 102-304—JUNE 23,1992 
106 STAT. 257 
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION. 
16 USC 461 
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Park 
Service, shall manage the historic site in accordance with this 
Act and the provisions of law generally applicable to the National 
Park System, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 
16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 
666). The Secretary shall protect, manage, and administer the his- Conservation, 
toric site for the purposes of preserving and interpreting the cultural 
and natural resources of the historic site and providing for the 
public understanding and appreciation of the historic site in such 
a msuiner as to perpetuate these quaUties and values for future 
generations. 
SEC. 5. LAND ACQUISITION. 
16 USC 461 
Within the historic site, the Secretary is authorized to acquire 
lands and interest in lands by donation, purchase with donated 
or appropriated funds, or exchange. Lands or interests in lands 
owned by the State of Texas or poUtical subdivisions thereof may 
be acquired only by donation. 
SEC. 6. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. 
16 USC 461 
In furtherance of the purposes of this Act, the Secretary is author-
ized to enter into cooperative agreements with the United States 
of Mexico, in accordance with existing international agreements, 
and with other owners of Mexican-American War properties within 
the United States of America for the purposes of conducting joint 
research and interpretive planning for the historic site and related 
Mexican-American War sites. Interpretive information and pro-
grams shall reflect historical data and perspectives of both countries 
and the series of historical events associated with the Mexican-
American War. 
SEC. 7. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
16 USC 461 
Within 3 years after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall develop and transmit to the Committee on Interior and Insular 
Affairs of the United States House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natiu-al Resources of the Senate, a 
general msuiagement plan for the historic site. The plan shall be 
consistent with section 12 of the Act of August 18, 1970 (16 U.S.C. 
la-7) and with the purposes of this Act and shall include (but 
not be limited to) each of the following: 
(1) A resource protection program including land acquisition 
needs. 
(2) A general visitor use and inteipretive program. 
(3) A general development plan including such roads, trails, 
markers, structures, and other improvements and facilities as 
may be necessary for the accommodation of visitor use in 
accordance with the purposes of this Act and the need to 
preserve the integrity of the historic site. 
(4) A research plan. 
(5) Identification of appropriate cooperative agreements as 
identified in section 6. 
59-194 0—93 
10 : QL 3 (Pt. 1) 
106 STAT. 258 
PUBLIC LAW 102-304—JUNE 23, 1992 
16 use 461 
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for acquisition 
of lands and interests in lands for purposes of the Palo Alto Battle-
field National Historic Site. 
Approved June 23, 1992. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1642: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 102-86 (Ck)mm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 102-285 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 137 (1991): June 3, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 138 (1992): June 4, considered and passed Senate.