Floor Speech2026-06-02

AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2026

Context

On 2026-06-02, Representative Melanie A. Stansbury (D-NM-1) delivered a floor speech titled "AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2026" in the House.

Full Text

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 93 (Tuesday, June 2, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 2, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3755-H3757] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2026 Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7618) to amend title 54, United States Code, to modify certain cost-sharing requirements for grant programs under the American Battlefield Protection Program, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7618 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM GRANT PROGRAMS. (a) Reauthorization of Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program.--Section 308103(f) of title 54, United States Code, is amended by striking ``2028'' and inserting ``2036''. (b) Battlefield Interpretation Modernization Grant Program.--Section 308104 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d). (c) Battlefield Restoration Grant Program.--Section 308105 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following: ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to provide grants under section [[Page H3756]] 308104 and this section $2,000,000 for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2036.''. SEC. 3. FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR AND MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR SITES STUDIES. (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose, the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Director of the National Park Service) (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), shall prepare or certify, pursuant to subsection (b), studies of sites and structures located in the United States that are thematically tied with nationally significant events that occurred during-- (1) the French and Indian War from 1754-1763; and (2) the Mexican-American War from 1846-1848. (b) Preparation.-- (1) In general.--The studies under subsection (a) may be carried out-- (A) by the Secretary, in consultation with affected States, Indian Tribes, local governments, the American Battlefield Trust, historic preservation organizations, and any other interested individuals or entities, as determined by the Secretary; or (B) by interested individuals or entities, if the Secretary certifies that the completed study meets the requirements of subsection (c). (2) Certification.--Not later than 1 year after receiving a study carried out by interested individuals or entities under subsection (b)(1)(B), the Secretary shall review and certify whether the study meets the requirements of subsection (c). (c) Contents.--The studies prepared under subsection (a) shall-- (1) identify French and Indian War and Mexican-American War sites, respectively, located within the United States; (2) determine the relative significance of the identified sites; (3) assess short- and long-term threats to the integrity of the identified sites; and (4) provide alternatives for the preservation and interpretation of the identified sites by the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, or other public or private entities, including potential designation of the identified sites as units of the National Park System, as appropriate. (d) Consideration of Previous Studies and Reports.--In preparing the studies under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall consider and may include information from previous studies and reports relating to French and Indian War or Mexican-American War historic sites prepared by the National Park Service, the American Battlefield Trust, or other historic preservation organizations, as appropriate. (e) Submission to Congress.-- (1) Studies carried out by the secretary.--With respect to studies carried out by the Secretary in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(A), the Secretary shall submit such studies to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate not later than 2 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out such studies. (2) Studies carried out by other interested parties.--With respect to studies carried out by interested individuals or entities in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(B), the Secretary shall submit such studies to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary certifies under subsection (b)(2) that the studies meet the requirements of subsection (c). (3) Battlefield report definition clarification.--A study submitted under this subsection shall be deemed to be a document included in the definition of ``Battlefield Reports'' in section 308101 of title 54, United States Code. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Stansbury) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. General Leave Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7618, the bill now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas? There was no objection. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7618, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026, introduced by Representative Kiggans. America's battlefields are more than just parks. They are hallowed grounds that tell a story of our Nation's struggles, triumphs, and defining moments. They are the places where ordinary people made extraordinary sacrifices in defense of liberty, self-government, and the ideals that continue to define us today. As the settings of battles spanning from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, these historic sites serve as living classrooms that continue to teach generations of Americans about the conflicts that forged our great Nation, but many of these places are being lost. Today, the majority of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields no longer retain significant land from the period of battle, and more than 20 percent of Civil War battlefields have been lost altogether. That is why 30 years ago, Congress created the American Battlefield Protection Program to help protect and restore historic battlefields through public-private partnerships, and the numbers speak for themselves. Since its inception, this program has helped to protect more than 100 battlefields in 42 States and conserve battlefield lands at 110 battlefield sites in 19 States. Representative Kiggans' bipartisan legislation keeps that momentum going, fittingly, during our Nation's semiquincentennial year. Her legislation reauthorizes and strengthens this successful program through 2036 and streamlines the program by consolidating separate authorizations for the restoration and interpretation modernization grant programs into a single, unified authorization. This legislation also directs the National Park Service to study sites associated with the French and Indian War and the Mexican- American War, two important conflicts that helped to shaped our Nation's history but which are not currently included in the program. This is a targeted bill. It doesn't create a new program or expand Federal control. Rather, it builds onto something that already works and makes it better. It also comes at the right time. In this year of America's 250th anniversary, there is growing interest in making sure that we take stock of our Nation's history, not just through books but on the ground, where people can see and experience it. From Gettysburg and Vicksburg to Manassas and beyond, H.R. 7618 ensures that we are able to appreciate the places where American history was made and that future generations will be able to experience these hallowed grounds firsthand for America's next 250 years. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7618, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, for over three decades, the American Battlefield Protection Program has been instrumental in saving sites from the Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, and the Civil War. H.R. 7618 would build on that legacy by reauthorizing the program for another 7 years, beyond the current expiration through fiscal year 2036, at the existing authorization level of $20 million per annum. This bill would also streamline the program by combining funding for interpretation grants and restoration grants into a single $2 million authorization. This is a smart technical improvement to how we provide support for State, local, and nonprofit partners who work to protect these lands. Since history does not start and stop with just these three conflicts, the legislation rightly directs the Secretary of the Interior to prepare resource studies for sites from the French and Indian War and the Mexican-American War, two pivotal eras currently ineligible for these specific grants, laying the groundwork to protect even more of our shared heritage. Preserving our history is a bipartisan obligation, so I thank Representative Seth Magaziner for his leadership on the Democratic side in bringing this bill forward, along with our colleagues across the aisle. As we celebrate America250 this year, preserving the physical landscapes of our past has never been more vital. Our battl

Referenced legislation: HR7618, HR7618

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AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2026 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 93 (Tuesday, June 2, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 2, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3755-H3757] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2026 Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7618) to amend title 54, United States Code, to modify certain cost-sharing requirements for grant programs under the American Battlefield Protection Program, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7618 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM GRANT PROGRAMS. (a) Reauthorization of Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program.--Section 308103(f) of title 54, United States Code, is amended by striking ``2028'' and inserting ``2036''. (b) Battlefield Interpretation Modernization Grant Program.--Section 308104 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d). (c) Battlefield Restoration Grant Program.--Section 308105 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following: ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to provide grants under section [[Page H3756]] 308104 and this section $2,000,000 for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2036.''. SEC. 3. FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR AND MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR SITES STUDIES. (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose, the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Director of the National Park Service) (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), shall prepare or certify, pursuant to subsection (b), studies of sites and structures located in the United States that are thematically tied with nationally significant events that occurred during-- (1) the French and Indian War from 1754-1763; and (2) the Mexican-American War from 1846-1848. (b) Preparation.-- (1) In general.--The studies under subsection (a) may be carried out-- (A) by the Secretary, in consultation with affected States, Indian Tribes, local governments, the American Battlefield Trust, historic preservation organizations, and any other interested individuals or entities, as determined by the Secretary; or (B) by interested individuals or entities, if the Secretary certifies that the completed study meets the requirements of subsection (c). (2) Certification.--Not later than 1 year after receiving a study carried out by interested individuals or entities under subsection (b)(1)(B), the Secretary shall review and certify whether the study meets the requirements of subsection (c). (c) Contents.--The studies prepared under subsection (a) shall-- (1) identify French and Indian War and Mexican-American War sites, respectively, located within the United States; (2) determine the relative significance of the identified sites; (3) assess short- and long-term threats to the integrity of the identified sites; and (4) provide alternatives for the preservation and interpretation of the identified sites by the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, or other public or private entities, including potential designation of the identified sites as units of the National Park System, as appropriate. (d) Consideration of Previous Studies and Reports.--In preparing the studies under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall consider and may include information from previous studies and reports relating to French and Indian War or Mexican-American War historic sites prepared by the National Park Service, the American Battlefield Trust, or other historic preservation organizations, as appropriate. (e) Submission to Congress.-- (1) Studies carried out by the secretary.--With respect to studies carried out by the Secretary in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(A), the Secretary shall submit such studies to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate not later than 2 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out such studies. (2) Studies carried out by other interested parties.--With respect to studies carried out by interested individuals or entities in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(B), the Secretary shall submit such studies to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary certifies under subsection (b)(2) that the studies meet the requirements of subsection (c). (3) Battlefield report definition clarification.--A study submitted under this subsection shall be deemed to be a document included in the definition of ``Battlefield Reports'' in section 308101 of title 54, United States Code. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Stansbury) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. General Leave Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7618, the bill now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas? There was no objection. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7618, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026, introduced by Representative Kiggans. America's battlefields are more than just parks. They are hallowed grounds that tell a story of our Nation's struggles, triumphs, and defining moments. They are the places where ordinary people made extraordinary sacrifices in defense of liberty, self-government, and the ideals that continue to define us today. As the settings of battles spanning from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, these historic sites serve as living classrooms that continue to teach generations of Americans about the conflicts that forged our great Nation, but many of these places are being lost. Today, the majority of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields no longer retain significant land from the period of battle, and more than 20 percent of Civil War battlefields have been lost altogether. That is why 30 years ago, Congress created the American Battlefield Protection Program to help protect and restore historic battlefields through public-private partnerships, and the numbers speak for themselves. Since its inception, this program has helped to protect more than 100 battlefields in 42 States and conserve battlefield lands at 110 battlefield sites in 19 States. Representative Kiggans' bipartisan legislation keeps that momentum going, fittingly, during our Nation's semiquincentennial year. Her legislation reauthorizes and strengthens this successful program through 2036 and streamlines the program by consolidating separate authorizations for the restoration and interpretation modernization grant programs into a single, unified authorization. This legislation also directs the National Park Service to study sites associated with the French and Indian War and the Mexican- American War, two important conflicts that helped to shaped our Nation's history but which are not currently included in the program. This is a targeted bill. It doesn't create a new program or expand Federal control. Rather, it builds onto something that already works and makes it better. It also comes at the right time. In this year of America's 250th anniversary, there is growing interest in making sure that we take stock of our Nation's history, not just through books but on the ground, where people can see and experience it. From Gettysburg and Vicksburg to Manassas and beyond, H.R. 7618 ensures that we are able to appreciate the places where American history was made and that future generations will be able to experience these hallowed grounds firsthand for America's next 250 years. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7618, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, for over three decades, the American Battlefield Protection Program has been instrumental in saving sites from the Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, and the Civil War. H.R. 7618 would build on that legacy by reauthorizing the program for another 7 years, beyond the current expiration through fiscal year 2036, at the existing authorization level of $20 million per annum. This bill would also streamline the program by combining funding for interpretation grants and restoration grants into a single $2 million authorization. This is a smart technical improvement to how we provide support for State, local, and nonprofit partners who work to protect these lands. Since history does not start and stop with just these three conflicts, the legislation rightly directs the Secretary of the Interior to prepare resource studies for sites from the French and Indian War and the Mexican-American War, two pivotal eras currently ineligible for these specific grants, laying the groundwork to protect even more of our shared heritage. Preserving our history is a bipartisan obligation, so I thank Representative Seth Magaziner for his leadership on the Democratic side in bringing this bill forward, along with our colleagues across the aisle. As we celebrate America250 this year, preserving the physical landscapes of our past has never been more vital. Our battl Referenced legislation: HR7618, HR7618