American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7618 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 20, 2026

Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia (for herself and Mr. Magaziner) introduced the
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 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.

    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--
            (1) in subsection (c), by striking ``50'' and inserting
        ``75''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (d).
    (c) Battlefield Restoration Grant Program.--Section 308105 of title
54, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c), by striking ``50'' and inserting
        ``75''; and
            (2) 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 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.--The Secretary of the Interior (acting through the
Director of the National Park Service) (referred to in this section as
the ``Secretary''), shall prepare 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) 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.
    (c) Consideration of Previous Studies and Reports.--In preparing
the studies under subsection (a), 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.
    (d) Consultation.--In preparing the studies under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall consult with--
            (1) the Governor of each affected State;
            (2) each affected Indian Tribe;
            (3) each affected unit of local government;
            (4) the American Battlefield Trust and other national,
        Tribal, State, and local historic preservation organizations;
        and
            (5) other interested entities or persons.
    (e) Submission to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date
on which funds are made available to carry out the studies under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report that describes the results of the
studies.
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