Preserving America's Battlefields Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6108, which authorizes additional funding for the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program.

This program has a long track record of efficiently and cost- effectively preserving battlefield sites from the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the War of 1812.

By utilizing public-private funding matches, through which Federal contributions are leveraged with private sector funds, the program maximizes the preservation impact of every dollar spent. It is critical that we extend this grant matching program because many of these historic battlefield sites lack permanent protection and are under threat from encroaching development. If we don't act swiftly, we could soon lose access to sites of significant historical importance.

By extending additional funding to this program, and by allowing a portion of this new funding to go towards educational and interpretive upgrades at these sites, we ensure that future generations of Americans will always remember the sacrifices made to preserve our Nation.

Unfortunately, I worry that this legislation, as important as it is for preserving our Nation's history, rings somewhat hollow.

We need to recognize that the grant program H.R. 6108 extends is funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which expired in September for the second time this Congress.

At our committee's hearing on H.R. 6108, our distinguished witness from the American Battlefield Trust recognized that this proposal doesn't hold water unless LWCF is reauthorized.

Mr. Speaker, while I rise in support of H.R. 6108, I also urge my colleagues to support the permanent reauthorization of LWCF.

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