This bill creates a new national historical park to preserve and interpret the Civil War defenses of Washington, which protected the nation's capital during the Civil War. The park will include 17 federally-owned forts and fortifications across Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, along with affiliated sites like Fort Washington and Battleground National Cemetery. The legislation also allows for voluntary affiliation of additional historically significant sites owned by local governments or private parties through cooperative agreements, but explicitly prohibits the use of condemnation to acquire property. Within one year of enactment, the Secretary of the Interior must submit a report to Congress studying ways to better educate the public about Civil War history from both Northern and Southern perspectives, particularly focusing on the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign and the Battle of Fort Stevens, which was the only time a sitting president came under hostile fire during battle. The bill does not specify dedicated funding amounts but authorizes the Secretary to accept donations and seek private funding to support these preservation and education efforts.