To designate the Civil War Defenses of Washington National Historical Park comprised of certain National Park System lands, and by affiliation and cooperative agreements other historically significant resources, located in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, that were part of the Civil War defenses of Washington and related to the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, to study ways in which the Civil War history of both the North and South can be assembled, arrayed, and conveyed for the benefit of the public, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 6, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
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.
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