View the full transcript of her remarks below:
“I rise today in support of my legislation the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act and I want to take the time to thank our Chairman Bruce Westerman and the Ranking Member for their support throughout this process both in committee but also visiting with so many communities that understand the importance of preserving and protecting these most hallowed grounds.
I introduced this bipartisan legislation with my Congressional Battlefield Caucus Co-Chair, Mr. Connolly of Virginia, to preserve and improve the American Battlefield Protection Program, one of the most successful land preservation programs managed by the National Park Service. Since its conception, the American Battlefield Protection Program has helped protect more than 100 battlefields in 42 states, including Fort Ann in my district in Upstate New York.
New York’s 21st District is truly the cradle of the American Revolution, home to Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Ann, and the Bennington Battlefield. But as people across Upstate New York and the North Country will proudly tell you, our deep military history extends beyond the Revolution and incorporates many important battlefields from the French and Indian War through the War of 1812.
I, myself, I grew up going to these historic sites and I have considered them part of the classroom of my childhood education and for years, I have been proud to lead the charge to preserve these historic battlefields in Congress as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Battlefield Caucus. It’s critical that we preserve and honor the places Americans gave their last full measure of devotion in order to ensure future generations of Americans learn the lessons of those sacrifices on these very hallowed grounds.
This bill also allows non-profits and tribes to apply to the program directly, instead of having to go through a government sponsor. Removing this burdensome hurdle cuts through bureaucracy, allowing these entities to be more efficient and effective in preserving our endangered battlefields.
This legislation also clarifies the eligibility of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites for Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants to ensure the program is used to preserve battlefield land, while also creating a process for the National Park Service to expand and update battlefield boundaries.
With emerging archaeological technologies, historical boundaries of various battlefields have shifted as we learn more. Without the program improvements in my bill, portions of battlefields with newly discovered historic importance stand to be lost. We must not allow this to happen, and instead strive to ensure these critical pieces of our history, our most hallowed history, are preserved for future generations.
I urge my colleagues to join me in support of the bipartisan American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act to ensure these battlefields continue to be preserved for years and generations to come.”
