Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, which would make improvements to the American Battlefield Protection Program, advanced through the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The legislation passed as part of Representative Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act.
“As Co-Chair of the Congressional Battlefield Caucus, I am proud to have my legislation pass the Senate with bipartisan support, now one step closer to becoming law. My American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act will ensure our many battlefields in Upstate New York, the North Country, and across our nation are preserved for generations to come,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.
"To preserve the historical integrity of American battlefields is paramount — we at the Trust firmly believe that preserved battlefields are outdoor classrooms that help Americans better understand the sacrifices made to forge the nation we are today. We applaud Senators Kaine and Hyde-Smith, and U.S. Representatives Stefanik and Connolly, for their tireless efforts in ensuring the work of historic preservation can continue and expand. The ABPP Enhancement Act provides new ways for us to ensure our country's hallowed grounds, and their power of place, will be protected for generations to come," said American Battlefield Trust President David N. Duncan.
H.R. 3448, the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, will:
- Allow non-profits and tribes to apply for ABPP grants directly instead of through a state or local government sponsor.
- Allow ABPP’s restoration grants to be used on priority battlefields in addition to land that has been preserved using program funding.
- Clarify eligibility of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites for Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants.
- Create a process for expanding and updating battlefield boundaries.
Congresswoman Stefanik has long led numerous efforts to protect and preserve our nation’s battlefields for future generations.
She introduced the bipartisan American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act in May 2023. In July 2023, Stefanik invited Beth Hill, the President and CEO of the Fort Ticonderoga Association, to testify before the Natural Resources Committee on the benefits of the legislation. In September 2023, the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Natural Resources. In November 2023, the legislation then passed unanimously on the House Floor. Stefanik’s legislation received a hearing at the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in May 2024. In November 2024, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources passed the legislation by voice vote.
In March 2023, Congresswoman Stefanik was awarded the National Preservation Leadership Award from the American Battlefield Trust for her leadership on battlefield preservation.
