As a original cosponsor of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2009 and a member of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, I applaud my colleagues in the House for passing legislation Tuesday that will encourage the private sector to preserve, conserve and enhance nationally significant Civil War battlefields.
Bringing new life to the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program could not come at a better time. In just three years, America will commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. I know that in my District the planning has already started and many residents of coastal South Carolina are planning to observe this important date from where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. This swift passage of the Civil War Battle Field Preservation Act will help in the preparation, preservation and conservation of many of these hallowed sites in time for this important milestone.
Read more of my press release on the passage of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2009 and my previous efforts to protect South Carolina’s Civil War Battlefields.
Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 17, 2008, 05:59 PM)
As home to Ft. Sumter, Morris Island, and many other Civil War sites, the 1st District holds a special place in our nation's history that must be preserved. That's why I have been working so hard with my colleague Gary Miller from California to update and extend a program under the National Park Service that is designed to provide financial assistance to preserve and protect these nationally significant places in our history.
Last week, I joined with my colleagues on the National Parks Subcommittee of the House Resources Committee during a hearing on Mr. Miller's legislation (H.R. 2933). During the hearing, we heard from one of my constituents, Alex McMillan, a Trustee of the Civil War Preservation Trust and a former Member of Congress.
While funds from the CWBPP have yet to be used to preserve any land in South Carolina, there are 11 sites in the Palmetto State that would be eligible for preservation under H.R. 2933. These include sites such as Fort Sumter and Morris Island, which saw the heroic actions of the African-American 54th Massachusetts Infantry as depicted in the film Glory.
This week, H.R. 2933 was sent to the House floor by the Natural Resources Committee. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill on the House floor schedule before the end of the 110th Congress.
