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US Congress · H.R. 7618 · Passed the House

American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026

Introduced
Moved
Reached a final decision
Introduced 2026-02-20
Derived from the official record below.

Officially: “American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026 Read the full text

Public Lands and Natural Resources

What it does

American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026 This bill extends through FY2036 three National Park Service (NPS) grant programs that preserve U.S. battlefields and requires the NPS to study additional sites for potential preservation. Specifically, the bill extends through FY2036 grant programs for the acquisition, interpretation modernization, and restoration of certain U.S. battlefields. (Under current law, the grants are authorized through FY2028.) The bill also requires the NPS to prepare or certify studies of locations tied to significant events during the French and Indi
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, from the official record. Plain-language version below. Not legal advice.

Read it in plain language

AI plain language3 sections
Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.
1Short title

This section would give the Act the short title 'American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026.'

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Official text, verbatim from the record

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026 .

2American Battlefield Protection Program grant programs

This section would make several changes to grant programs under the American Battlefield Protection Program in title 54 of the United States Code. For the battlefield acquisition grant program, it would extend the authorization of appropriations under section 308103(f) from fiscal year 2028 through fiscal year 2036. For the battlefield interpretation modernization grant program under section 308104, it would change a cost-sharing figure in subsection (c) from 50 to 75, and it would repeal subsection (d), which had authorized a separate stream of appropriations for that program; going forward, funding for that program would instead come from the appropriation described below for section 308105. For the Battlefield Restoration Grant Program under section 308105, it would change a cost-sharing figure in subsection (c) from 50 to 75, and it would replace subsection (e) with a new authorization of appropriations of $2,000,000 for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2036, covering grants made under both section 308104 (the interpretation modernization program) and section 308105 (the restoration program).

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Official text, verbatim from the record

2. American Battlefield Protection Program grant programs (a) Reauthorization of battlefield acquisition grant program Section 308103(f) of title 54, United States Code, is amended by striking 2028 and inserting 2036 . (b) Battlefield interpretation modernization grant program Section 308104 of title 54, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (c), by striking 50 and inserting 75 ; and (2) by striking subsection (d). (c) Battlefield Restoration Grant Program Section 308105 of title 54, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (c), by striking 50 and inserting 75 ; and (2) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following: (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to provide grants under section 308104 and this section $2,000,000 for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2036. .

3French and Indian War and Mexican-American War sites studies

This section would require the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service, to prepare studies of sites and structures in the United States that are thematically tied to nationally significant events from the French and Indian War (1754-1763) and the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Each study would have to identify the relevant sites, determine their relative significance, assess short-term and long-term threats to the integrity of the sites, and provide alternatives for preserving and interpreting the sites by the federal government, state, local, and tribal governments, or other public or private entities, including possible designation of the sites as units of the National Park System where appropriate. In preparing the studies, the Secretary would have to consider previous studies and reports on French and Indian War or Mexican-American War historic sites prepared by the National Park Service, the American Battlefield Trust, or other historic preservation organizations, and may include information from them. The Secretary would also have to consult with the governor of each affected state, each affected Indian tribe, each affected unit of local government, the American Battlefield Trust and other national, tribal, state, and local historic preservation organizations, and other interested entities or persons. Not later than 2 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out the studies, the Secretary would have to submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress describing the results of the studies.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

3. French and Indian War and Mexican-American War sites studies (a) In general The Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Director of the National Park Service) (referred to in this section as the Secretary ), shall prepare studies of sites and structures located in the United States that are thematically tied with nationally significant events that occurred during— (1) the French and Indian War from 1754–1763; and (2) the Mexican-American War from 1846–1848. (b) Contents The studies prepared under subsection (a) shall— (1) identify French and Indian War and Mexican-American War sites, respectively, located within the United States; (2) determine the relative significance of the identified sites; (3) assess short- and long-term threats to the integrity of the identified sites; and (4) provide alternatives for the preservation and interpretation of the identified sites by the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, or other public or private entities, including potential designation of the identified sites as units of the National Park System, as appropriate. (c) Consideration of previous studies and reports In preparing the studies under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider and may include information from previous studies and reports relating to French and Indian War or Mexican-American War historic sites prepared by the National Park Service, the American Battlefield Trust, or other historic preservation organizations, as appropriate. (d) Consultation In preparing the studies under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with— (1) the Governor of each affected State; (2) each affected Indian Tribe; (3) each affected unit of local government; (4) the American Battlefield Trust and other national, Tribal, State, and local historic preservation organizations; and (5) other interested entities or persons. (e) Submission to Congress Not later than 2 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out the studies under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes the results of the studies.

AI plain languageRead the whole bill in plain language, 3 sections

Where it is

Introduced · 2026-02-20

In the House.

Committee hearing · 2026-03-26
Passed the House · 2026-06-03
Senate floor vote · next · the next step

Official documents

The on-site text is shown verbatim from the GovInfo publication, captured 2026-07-23. The same version at GovInfo.

The numbers

29%
of bills that passed one chamber became law in the 118th Congress, 2023 to 2024 (n=939)
7
sponsors, out of 218 needed to pass

Who is lobbying on this

AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUSTvia AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST
2 filings
OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE, INC.via OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE, INC.
2 filings
AARPvia AARP
1 filing
NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATIONvia NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
1 filing
NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATIONvia NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
1 filing
From 7 filings in federal lobbying disclosures (LDA), via lda.gov, naming this bill (2026). Filings are self-reported by lobbying firms and show who is paid to influence this bill. They do not say which side, or whether it worked.
Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record. Last action: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. (2026-07-21).