In committee
American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026
This bill extends federal grants through 2036 to help state and local governments and nonprofits buy and preserve historic battlefields. It authorizes $2 million per year through 2036 specifically for projects that restore battlefield land and modernize visitor exhibits and signs. It also directs the National Park Service to study historic sites from the French and Indian War and the Mexican-American War to assess threats to the land and explore options for preservation, including adding them to the National Park System.
People affected—Not determinable from the text provided; the bill concerns federal grant authorizations and site study requirements rather than a direct population count.
Fiscal magnitude—The bill authorizes $2,000,000 annually through fiscal year 2036 for battlefield interpretation modernization and restoration grants, but total authorized spending cannot be calculated because the start year is not specified in the text and the reauthorized acquisition grant program (Sec. 2(a)) includes no dollar amount.
Reach16provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Spending vs. restraint+16Federal lands & resources+28
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Historic preservation and battlefield conservation organizationsExtends the authorization of battlefield land acquisition grants through 2036, authorizes $2 million annually for interpretation modernization and restoration grants, and makes French and Indian War and Mexican-American War sites eligible for American Battlefield Protection Program grants once studied.
- State, local, and Tribal governmentsGains consultation opportunities on historic site studies, alternatives for preserving and interpreting sites, and continued access through 2036 to federal battlefield protection, restoration, and acquisition grants.
Who it burdens
- National Park ServiceRequires the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to prepare or review and certify studies of French and Indian War and Mexican-American War sites and report them to Congress within specified timeframes.