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Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002

Public Law 107-359 · H.R. 5125 · 107th Congress · began in the House

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 17, 2002 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA-41)

Cosponsors (10): Rep. George Radanovich,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002 - Amends the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 to direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the American Battlefield Protection Program, to establish a battlefield acquisition grant program under which the Secretary may provide grants to a State or local government (eligible entity) to pay the Federal share of the cost of acquiring interests in eligible sites for the preservation and protection of those sites.

Permits an eligible entity to acquire an interest in an eligible site using a grant in partnership with a nonprofit organization. Requires the non-Federal share of the total cost of acquiring an interest in a site to be not less than 50 percent. Subjects acquired property to the prohibition against conversion to other than public outdoor recreation uses, without the Secretary's approval.

Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress: (1) a report on activities carried out under this Act; and (2) a report that updates the Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields to reflect preservation activities and changes in the condition of the 384 battlefields.

Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary to: (1) provide battlefield acquisition grants for FY 2004 through 2008; and (2) carry out the update of such Report.

Extends the American Battlefield Protection Program through FY 2008.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.

  1. Dec 17, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-359.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 10, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 20, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Oct 8, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  6. Oct 2, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  7. Oct 1, 2002FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  8. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  9. FloorFloor · Mr. Hansen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  10. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  11. Sep 12, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  13. Jul 23, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  14. Jul 15, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  15. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.