Holt Introduces Legislation to Extend Battlefield Protection

Rep. Rush Holt, D-12, introduced legislation Wednesday to expand the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP).

The preservation program, which was established through the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996, provides federal grants to support private efforts to preserve Civil War sites. The program has preserved over 16,500 acres in 14 states, according to a press release issued by Holt’s office. A report by the National Park Service found Congress has appropriated $31.9 million for the Civil War battlefield acquisition grants.

Holt’s bill would reauthorize the ABPP and create an identical program to preserve Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields. Sites covered in Holt’s legislation include sections of Freehold, which saw significant action during the Battle of Monmouth.

“Sprawl and commercial development are threatening the historic sites where our nation was forged and shaped,” Holt said in the release. “Each time a historic battlefield is replaced with a parking lot, a chapter of American history is erased, and future generations lose an important window onto their heritage.  This bill would provide matching funds that would leverage private efforts to preserve our nation’s past.”

The American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act is cosponsored by Rep. Steven Rothman, D-9, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-NE, and Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-NY.  Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.