To establish the Fort Monroe National Historical Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Scott of Virginia (for himself, Mr. Wittman, Ms. McClellan, …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill establishes Fort Monroe National Historical Park in Virginia, upgrading the existing Fort Monroe National Monument to full national park status. The park will preserve and interpret the site's significant historical role, including its connection to the first arrival of enslaved Africans in English North America in 1619 and its Civil War-era "Contraband Decision" that provided a pathway to freedom for escaped enslaved people.
Who Benefits and How
The National Park Service gains expanded authority and potentially increased funding to manage and develop the upgraded historical park. Local tourism businesses, hotels, and restaurants in Hampton, Virginia will likely benefit from increased visitor traffic that comes with national park designation. Educational institutions and historians gain better-preserved access to a significant site of American history, particularly relating to African American history.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal taxpayers bear the cost of park operations and any land acquisitions, though the bill allows purchases only from willing sellers. The Commonwealth of Virginia and local governments may face some coordination requirements when working on developments near the park boundary, though their existing authority is largely preserved.
Key Provisions
- Abolishes the Fort Monroe National Monument and incorporates all its land into the new Fort Monroe National Historical Park
- Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire additional land within the park boundaries through donation, purchase, or exchange
- Allows replacement construction if historic buildings are demolished, provided it meets historic preservation standards
- Enables cooperative agreements with Virginia and private entities for preservation work, with federal funding capped at 50% of costs
- Preserves Virginia's civil and criminal jurisdiction over non-federal land within the park boundaries
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Establishes Fort Monroe National Historical Park in Virginia to preserve its historical, natural, and recreational resources for educational purposes.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Commonwealth refers to Virginia; Map is titled Fort Monroe National Historical Park Proposed Boundary, dated June 2024; Historical Park means the established park; Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
Fort Monroe National Historical Park Establishment Act
The park's boundary is depicted on the Map, which is available for public inspection. The Secretary can acquire land within this boundary through donation or purchase.
Fort Monroe National Historical Park is established to preserve and interpret its history, including the voyages of Captain John Smith, arrival of captive Africans in English North America, use as a coastal defense facility, role in the Civil War, and contributions to national history.
The Secretary administers the park in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, including those related to units of the National Park System. The Commonwealth's authority is not affected by this Act.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology