Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at improving the protection of America's historic battlefields. The American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act seeks to update the successful National Park Service (NPS) program known as the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), which promotes the preservation of significant historic battlefields and sites of armed conflict across the country.

The ABPP has been instrumental in preserving more than 35,000 acres of historic land in 20 states, including Mississippi and Virginia. Senator Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, explained the importance of the proposed changes to the program, stating, "Our bipartisan changes to this critical program would create a quicker and easier process for preserving our national battlefields, sites that hold so many stories of our history." She also emphasized the potential benefits for states like Mississippi, which are rich in historical significance.

Senator Kaine echoed the sentiment, highlighting the military history that Virginia represents: "From Yorktown to Appomattox, the map of Virginia is a map of America's military history. I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to strengthen the American Battlefield Protection Program and help ensure these lands are preserved, so future generations can visit and learn about their importance."

The proposed legislation has garnered support from various quarters, including the President of the American Battlefield Trust, David Duncan. He commended Senators Kaine and Hyde-Smith for their longstanding support for the American Battlefield Protection Program, calling it "one of the best examples of the private sector working with the federal government to preserve American history." Duncan also highlighted the program's ability to encourage nonprofit and state investment in preserving hallowed ground, leveraging federal dollars more than 3-to-1.

The Kaine/Hyde-Smith legislation has also attracted cosponsors from both sides of the aisle, including U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

With the introduction of this bipartisan bill, there is hope that the protection of America's historic battlefields will receive the necessary attention and resources to ensure their preservation for future generations to visit and learn from.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/hyde-smith-sen-kaine-introduces-bill-protect-historic-american-battlefields