November 7th, 2023
By News Report
Ft. Ti President and CEO Beth Hill had supported legislation before the Natural Resources Committee this summer
WASHINGTON, D.C. | The Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, co-led by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), passed on the House Floor Monday. The popular bipartisan legislation makes improvements to the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), which helps update and preserve battlefields like Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Ann in NY-21.
“I am proud to see my legislation pass the House today with bipartisan support. New York’s 21st Congressional District is the cradle of the American Revolution and home to Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Ann, and the Bennington Battlefield. It is as much our patriotic duty to preserve these lands as it is to defend the freedoms and liberty earned on these fields,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. “As co-chair of the Congressional Battlefield Caucus, I will always prioritize the preservation of the battlefields found in Upstate New York, the North Country, and throughout our nation.”
“Fort Ticonderoga is proud to support the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act and applauds Congresswoman Stefanik for her leadership in supporting important historic preservation programs,” stated Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “The American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act will ensure that this grant program is nimble and successful, maximizing its potential as a critical means of battlefield preservation. As our nation approaches our national 250th commemoration of the American Revolution, we must take this opportunity to expand resources, mobilize partnerships, and ensure that our nation’s hallowed grounds are preserved for posterity.”
H.R. 3448, the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, would:
- Allow nonprofits and tribes to apply for ABPP grants directly instead of through a state or local government sponsor
- Allow ABPP’s restoration grants to be used on priority battlefields in addition to land that has been preserved using program funding
- Clarify eligibility of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites for Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants
- Create a process for expanding and updating battlefield boundaries
In September, the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act passed unanimously out of the Committee on Natural Resources. In July, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik invited Beth Hill, President and CEO of the Fort Ticonderoga Association, to testify before the Natural Resources Committee on the benefits of the legislation. In March, Congresswoman Stefanik was awarded the National Preservation Leadership Award from the American Battlefield Trust for her leadership on battlefield preservation.
Read the article in Sun Community News here.
