American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026

The bill would extend the authorization for the American Battlefield Protection Program's acquisition grant program from fiscal year 2028 through fiscal year 2036, and would similarly extend and set at $2,000,000 per year the funding authorized for the interpretation modernization and restoration grant programs through fiscal year 2036. It would also strike an existing cost-sharing requirement in the interpretation modernization grant program. Separately, it would require the National Park Service to prepare or certify studies identifying historically significant sites connected to the French and Indian War (1754-1763) and the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), assess threats to those sites, and propose preservation options, including possible designation as National Park System units.

The bill would not itself designate any new park units or appropriate funds beyond authorizing the spending ceiling; actual grants and studies would depend on future appropriations. Studies could be conducted by the Park Service directly or by outside groups whose work the Secretary certifies as meeting statutory requirements.

State, local, and tribal governments, the American Battlefield Trust, historic preservation organizations, and private landowners involved in battlefield acquisition or restoration projects would be affected, along with the National Park Service, which administers the grants and would conduct or certify the new war-site studies.

Extending the grant authorizations through 2036 would give preservation groups and local governments a longer funding horizon to plan battlefield acquisition and restoration projects rather than facing a near-term 2028 cutoff. The new studies could identify additional historic sites for future federal preservation or park designation.

The Park Service would continue administering the three existing grant programs under the extended authorization ceilings. For the new studies, the Secretary of the Interior would either conduct the French and Indian War and Mexican-American War site studies directly, in consultation with states, tribes, local governments, and preservation groups, or certify studies submitted by outside parties within one year of receipt. Completed studies must go to the House Natural Resources and Senate Energy and Natural Resources committees within two years (Secretary-led studies) or 180 days of certification (outside studies), and are treated as official Battlefield Reports.