Summary#
This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to authorize two memorials celebrating Wisconsin infantry who fought in two 1862 battles. One memorial would be placed within Antietam National Battlefield for the officers and enlisted men of the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin Infantry Regiments who fought on September 17, 1862. The other would be placed within Manassas National Battlefield Park for the officers and enlisted men of the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin Infantry Regiments who fought August 28–30, 1862. The Secretary must approve suitable locations, size, design, and inscriptions. The Secretary also selects the persons who may establish each memorial.
No Federal funds may be used to design, acquire, prepare the site for, or install the memorials. The Secretary may suspend organizers if their fundraising misrepresents an affiliation with the memorials or the Federal Government. Organizers must file annual reports on fundraising and progress until each memorial is installed. Once a memorial is installed, the Secretary is responsible for its maintenance and may accept contributions; amounts accepted are merged with other maintenance funds and credited to a separate account with the National Park Foundation.
What it means for you#
- If you want to fund or help build a memorial, private groups chosen by the Secretary must do the fundraising; Federal money cannot pay for the memorials' creation.
- Design, placement, and inscriptions must be approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
- Fundraising organizers must report yearly on progress until the memorial is installed, and may be suspended for misrepresenting ties to the memorial or the Federal Government.
- After installation, the Secretary will maintain the memorials and may accept donations for upkeep.
- Visitors to Antietam and Manassas battlefields may see new Wisconsin memorials once installed.
Expenses#
- The bill prohibits use of Federal funds to design, acquire, prepare, or install the memorials.
- After installation, maintenance is the Secretary's responsibility; the Secretary may accept contributions for maintenance and place them in a National Park Foundation account.
- No cost estimates, budget figures, or funding breakdowns are included in the bill text or metadata. No publicly available information on projected costs.
Proponents' View#
- Sponsors listed in the bill metadata include Representatives Scott Fitzgerald, Bryan Steil, Derrick Van Orden, Glenn Grothman, Thomas Tiffany, Tony Wied, Mark Pocan, and Gwen Moore.
- The bill text does not include statements explaining supporters' reasons or arguments. No publicly available information on proponents' statements in the bill text or metadata.
Opponents' View#
- The bill text and provided metadata do not include any formal opposition statements or identified opponents. No publicly available information on opponents' views.