S. 3287Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:20 PM UTC

The Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument Act would create a new National Park Service unit in Kentucky to protect and interpret the historic site of Camp Nelson, which played a key role in the Civil War, Reconstruction, and African‑American history. The monument would be established only after the federal government acquires enough land within the designated boundaries, primarily through donations, purchases with donated funds, or land exchanges. The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the National Park Service, would manage the monument and develop a management plan within three years of receiving funding.

Key Provisions

Defines the monument’s boundaries using a specific map and requires the Secretary to secure private or non‑federal land within those boundaries before the monument can be officially established.
Land can be added to the monument only by donation, purchase with donated money, or exchange; no other acquisition methods are permitted.
The Secretary of the Interior (via the National Park Service) must administer the monument according to existing National Park System laws and prepare a general management plan within three years of receiving funds, which must be submitted to the relevant House and Senate committees.
Specifies that the act does not create any buffer zones around the monument, and activities outside the monument are not restricted simply because they can be observed from within.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

SenateCommittee Latest Action

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 115-526.

National Parks Subcommittee

August 15, 2018

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 26, 2018

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5426)

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 26, 2018

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 115-526.

National Parks Subcommittee

August 15, 2018

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about S. 3287 on the floor

2 Republicans1 Democrat

Sen. Tim KaineD-VA · Jul 26, 2018

Mr. President, I regret it is necessary to introduce legislation that prevents a President from withdrawing from NATO. Our allies with whom we have fought alongside since World War II and earlier in some cases, are seriously questioning our allegiance for the first time in the history of the modern international order. President Trump has chosen to call our European allies ``foes'' while aligning himself with a brutal and repressive authoritarian, Vladimir Putin, over the professional assessment of the U.S. intelligence community. Troubling news continues to flow from the President's disastrous trip to Europe for the NATO summit and his meeting with President Putin in Helsinki. And for the first time ever, we are forced to ask what options we have to preserve U.S. membership in the primary tool of peace and stability for the last 70 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

In response to the only invocation of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, more than 1,100 servicemembers from our NATO allies have given their lives fighting alongside the United States. This is a sacrifice that should not be so easily cast aside by our President who continues to inaccurately depict the alliance as a protection racket and ``obsolete.'' While we must continue to press every country to continue increasing defense spending to meet the agreed upon goal of 2 percent of GDP by 2024, it is disconcerting to watch the President disparage these allies and make threats to withdraw the U.S. from NATO. Unfortunately, without action from Congress, this President might try to terminate U.S. membership in NATO. For this reason, we must affirmatively pronounce our legal position with regards to NATO, use our constitutionally required power of advice and consent to block any withdrawal and we must preemptively authorize legal proceedings to challenge any future decision to withdraw.

This legislation I am introducing today along with Senators Gardner, Reed, and McCain, is a bipartisan message to the President and the necessary tool needed to block the President from terminating the NATO treaty. It is the affirmative position of the United States Senate, supported by this Bill, and previous resolutions passed by this Congress, including and by the original vote of 82-13 in 1949 to give the Senate's advice and consent to join NATO, that the United States of America through their elected officials are unequivocally opposed to the U.S. withdrawing from NATO. This legislation also asserts our constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent to U.S. membership in treaties. Just as the President sought and received the advice and consent to enter into NATO, the President must also receive the advice and consent to terminate treaty membership--especially when such a decision would be at odds with the opinion of the Senate and the American people. Finally, this Bill will authorize Senate Legal Counsel to represent the Senate in challenging any decision to withdraw from NATO and specifically grant Federal courts jurisdiction to consider the case.

I am proud to have bipartisan support for this bill to ensure that the opinion of the Senate is upheld and the safety of the American people prioritized through our continued membership in NATO. I strongly encourage my colleagues in both the Senate and the House of Representatives to support this legislation.

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Jul 26, 2018

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Steve DainesR-MT · Jul 26, 2018

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Jul 26, 2018

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 26, 2018

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3287

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 26, 2018

Mr. McConnell introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To establish the Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument in the State of Kentucky as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument Act.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Map

The term Map means the map entitled Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument Nicholasville, Kentucky, numbered 532/144,148, and dated April 2018.

(2)

Monument

The term Monument means the Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument established by section 3(a)(1).

(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service.

Establishment of Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

Subject to paragraph (2), there is established as a unit of the National Park System the Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument in the State of Kentucky to preserve, protect, and interpret, for the benefit of present and future generations, the nationally significant historic resources of Camp Nelson and the role of Camp Nelson in the Civil War, Reconstruction, and African American history and civil rights.

(2)

Conditions

The Monument shall not be established until after the date on which the Secretary—

(A)

has entered into a written agreement with the owner of any private or non-Federal land within the boundary of the Monument, as depicted on the Map, providing that the property shall be donated to the United States for inclusion in the Monument to be managed consistently with the purposes of the Monument; and

(B)

has determined that sufficient land or interests in land have been acquired within the boundary of the Monument to constitute a manageable unit.

(b)

Boundary

The boundary of the Monument shall be the boundary generally depicted on the Map.

(c)

Availability of map

The Map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

(d)

Acquisition authority

The Secretary may only acquire any land or interest in land located within the boundary of the Monument by—

(1)

donation;

(2)

purchase with donated funds; or

(3)

exchange.

(e)

Administration

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall administer the Monument in accordance with—

(A)

this Act; and

(B)

the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—

(i)

section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States Code; and

(ii)

chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code.

(2)

Management plan

(A)

In general

Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made available to the Secretary to prepare a general management plan for the Monument, the Secretary shall prepare a general management plan for the Monument in accordance with section 100502 of title 54, United States Code.

(B)

Submission to Congress

On completion of the general management plan, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate the general management plan.

(f)

No buffer zones

(1)

In general

Nothing in this Act, the establishment of the Monument, or the management of the Monument creates a buffer zone outside of the Monument.

(2)

Activity or use outside Monument

The fact that an activity or use can be seen, heard, or detected from within the Monument shall not preclude the conduct of the activity or use outside of the Monument.