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S. 5169Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Boundary Expansion and Partnership Act of 2026

Sponsored by James C. JusticeSen. James C. Justice (R-WV)
Introduced July 29, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated August 4, 2026 at 6:23 AM UTC

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Boundary Expansion and Partnership Act of 2026 expands the historic district to add Rockbridge County, Virginia, and Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties in West Virginia. It formalizes the district’s partnership management model and guarantees continued federal funding and grant eligibility. The bill also directs the Interior Secretary to report on how the model could be used elsewhere.

Key Provisions

  • Amends the 1996 law to change the district’s geographic scope from only Virginia to both Virginia and West Virginia, specifically adding Rockbridge County, VA and three counties in WV.
  • Requires the district’s management entity to operate under the established partnership model and to update its management plan to cover the newly added areas.
  • Guarantees that the district will receive at least the same level of federal funding in FY2027 and later as it did in FY2026, and makes it eligible for technical assistance and grants available to National Heritage Areas.
  • Appropriates $1.25 million annually for the management entity (split between operations and park maintenance) and $2.5 million each year from FY2027‑FY2033 for grants, technical assistance, and land acquisition.
  • Mandates that within two years the Secretary of the Interior submit a report recommending how the district’s partnership model could be replicated in other National Park System sites.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
SenateCommittee Latest Action

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 16, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 29, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

July 29, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 16, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 29, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5169

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 29, 2026

Mr. Justice (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Kaine, and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To expand the boundaries of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, to recognize and enhance the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District partnership model, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Boundary Expansion and Partnership Act of 2026.

2.

Expansion and administration of Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

District

The term District means the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District established by subsection (e) of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Commission Act of 1996 (section 606 of division I of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996) (54 U.S.C. 320101 note; Public Law 104–333) (as amended by subsection (b)).

(2)

Management entity; plan

The terms management entity and plan have the meanings given those terms in subsection (d) of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Commission Act of 1996 (54 U.S.C. 320101 note; Public Law 104–333).

(b)

Boundary expansion

Subsection (e) of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Commission Act of 1996 (54 U.S.C. 320101 note; Public Law 104–333) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking Commonwealth of Virginia and inserting States of Virginia and West Virginia; and

(2)

in paragraph (2)—

(A)

by striking (A) The corridor shall consist of lands and interests therein as and inserting the following:

(A)

In general

The District shall consist of—

(i)

land and interests in land, as

;

(B)

in subparagraph (A)—

(i)

in clause (i) (as so designated), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(ii)

by adding at the end the following:

(ii)

Rockbridge County, Virginia;

(iii)

Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties, West Virginia; and

;

(C)

in subparagraph (B)—

(i)

by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting clause (i) or any of the counties described in clauses (ii) and (iii); and

(ii)

by striking (B) The District shall consist of historic and inserting the following:

(iv)

any historic

; and

(D)

in subparagraph (C), by striking (C) The map referred to in subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:

(B)

Availability of map

The map referred to in subparagraph (A)(i)

.

(c)

Administration

(1)

In general

The District shall be managed and administered by the management entity—

(A)

as a distinct National Historic District partnership model; and

(B)

subject to paragraph (2), in accordance with—

(i)

the purposes described in subsection (c) of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Commission Act of 1996 (54 U.S.C. 320101 note; Public Law 104–333); and

(ii)

the plan, subject to the condition that the plan shall be updated as necessary to address interpretive measures, partnerships, and other resources and needs in the areas added to the District by the amendments made by subsection (b).

(2)

References

Any reference contained in the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Commission Act of 1996 (54 U.S.C. 320101 note; Public Law 104–333) or the plan to the Commonwealth of Virginia shall be considered to be a reference to the States of Virginia and West Virginia.

(3)

Applicability of other law

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the District shall not be subject to the administrative provisions or funding allocation formulas applicable to components of the National Heritage Area System under section 6001 of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (54 U.S.C. 320101 note; Public Law 116–9).

(4)

Eligibility for funding

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter, the District and the management entity shall continue—

(A)

to receive funding for purposes of management and administration of the District in an amount equal to not less than the amount provided for those purposes in fiscal year 2026; and

(B)

to be eligible for any technical assistance or grants otherwise available to National Heritage Areas.

(d)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated—

(1)

for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter, $1,250,000 to the management entity, of which—

(A)

not more than $625,000 for each fiscal year shall be used for operations of the management entity; and

(B)

not more than $625,000 for each fiscal year shall be used for the operation and maintenance of the battlefield parks, visitor facilities, and preserved historic properties in the District; and

(2)

for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2033, $2,500,000 for—

(A)

grants and technical assistance under subsection (g) of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Commission Act of 1996 (54 U.S.C. 320101 note; Public Law 104–333); and

(B)

the acquisition from willing sellers of land and interests in land for the District.

(e)

Report

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to Congress a report that includes recommendations of the Secretary for methods to replicate the partnership model used in the District at other locations in the National Park System.