Skip to Content

House Passes Connolly, Stefanik Bill to Improve American Battlefield Protection Program

Washington, November 6, 2023

Today, the House of Representatives passed the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, bipartisan legislation authored by Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), co-chairs of the Congressional Battlefield Caucus. The legislation makes improvements to the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), one of the most successful land preservation programs managed by the National Park Service.

“As co-chair of the American Battlefields Caucus, I was proud to join Rep. Stefanik to introduce this important legislation and I am thrilled to see it pass the House today,” said Connolly. “This bill builds on the hugely successful American Battlefield Protection Program and will allow us to better protect the history and legacy of battlefields in Virginia and across the country.”

“I am proud to see my legislation pass the House today with bipartisan support,” said Stefanik. “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. 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.”

The American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act would:

  1. Allow non-profits and tribes to apply for ABPP grants directly instead of through a state or local government sponsor.
  2. Allow ABPP’s restoration grants to be used on priority battlefields in addition to land that has been preserved using program funding.
  3. Clarify eligibility of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites for Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants.
  4. Create a process for expanding and updating battlefield boundaries.


Text of the legislation is available here.
Back to top