H. Rpt. 119-452 accompanies defense or military legislation titled "Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act". Defense bills address weapons systems, military personnel policy, base operations, strategic priorities, arms transfers, or the authorization of military force. The Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee's report explains the national security rationale, operational implications, and budget impact. Defense reports typically include classified and unclassified sections — the public report provides the public justification while classified annexes contain sensitive details about military capabilities and operations.
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House Report 119-452 - VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK BOUNDARY MODIFICATION ACT
[House Report 119-452]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-452
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VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK BOUNDARY MODIFICATION ACT
_______
January 14, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4467]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4467) to modify the boundary of the Vicksburg
National Military Park in the State of Mississippi, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill as
amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Vicksburg National Military Park
Boundary Modification Act''.
SEC. 2. VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK CONVEYANCE AND BOUNDARY
MODIFICATION.
(a) Conveyance.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to
in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall convey to the State of
Mississippi (referred to in this Act as the ``State''), by
quitclaim deed and without consideration, the Federal land
described in paragraph (2) to be used in accordance with
subsection (c).
(2) Description of federal land.--The Federal land referred
to in paragraph (1) is the following:
(A) The parcel of approximately 1.69 acres of Federal
land within the boundary of Vicksburg National Military
Park (referred to in this Act as the ``Park''), as
depicted on the map entitled ``Vicksburg National
Military Park Proposed Disposal of a Portion of NPS
Tract 01-103'', numbered 306/194,908, and dated
September 2024.
(B) The parcel of approximately 5.74 acres of Federal
land within the boundary of the Park, as depicted on
the map entitled ``Vicksburg National Military Park
Proposed Disposal of a Portion of NPS Tracts Near Union
Ave'', numbered 306/194,907, and dated September 2024.
(b) Boundary Modification.--On conveyance of the Federal land
described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall modify the boundary of
the Park to exclude the Federal land conveyed.
(c) Use of Lands.--The Federal land conveyed to the State under this
Act--
(1) shall be used to facilitate public access to the Park and
to enhance the visitor experience at the Park in a manner
consistent with the interpretative mission of the Park, as
determined by the Secretary;
(2) shall not be used in a manner that adversely impacts Park
resources or the Park visitor experience, as determined by the
Secretary; and
(3) shall be subject to any use restriction the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 4467 is to modify the boundary of the
Vicksburg National Military Park in the State of Mississippi,
and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Vicksburg National Military Park (Park) protects the site
of the pivotal Battle of Vicksburg, fought from March 29 to
July 4, 1863.\1\ The battle became a turning point in the Civil
War that gave the Union control of the Mississippi River.\2\
President Abraham Lincoln called Vicksburg ``the key'' to
victory, and the Park today serves to commemorate the
sacrifices and struggles that occurred on this hallowed
site.\3\ The Park contains over 1,325 monuments and markers, 20
miles of reconstructed trenches, the USS Cairo gunboat, the
Vicksburg National Cemetery, and other historic resources.\4\
In 2022, the Park attracted more than 400,000 visitors,
generating $36.5 million and 403 jobs in the local economy.\5\
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\1\``Vicksburg National Military Park,'' National Park Foundation,
https://www.national
parks.org/explore/parks/vicksburg-national-military-park.
\2\Id.
\3\``Vicksburg,'' American Battlefield Trust, https://
www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/vicksburg.
\4\``Vicksburg National Military Park,'' National Park Foundation,
https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks/vicksburg-national-
military-park.
\5\Stephanie Smith, ``Vicksburg National Military Park tourism
contributes $36.5 million to local economy,'' WJTV, August 21, 2023,
https://www.wjtv.com/news/local-news/vicksburg-
national-military-park-tourism-contributes-36-5-million-to-local-
economy/.
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Despite the Park's national significance, many of its
facilities, including the visitor center, are outdated and
limit opportunities for interpretation and public engagement.
To address this issue, the Mississippi Department of Archives
and History (MDAH) plans to construct and administer a new
interpretive center. In 2023, the Mississippi Legislature
appropriated $10 million to MDAH to begin planning for this $80
million facility.\6\ Additional funding through a public-
private partnership involving the National Park Service (NPS),
Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign,
Warren County, Mississippi, and the City of Vicksburg, will
complete the center.\7\
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\6\Brother Rogers, ``Vicksburg National Military Park to receive
upgrade,'' Magnolia Tribune, May 18, 2023, https://magnoliatribune.com/
2023/05/18/vicksburg-national-military-park-
upgrade/.
\7\Id.
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H.R. 4467 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
(Secretary) to convey approximately 7 acres of NPS land to the
State of Mississippi for the construction of a new, state-of-
the-art welcome and interpretive center. The bill also directs
the Secretary to modify the Park boundary to reflect this
transfer and specifies that the land must be used solely to
facilitate public access in a manner that does not adversely
affect Park resources or visitation conditions. By improving
visitor experiences and enhancing a site integral to American
history, the bill advances the goals of President Trump's
Executive Order (E.O.) 14189, ``Celebrating America's 250th
Birthday'' and E.O. 14314, ``Making America Beautiful Again by
Improving Our National Parks.''\8\
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\8\Id.
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COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 4467 was introduced on July 16, 2025, by
Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS). The bill was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to
the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On September 18, 2025, the
Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on the bill. On
November 20, 2025, the Committee on Natural Resources met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands was
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4467 by unanimous
consent. Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO) offered an amendment
designated Neguse #1. The amendment was agreed to by unanimous
consent. The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported
to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure:
hearing by the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held on September
18, 2025.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 names the bill the ``Vicksburg National Military
Park Boundary Modification Act.''
Section 2. Vicksburg National Military Park conveyance and boundary
modification
Section 2 directs the Secretary to convey, by quitclaim
deed and without consideration, to the State of Mississippi two
parcels within Vicksburg National Military Park: a 1.69-acre
parcel and a 5.74-acre parcel. This section also requires the
Secretary to modify the Park's boundary to reflect the
conveyance. Finally, Section 2 clarifies that the conveyed land
must be used to facilitate public access to the Park, may not
be used in a way that adversely affects Park resources or
visitor experiences, and shall remain subject to any
restrictions that the Secretary deems appropriate.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and pursuant to
clause 3(c)(3) of House rule XIII and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested
but not received from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office a budgetary analysis and a cost estimate of this bill.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to modify the boundary of the
Vicksburg National Military Park in the State of Mississippi,
and for other purposes.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
An estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee, if such
estimate is not publicly available on the Congressional Budget
Office website.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 9-
169) as relating to other programs.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources,
H.R. 4467 would make no changes in existing law.
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