H.R. 8276

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8276 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8276

To designate the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 14, 2026

Mr. Schmidt (for himself, Mr. Cleaver, and Ms. Davids of Kansas) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To designate the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark, and for 
other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Quindaro Townsite National Historic 
Landmark Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) the town of Quindaro was founded in 1857, in the 
Territory of Kansas, with the specific intent of aiding the 
Free-State movement in the struggle over whether to admit 
Kansas to the Union as a free State or a slave State;
(2) as a result of the circumstances described in paragraph 
(1), the town of Quindaro played an important role in the 
history of Kansas and the broader debate over slavery in the 
United States;
(3) the town of Quindaro was a key site during the 
conflict, known as the ``Bleeding Kansas'' conflict, serving as 
a safe port of entry into Kansas on the Missouri River for 
people opposed to slavery;
(4) the town of Quindaro also acted as an important piece 
of the Underground Railroad, allowing runaway slaves to escape 
to freedom in Kansas;
(5) since the first excavation of the Quindaro Townsite, 
the area has yielded a wealth of important artifacts that have 
contributed to the understanding of the town and the place of 
the town in history;
(6) the Quindaro Townsite maintains a high level of 
archaeological integrity, with the potential for additional 
discoveries at the townsite in the future;
(7) local government, private entities, and individual 
stakeholders in the area have invested time and resources to 
further the preservation of the physical remains of the town 
and the historical and cultural legacy of the town; and
(8) the Quindaro Townsite fits the requirements for 
National Historic Landmark designation of--
(A) possessing exceptional value in illustrating 
the history of the United States; and
(B) providing the potential to yield new 
information about the history of the United States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Landmark.--The term ``Landmark'' means the Quindaro 
Townsite National Historic Landmark designated by section 4(a).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of the Interior.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Kansas.

SEC. 4. QUINDARO TOWNSITE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.

(a) Designation.--The Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, as 
listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is designated as 
the ``Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark''.
(b) Cooperative Agreements.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
State, Kansas City, Kansas, and affected subdivisions of the 
State, may enter into cooperative agreements with appropriate 
public or private entities, for the purposes of--
(A) protecting historic resources at the Landmark; 
and
(B) providing educational and interpretive 
facilities and programs at the Landmark for the public.
(2) Technical and financial assistance.--The Secretary may 
provide technical and financial assistance to any entity with 
which the Secretary has entered into a cooperative agreement 
under paragraph (1).
(c) No Effect on Actions of Property Owners.--Designation of the 
Quindaro Townsite as a National Historic Landmark shall not prohibit 
any actions that may otherwise be taken by a property owner (including 
any owner of the Landmark) with respect to the property of the owner.
(d) No Effect on Administration.--Nothing in this section affects 
the administration of the Landmark by Kansas City, Kansas, or the 
State.
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