To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Lower Presidio Historic Park in Monterey, California.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8735 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8735 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Lower Presidio Historic Park in Monterey, California. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 12, 2026 Mr. Panetta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Lower Presidio Historic Park in Monterey, California. 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 ``American Sovereignty and Monterey Historic Military Site Study Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Lower Presidio Historic Park was a center of indigenous culture and a hub for trading throughout the Americas for thousands of years prior to European and American exploration. (2) The Esselen were the first peoples of the land, followed by the Rumsen, who collectively stewarded the land for over 12,000 years. (3) Middens from the indigenous Esselen and Rumsen peoples represent the earliest fisheries of abalone, collected and traded across the continent for food, decoration, clothing, and cultural identity. (4) The Lower Presidio Historic Park hill was a Tribal Village and present Monterey was the Tribal Area of Achasta. (5) The site served as burial grounds for the Esselen and Rumsen people who continue to celebrate and host cultural gatherings at the park today. (6) Lower Presidio Historic Park was originally explored in 1542 by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and the Monterey Bay was named as Bay of Pines and claimed for New Spain. (7) The site was explored by Sebastian Vizcain