S-3878 — A bill to establish the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and Jefferson College as affiliated areas of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

YourVoice.Now Summary

Civil LibertiesTransparency & Accountability

Two Natchez, Mississippi historic sites would join the National Park System — the state still runs and pays for them.

Civil Liberties

Property protection from federal purchase — Interior cannot buy either site

The bill puts both sites under general Park Service rules, then blocks the Interior Department from buying land at either one. Ownership stays where it is today.

Transparency & Accountability

Public access to site boundary maps — kept at Park Service offices

Once a site is added, the Park Service must draw its boundaries on a map. Anyone can go to a Park Service office and look at that map.

More about this bill

Most people would see no change in daily life. Two historic sites in Natchez, Mississippi would join the National Park System as affiliated areas. The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians would be added right away. Historic Jefferson College would follow only when the Interior Secretary finds it meets Park Service standards. The bill sets no deadline for that step. Affiliated areas are not full national parks. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History would keep running both sites. The Interior Department could offer expert help. It could also help pay for signs, upkeep, and displays that tell each site's history. The bill sets no dollar amount. Interior could not buy land at either site. It also could not take on the cost of running them. Mississippi would still pay those bills.

Congressional Summary

This bill establishes the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians in Natchez, Mississippi, as an affiliated area of the National Park System. The bill also establishes Historic Jefferson College in Natchez, Mississippi, as an affiliated area of the National Park System, subject to the Department of the Interior's determination that the site meets established criteria for affiliated areas.

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: Senate
Status: summarized
Action: Introduced in Senate
Action Date: 2026-02-12
Date Added: 2026-04-27
Source: Congress.gov →

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