H.R. 5335: Trail of Tears Documentation Act

110th Congress · introduced 2008-02-08 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2008-02-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Wamp, Zach [R-TN-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Trail of Tears Documentation Act

Plain summary

Trail of Tears Documentation Act - Amends the National Trails System Act to add as components of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, as generally described in the environmentally preferred alternative of the November 2007 Feasibility Study Amendment and Environmental Assessment for Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, the following routes and land components by which the Cherokee Nation was removed to Oklahoma: (1) the Benge and Bell routes; (2) the land components of the designated water routes in Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee; (3) the routes from the collection forts in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to the emigration depots; and (4) the related campgrounds located along such routes and land components. Removes a limitation on the authorization of additional appropriations to carry out the addition of such components. Prohibits acquisition of lands or interests in lands outside the exterior boundaries of any federally administered area by the federal government for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail except with the consent of the owner.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Trail of Tears Documentation Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Wamp, Zach [R-TN-3] · 21 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5335, Trail of Tears Documentation Act (2008-07-29); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5335, Trail of Tears Documentation Act (2008-07-29)

Cosponsors on this site

Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), John Boozman (R-AR), Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Tom Cole (R-OK)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110hr5335.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/hr>

Record fed-us-cong110-hr5335 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110