Congress·Reported·S. 1516

Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture Study Act

Cahokia Mounds: National Park Suitability Study

Feb 4·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

Next up: The Senate

The Senate must act next: a Senate floor vote.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Likely to pass

The bill has successfully moved out of committee with bipartisan support and is backed by high-ranking leadership from the state where the site is located.

How we got here

This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.

Reintroduced
Reintroduced from S. 4164 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
S. 4164 (118th) →

Key Points

This bill directs the Department of the Interior to conduct a formal study of the Cahokia Mounds, Emerald Mounds, and Pulcher Mounds in Illinois. The goal is to determine if these ancient sites meet the requirements to become a permanent part of the National Park System.
Cahokia was the largest city in North America north of Mexico around the year 1200 and was home to up to 20,000 people. While it is already a World Heritage Site, this study explores whether the federal government should take a larger role in protecting and managing the land.
The study will estimate how much it would cost for the federal government to buy, develop, and maintain the area. It also requires officials to consult with Native American tribes, local governments, and nonprofit groups to find the best way to preserve the mounds.
Once funding is provided, the Secretary of the Interior will have three years to complete the research and submit a final report to Congress with recommendations on whether to create a new National Park unit.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

Milestones

4 milestones5 actions

Jul 23, 2026Senate

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 478.

The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.

Jul 23, 2026Senate

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Feb 4, 2026Senate

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Apr 29, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S2668)

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Apr 29, 2025

Introduced in Senate

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture Study Act

Bill NumberS 1516

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionPlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 478.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Read Full Bill Text

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)

D: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.