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Public Law 87-186.

On January 24, 1966, the Advisory Board recommended to the Board of Regents that the Smithsonian seek legislative authority to establish a National Armed Forces Museum Park and to acquire necessary lands in the Fort Foote-Smoot Bay area by transfer from the National Park Service and by purchase. The Advisory Board recommended further that the Smithsonian negotiate with the National Park Service a joint-use agreement permitting development of certain historic features at Fort Washington.

The Board of Regents approved these recommendations and, further, voted that there be reported to the Congress its approval of the Fort Foote-Smoot Bay site plan, leaving to the discretion of its Executive Committee the determination of a suitable time for making such a report. 

The Fort Foote-Smoot Bay site having been approved, the Smithsonian moved during 1966 and 1967 toward seeking legislative authority for the purchase of the privately-owned lands which made up the preponderance of the site. In September 1966 the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents decided that early action to acquire these lands was called for in view of a growing threat of commercial and residential development. 

In December 1966 the Smithsonian received from the Prince George's County Planning Board and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission their approval of the proposed site for museum park use. In January 1967 the National Capital Planning Commission followed suit. That same month the Board of Regents, in accordance with new recommendations by the Advisory Board, voted submission of proposed legislation to the Congress authorizing acquisition of the private lands within the site. 

Accordingly, in May 1967, the Smithsonian referred to the Bureau of the Budget a legislative proposal designed to authorize acquisition of the privately-owned lands within the Fort Foote-Smoot Bay site. No action was taken by the Bureau of the Budget. On October 6, 1967, Senator Clinton P. Anderson (for himself and Senator J. William Fulbright) introduced Senate Bill S.2510, to authorize acquisition by the Smithsonian of