IB 

Union Calendar No. 294 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3222 

[Report No. 113–395] 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 

study of sites associated with the 1657 signing of the Flushing Remonstrance in Queens, New York, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013 

Ms. MENG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

APRIL 1, 2014 

Additional sponsor: Mr. HOLT

APRIL 1, 2014 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on September 30, 2013] 


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A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 

special resource study of sites associated with the 1657 

signing of the Flushing Remonstrance in Queens, New 

York, and for other purposes. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Flushing Remonstrance 

5 Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Dutch involvement in North America started 

9 with Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage on the ship, Half 

10 Moon, employed by the Dutch East India Company. 

11 (2) After 1640, New Netherland gradually began 

12 to transform from a chain of trading posts into a set13 tlement colony. 

14 (3) As Dutch and English settlers moved closer 

15 to one another, they began to assimilate in what 

16 would later become Queens County. 

17 (4) The Dutch and English settlements had not 

18 been without conflict. Although the Dutch Republic 

19 was well known for its toleration of other faiths, Di20 rector General Peter Stuyvesant and his council 

21 thought that liberty of worship should not be granted 

22 to Quakers. 

23 (5) When Quakers began to arrive in Flushing, 

24 the colonial government issued an ordinance that forVerDate Mar 15 2010 21:59 Apr 01, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H3222.RH H3222

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1 mally banned the practice of all religions outside of 

2 the Dutch Reformed Church. 

3 (6) On December 27, 1657, 30 Flushing residents 

4 signed what was later called the Flushing Remon5 strance, objecting to this order. None of the 

6 remonstrance’s authors were Quakers. 

7 (7) Dutch colonial authorities proceeded to arrest 

8 the signers of the Flushing Remonstrance. In 1662, 

9 John Bowne defied the ban and allowed Quakers to 

10 hold services in his house. Bowne was fined and ban11 ished to the Dutch Republic for showing contempt for 

12 secular authority. 

13 (8) Bowne was later exonerated after appealing 

14 to the guarantees of religious liberty before the Dutch 

15 West India Company and returned to Flushing in 

16 1664. The colony later fell to British control on Sep17 tember 24, 1664. 

18 (9) The Flushing Remonstrance is now consid19 ered by many to be instrumental in the development 

20 of religious liberty in the United States and a pre21 cursor to the First Amendment to the United States 

22 Constitution. 

23 (10) In 1957, the United States Postal Service 

24 released a 3-cent postage stamp commemorating the 

25 300th Anniversary of the signing of the Flushing ReVerDate Mar 15 2010 21:59 Apr 01, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H3222.RH H3222

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1 monstrance which read, ‘‘Religious Freedom in Amer2 ica’’. 

3 (11) Queens remained rural and agricultural 

4 through the 18th and 19th Centuries. Although its 

5 Dutch identity diminished, the tolerance of diversity 

6 that has harbored Quakers and other religious sects in 

7 the Dutch Colonial period continues to this day. 

8 Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban area in 

9 the world, with a population of over 2,200,000 rep10 resenting over 100 different nations and speaking 

11 over 138 different languages. 

12 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

13 As used in this Act: 

14 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

15 the Secretary of the Interior. 

16 (2) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘study area’’ means 

17 the John Bowne House located at 3701 Bowne Street, 

18 Queens, New York, the Friends Meeting House located 

19 at 137–17 Northern Boulevard, Queens, New York, 

20 and other resources in the vicinity of Flushing related 

21 to the history of religious freedom during the era of 

22 the signing of the Flushing Remonstrance. 

23 SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

24 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a special re25 source study of the study area. 


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1 (b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub2 section (a), the Secretary shall— 

3 (1) evaluate the national significance of the 

4 study area’s resources based on their relationship to 

5 the history of religious freedom associated with the 

6 signing of the Flushing Remonstrance; 

7 (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 

8 designating resources within the study area as a unit 

9 of the National Park System; 

10 (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 

11 protection, and interpretation of the study area by 

12 Federal, State, or local governmental entities, or pri13 vate and nonprofit organizations; 

14 (4) identify properties related to the John Bowne 

15 House that could potentially meet criteria for des16 ignation as a National Historic Landmark; 

17 (5) consult with interested Federal, State, or 

18 local governmental entities, private and nonprofit or19 ganizations, or any other interested individuals; 

20 (6) evaluate the impact of the proposed action on 

21 the flow of commerce and commercial activity, job op22 portunities, and any adverse economic effects that 

23 could not be avoided if the proposal is implemented; 


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1 (7) identify cost estimates for any Federal acqui2 sition, development, interpretation, operation, and 

3 maintenance associated with the alternatives; 

4 (8) analyze the effect of the designation of the 

5 study area as a unit of the National Park System 

6 on— 

7 (A) existing recreational activities, and on 

8 the authorization, construction, operation, main9 tenance, or improvement of energy production 

10 and transmission infrastructure; and 

11 (B) the authority of State and local govern12 ments to manage those activities; and 

13 (9) identify any authorities, including con14 demnation, that will compel or permit the Secretary 

15 to influence or participate in local land use decisions 

16 (such as zoning) or place restrictions on non-Federal 

17 lands if the study area is designated a unit of the Na18 tional Park System. 

19 (c) NOTIFICATION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS.— 

20 Upon the commencement of the study, owners of private 

21 property in or adjacent to the study area shall be notified 

22 of the study’s commencement and scope. 

23 (d) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study required under sub24 section (a) shall be conducted in accordance with section 


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1 8(c)) of the National Park System General Authorities Act 

2 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(c)). 

3 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date on 

4 which funds are first made available for the study under 

5 subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 

6 on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and 

7 the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Sen8 ate a report containing the results of the study and any 

9 conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary. 


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Union Calendar No. 294 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3222 

[Report No. 113–395] 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conposes. strance in Queens, New York, and for other pur- with the 1657 signing of the Flushing Remon- duct a special resource study of sites associated 

APRIL 1, 2014 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS