IIB 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1500 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 29, 2017 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

To redesignate the small triangular property located in 

Washington, DC, and designated by the National Park 

Service as reservation 302 as ‘‘Robert Emmet Park’’, 

and for other purposes. 

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


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HR 1500 RFS 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Robert Emmet Park 

3 Act of 2017’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds as follows: 

6 (1) Robert Emmet was one of Ireland’s most 

7 prominent historical figures, having led an effort to 

8 secure Irish independence in 1803. 

9 (2) Although Emmet’s efforts initially failed, 

10 they succeeded in inspiring new generations of Irish 

11 men and women to struggle for independence. 

12 (3) For his efforts to gain Irish independence, 

13 Emmet was found guilty of treason and sentenced to 

14 death by hanging. 

15 (4) Robert Emmet’s ‘‘Speech from the Dock’’ 

16 motivated many of the efforts that led to an inde17 pendent Ireland following 1916’s Easter Rising; 

18 (Emmet famously said that ‘‘To [Ireland] I sac19 rificed every selfish, every lasting sentiment * * * I 

20 wished to place her independence beyond the reach 

21 of any power of earth * * * to procure for my coun22 try the guarantee which Washington procured for 

23 America * * * to exalt her to that proud station in 

24 the world.’’). Emmet was strongly influenced by 

25 American democracy and the American Revolution. 


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HR 1500 RFS 

1 (5) Emmet had family members similarly ad2 miring of the United States and dedicated to the 

3 cause of Irish independence, including his brother 

4 Thomas Addis Emmet who went on to become a 

5 prominent Attorney General of New York. 

6 (6) Emmet has been revered by generations of 

7 Irish-Americans for his leadership, courage, and sac8 rifice. 

9 (7) Fifty years ago on April 22, 1966, the Rob10 ert Emmet Statue was dedicated on a small parcel 

11 of National Park Service land (reservation 302) at 

12 the corner of 24th Street NW and Massachusetts 

13 Avenue NW in Washington, DC. 

14 (8) Robert Emmet’s statue is the central fea15 ture of reservation 302. 

16 (9) Many leading Members of Congress, includ17 ing Speaker of the House John W. McCormack and 

18 Senators Everett Dirksen and Mike Mansfield served 

19 on the Robert Emmet Statue Dedication Committee. 

20 (10) Other members of that committee and par21 ticipants in the dedication ceremony included Sec22 retary of the Interior Stewart Udall, Representative 

23 Michael Kirwan, Ambassador of Ireland William P. 

24 Fay, and Rector of St. Matthews Cathedral John K. 

25 Cartwright. 


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HR 1500 RFS 

1 SEC. 3. REDESIGNATION OF ROBERT EMMET PARK. 

2 (a) REDESIGNATION.—The small triangular property 

3 designated by the National Park Service as reservation 

4 302, shall be known as ‘‘Robert Emmet Park’’. 

5 (b) REFERENCE.—Any reference in any law, regula6 tion, document, record, map, paper, or other record of the 

7 United States to the property referred to in subsection (a) 

8 is deemed to be a reference to ‘‘Robert Emmet Park’’. 

9 (c) SIGNAGE.—The Secretary of the Interior may 

10 post signs on or near Robert Emmet Park that include 

11 one or more of the following: 

12 (1) Information on Robert Emmet, his con13 tribution to Irish Independence, and his respect for 

14 the United States and the American Revolution. 

15 (2) Information on the history of the statue of 

16 Robert Emmet located in Robert Emmet Park. 

Passed the House of Representatives June 28, 2017. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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