Date: 2016-07-13
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentlewoman from Maine. the ranking member. and the chairman of the subcommittee for their kindness and their support of the Jackson Lee amendments. Let me indicate that in the sum total of my amendments. amendments Nos. 124. 125. and 126. my amendments promote support for national historic areas in our Nation. promote partnership strategies in preserving our urban life refuges. and promote outreach programs by the Smithsonian Institution on the fantastic historical and artistic knowledge of our Smithsonian houses. which facilitate an appreciation for America all over the world. In particular. my amendment No. 124 is an amendment that expresses support for the national historic areas and for the continuation of a national policy of preserving for public use historic sites. buildings. and other objects of national significance. My amendment No. 125 is an amendment that would prohibit the use of funds to eliminate the urban wildlife refuge partnership. Additionally. there is an amendment that would prohibit the use of funds to limit outreach administered by the Smithsonian. The idea behind these three amendments is to. again. recognize the great history of this Nation. even as young as this country is. In particular. in my congressional district. we have Freedmens Town that had Camp Logan. It was a place of freed African American slaves. which grew into an amazing community. In addition. the Allen Brothers. who founded Houston. are buried in that same neighborhood. In addition to that. we have something called the Juneteenth Trail. That is the trail the slaves traveled from Galveston up to Houston. The trail has an enormous amount of history. and that is part of the history of celebrating Juneteenth. To preserve that history is very important. In the second amendment. I want to make sure that we maintain a program that helps and introduces urban youth to the wonders of wildlife and historic preservation. Finally. I think it is important that we recognize the historic importance of the Smithsonian and continue to emphasize its outreach capacity to ensure that it reaches Americans of all levels to speak about the story of this great Nation. My amendments. again. ask these simple questions: Is our history worthy of knowing. studying. and preserving? It is. Is it important to work with our State and local governments to help them preserve their history? My amendments answer that question by supporting policies that will work with State and local governments that will reach out to urban youth so they can understand the wildlife preservation through the urban wildlife refuge programs. and then. of course. the Smithsonian that provides an eye to the history of this Nation. I ask my colleagues to support Jackson Lee amendment Nos. 124. 125. and 126 in the en bloc amendment. Mr. Chair. I thank Chairman SESSIONS and Ranking Member SLAUGHTER for making in order Jackson Lee Amendments Number 124. along with my other Amendments Number 125 and Number 126 to H.R. 5538-"Department of the Interior and the Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2017." I also commend Chairman CALVERT and Ranking Member McCOLLUM for their leadership in shepherding this measure to the Rules Committee. Mr. Chair. in sum. my Amendment promotes support for National Historic Areas in our nation. Indeed. among other agencies. this measure funds the U.S. Forest Service. the National Park System. and the Smithsonian Institution. which operates our national museums including the National Zoo. Most Americans do not know that this measure also funds a very special agency. the National Trust for Historic Preservation. and its adjunct. the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Mr. Chair. the Jackson Lee Amendments are simple because they send a very important message from the Congress of the United States: that we value tradition. that we think about the impact of history and tradition on future generations to come and that if we recognize and know our history. we are able to work together as an American family in the spirit of respect. unity and growth. Specifically. Jackson Lee Amendment Number 124 encourages us to preserve history. whereby the National Historic Preservation Fund and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation are charged to redouble their efforts to assist state and local governments and community groups in identifying and working to preserve nationally significant sites. structures. and artifacts. for example those relating to communities founded by newly emancipated slaves. such as Freedmens Town in home District of Houston. Texas. Indeed. just west of downtown Houston lies the Fourth Ward. It is the citys oldest African American community. but before it was the Fourth Ward. this community was known by its original name. Freedmens Town. given by freed slaves who settled it shortly after receiving the news of their emancipation on Juneteenth. Freedmens Town prospered during the turn of the century. Economic. community. and social development were at a peak until local government became threatened by the prosperity of this area and its residents. In the 1920s. Freedmens Town was the "Harlem of the Southwest." The area was filled with many restaurants. jazz spots. and night clubs. As the years passed and with the coming of integration. many of Freedmens Town residents began to move towards Texas Southern University. in the Third Ward. and other areas of the city. Freedmens Town has a rich and colorful past and is still home to many significant historical landmarks and features. It was famous for its hand laid brick streets. constructed by Houstons Rev. Jeremiah Smith and his congregation over half a century ago. Houstons first cemetery. Founders Cemetery at Valentine and West Dallas. contains the graves of military men who fought in the Civil War. as well as the historical remains of John and Augustus Allen. the founders of Houston. Behind Founders Cemetery lies Congregation Beth Israel. the oldest Jewish cemetery in Houston. which is beautifully maintained to this day. Among other historical churches in the area. Antioch Missionary Baptist Church built in 1866 continues to be a major focal point of Freedmens Town. though it has been relocated from its original site on "Baptist Hill" where the Music Hall and Coliseum now stand. Rev. John Jack Yates. the first Black pastor of Antioch. was a dynamic and influential leader known for his deep commitment to the education of Black youngsters. He often used his personal finances to send Freedmens Town children to school. Today. Jack Yates High School in the Third Ward stands in his honor. Although Freedmens Town is a nationally registered historical site. and the largest intact freed slave settlement left in the entire nation. its official designation protects only 40 of the 80 blocks or more of the remaining Freedmens Town area. To preserve what remains of Freedmens Town will require the combined efforts of community groups working with local. state. and federal government to reach a consensus of projects worthy of preservation. One such project for Freedmens Town is the "Bricks Street Project." which is intended to preserve the original brick pavers of Freedmens Town along Andrews Street and Wilson Street. These streets were found to contain brick pavers patterns which may be unique to the Freedmens Town area. and are consistent with brick patterns seen on architectural features located in the Historic District. Mr. Chair. hearts break when irreplaceable structures are destroyed or damaged beyond repair. instead of preserved and protected as they deserve. A plaque pointing out "on this site a great building once stood" simply cannot tell the story in whole or in full. Equally tragic is the loss of traditions: a way of living or crafting wood or farming. of celebrating holidays or worshiping or feasting on "Juneteenth" cuisine. The preservation of artifacts as well as traditions is important to telling the story of the people who settled a community. Thus. I urge support for Jackson Lee Amendment Number 124. Mr. Chair. I would also like to thank Chairman SESSIONS and Ranking Member SLAUGHER fror making in order Jackson Lee Amendment Number 125 to H.R. 5538-"Department of the Interior and the Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2017." I also comment Chairman CALVERT and Ranking Member McCOLLUM for their leadership in shepherding this measure to the Rules Committee. Mr. Chair. in sum. my Amendment promotes partnership strategies in preserving our urban wildlife refuges. Jackson Lee Amendment Number 125 prohibits the utilization of funds to eliminate Urban Wildlife and Refugee Partnerships. According to some estimates. 80 percent of the U.S. population currently resides in urban communities. and the challenge before us is ensuring our natural resources are conserved and valued by the American people and that our youth are beneficiaries of Urban Wildlife and Refugee partnerships. Thus. Jackson Lee Amendment Number 125 works to facilitate the nurturing and education of Americans. especially our youth on the imperative of exposure to urban wildlife and refugee facilities across our nation. Picture this: nature meets skyline near Houstons Buffalo Bayou. one of many sites where Texas works with Houston Wilderness to create shared conservation messages and strategies. Indeed. I commend the work of the Houston Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership. in Texas. Additionally. the Texas MidCoast Refuge Complex will work with Houston Wilderness. an alliance of business. environmental and government interests. to create a coordinated conservation presence in the metro area. Moreover. young people deserve exposure to the educational opportunities and excitement these urban wildlife and refugee parks have to offer. where their minds are developed and enriched. indeed. where they get to interact with and see wildlife they have read about in their school books. Urban wildlife and refugee parks spark creativity in a healthy dose for the imagination of our young people so that they have an appreciation of nature and all the beautiful inhabitants it offers us. From Houston. to Rhode Island to Baltimore. to Chicago and everywhere in between. young people have the opportunity to spearhead replanting projects along various rivers. learn about birding and be partners and stakeholders in their communities parks and zoos while also sharpening their minds. For all these reasons. I urge support for Jackson Lee Amendment Number 125. Mr. Chair. I would also like to thank Chairman SESSIONS and Ranking Member SLAUGHTER for making in order Jackson Lee Amendment Number 126 to H.R. 5538-"Department of the Interior and the Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2017." I also commend Chairman CALVERT and Ranking Member McCOLLUM for their leadership in shepherding this measure to the Rules Committee. Mr. Chair. in sum. my Amendment promotes outreach programs by the Smithsonian Institution on the fantastic historical and artistic knowledge our Smithsonian houses and facilitates an appreciation for America and the world over. Specifically. Jackson Lee Amendment Number 126 prohibits funds to be utilized to limit outreach programs administered by the Smithsonian Institution. As I mentioned earlier. the Smithsonian Institution operates as our national museum and attracts not only Americans and American youth but also dignitaries from across the globe. from Africa to Asia to Europe and everywhere inbetween. Indeed. our historical Smithsonian Institution has attracted intellectuals. kings. dignitaries and youth from across the country and others who have come from afar to witness in person the diversity of the art housed in our Smithsonian Institution. the worlds largest museum and research complex which includes 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoological Park. No doubt. these Museums have enriched our lives: the African American History and Culture Museum. African Art Museum. the Air and Space Museum. the Air and Space Museum UdvarHazy Center. American Art Museum. the American History Museum. the American Indian Museum. Anacostia Community Museum. the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Freer Gallery of Art. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. the National Zoo. the Natural History Museum. the Portrait Gallery. Postal Museum and the Renwick Gallery. By promoting and protecting the buildings. landscape. special places and qualities that enrich and captivate the exceptional American imagination. attracting visitors from across the globe. we preserve our history for future generations to come and educate the general public about American history. For all these reasons. I urge support for Jackson Lee Amendment Number 126.