Date: 2015-07-07
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise with my appreciation to the managers of this bill and their staffs. but I also want to thank them for the very civil discussion that occurred earlier by two of my colleagues who offered amendments regarding the exhibition of Civil War artifacts. or the rebel flag. and I thank them for their courtesy in those amendments of those individuals. I also make a statement on the floor that I look forward to the opportunity given to us by the leadership of this House to have a full discussion on various entities that did not unify but divide. and I think a civil debate on this is warranted in this House as we watched the very moving and very honest debate that took place in South Carolina. My amendment. however. is one that. I hope. is embracing and is a show of unity about what America stands for. and that is the National Heritage AreaCorridor designation. I just want to show this map. and I am certainly quite pleased that a number of these National Heritage Areas do exist. There are 49 of themnone in the State of Texas. none but possibly one in Minnesota. maybe one between Arizona and California. but very few in the West. including in the State of Idaho. and I can name a number of other States. My amendment is to highlight the value of these national trails. This is particularly important because this tells the story of America. 16 U.S. Code 461 provides that: "It is declared that it is a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites. buildings. and objects of national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States." Again. I want to emphasize thatthe inspiration. Texas has. starting in Galveston. history referring to the Emancipation Proclamation. We commemorate something called Juneteenth. and out of Juneteenth was the time when Captain Granger came to the shores of Galveston. in Texas. and announced that the slaves had been freed. However. there are a number of other historic sites following the trail from Galveston through Houston to include Emancipation Park. MacGregor Park. and then sites going up through Austin. We really understand that this idea of historic trails can create an economic impact. For example. in 2012. a nationally respected consulting firm completed a comprehensive economic impact of six national historic sites in the northeast region that also included an extrapolation of the economic benefit of all 49 NHAs. It was $12.9 billion. The study quantified the economic impact of the individual NHAs and based it upon a case study approach and found that the economic impact of three National Historic Areas in Arizona. Massachusetts. and Pennsylvania showed: in Massachusetts. $153.8 million in economic impact. 1.832 jobs. and generates $14.3 million in tax revenue. in Pennsylvania. $21.2 million in economic impact. 314 jobs. and generates $1.5 million in tax revenue. in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area in Arizona. $22.7 million in economic impact. supports 277 jobs. and generates $1.3 million in tax revenue. This is. Mr. Chairman. an important and very vital part of Americas history. and as we approach the anniversary of this legislation that was created in 1966. I think it is important to reinforce the ability for these particular sites. We need to increase the ability for feasibility studies. we need the support of legislative action and designation. and we need to be able to introduce people to the importance of these sites. Let me make very quick mention of the emancipation part. In 1872. in Houston. four former slaves raised $800. That would be part of it. but I would just simply say that this is a very important part of Americas history. I ask my colleagues to support the creation of a national heritage site across America by supporting the Jackson Lee amendment so that we can expand the 49 sites to other States that do not have one single site. and Texas is one of them. Mr. Chair. Thank you for this opportunity to speak in support of the Jackson Lee amendment and to commend Chairman CALVERT and Ranking Member MCCOLLUM for their leadership in shepherding this bill to floor. Among other agencies. this legislation funds the U.S. Forest Service. the National Park System. and the Smithsonian Institution. Most Americans do not know that this bill also funds a very special program. the National Recreation and Preservation. Mr. Chair. the Jackson Lee Amendment is simple but it sends a very important message from the Congress of the United States. The Jackson Lee Amendment provides: SEC. . None of the funds made available by this Act for the "DEPARTMENT OF