[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 115 (Tuesday, August 16, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 CONCURRING IN SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 2947, COMMEMORATIVE WORKS ACT 
                               AMENDMENTS

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the 
Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 2947) to amend the Commemorative 
Works Act, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                           senate amendments:

       Page 6, line 1, after ``Administrator'' insert ``(as 
     appropriate)''.
       Page 6, line 3, after ``the'' insert ``Secretary or 
     Administrator determines the fundraising efforts with respect 
     to the commemorative work have misrepresented an affiliation 
     with the commemorative work or the United States''.
       Page 6, strike out lines 4 to 13.
       Page 6, lines 15 and 16, strike out ``operations prepared'' 
     and insert ``operations, including financial statements 
     audited''.
       Page 6, line 18, strike out ``work.'' and insert ``work.''.
       Page 6, strike out lines 19 to 25.
       Page 7, line 6, strike out ``(1) Section'' and insert 
     ``Section''.
       Page 7, strike out lines 12 to 16.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota [Mr. Vento] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Allard] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes of the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento].


                             general leave

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 2947, and the Senate amendments thereto.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2947 as amended is legislation to extend for 3 
years the authorization for the Black Revolutionary War Patriots 
Memorial, the National Peace Garden Memorial, and the Women in Military 
Service Memorial. It also makes several technical and conforming 
amendments to the Commemorative Works Act. The bill originally passed 
the House on November 23, 1993. It passed the Senate with several 
amendment on April 12, 1994. The action before the House today is to 
concur in the Senate amendments and send the bill to the President.
  As originally introduced by Congresswoman Nancy Johnson, H.R. 2947 
would have extended the authorization for the Black Revolutionary War 
Patriots Memorial, a memorial to those African-Americans who fought 
with the American Colonists for independence from Great Britain. As 
amended by the Committee on Natural Resources, the bill extends the 
authorization for two other commemorative works to be constructed here 
in the Nation's Capital. The Black Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial, 
the Women in Military Service to America Memorial, and the National 
Peace Garden have all been authorized under the Commemorative Works 
Act. (All three obtained the initial site and design approvals as 
required by the law.) But for various reasons, particularly because of 
the difficulty of fundraising, each of them has requested an extension 
for the completion of their commemorative works. This legislation 
extends their authorizations to 10 years--an additional 3 years for 
each. I support this extension with the understanding that there will 
be no further extensions.
  H.R. 2947 also makes various changes to the Commemorative Works Act. 
Congress enacted the Commemorative Works Act in 1986 out of concern 
that numerous memorials were being proposed for the scarce public lands 
in the Nation's Capital and that a process for establishing those of 
the highest merit should be developed. The changes in H.R. 2947 were 
requested by the National Capital Memorial Commission and by those 
responsible for administering the act. The most significant changes are 
provisions to require an annual report including an audited financial 
statement and authorization for the Secretary of the Interior to 
suspend a memorial organization's activities if misleading fundraising 
tactics are used. These provisions were including to increase 
accountability and to ensure that the public's trust is not abused.
  The Senate deleted a provision in the House-passed bill authorizing 
the Secretary to suspend a memorial organization's activity if there 
are excessive administrative and fundraising expenses. It is the 
committee's intent that the National Park Service develop guidelines 
which provide direction to memorial organizations on the subject of 
unreasonable or excessive administrative costs and fundraising fees. 
The committee believes that guidelines from the National Park Service 
would also be helpful to avoiding problems in the future. The committee 
expects the National Park Service to monitor the fundraising activities 
of the memorial organizations more closely and it intends that all of 
the provisions of H.R. 2947 apply to all commemorative works authorized 
under the Commemorative Works Act.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2947 as amended is a meritorious bill which will 
allow three important memorial efforts in our Nation's Capital to 
continue. It will also make needed changes to the general process used 
for evaluating and approving commemorative works. This bill has 
bipartisan support and is supported by the administration. I urge its 
passage today.

                              {time}  1240

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2947, the extension of the 
Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation. This legislation has been 
fully explained by Chairman Vento and I support the changes made in the 
other body. This side of the aisle urges the Foundation to complete 
their work within the time period we are granting in order to avoid 
such an extension 2 years from now.
  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to endorse 
H.R. 2947, my bill to extend the life of the Black Patriots Foundation 
so that it may gather the resources necessary to establish a memorial 
to black Revolutionary War patriots.
  Mr. Speaker, several years ago, a constituent of mine, Maurice 
Barboza, brought me the forgotten story of the thousands of black 
Revolutionary War patriots who fought and died for the birth of this 
Nation. Shoulder to shoulder with white patriots, these 5,000 18th 
century heroes sacrificed mightily so that we can stand here today, a 
free people and a beacon of hope in today's world.
  Though the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation has worked 
hard to accomplish its important goal, fundraising is never easy. 
Through the public notice of this legislation and in a period of 
greater ecomonoic growth, I hope more people will take part in the 
journey to full recognition of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots 
Foundation by contributing to the cause.
  Again, I appreciate the understanding and support of Chairman Vento 
and Ranking Member Hansen and look forward to a successful drive, and 
construction of a fitting memorial to the black Revolutionary War 
patriots.
  As generations of children visit our Nation's capitol and walk the 
mall, they should have a concrete reminder that America was born as a 
result of blacks and whites fighting together for freedom and justice 
for all. We are one Nation because people of all races and ethnic 
origins have been willing to fight for and then build a new nation of 
free and equal citizens. If we fail to understand our past, we cannot 
assume a future worthy of our visionary ancestors. Mr. Speaker, this 
monument is about cherishing, affirming, and comprehending our past 
each day we build our future.
  Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2947, a bill to 
extend the authorization for the construction of the Black 
Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial. I would like to thank the chairman 
of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, Mr. 
Vento, for his support of this legislation and the work he and his 
staff have done to make the extension possible.
  It is a little known fact that in the Revolutionary War, 
approximately 5,000 African-American soldiers fought for the United 
States. It is a shame that these brave men have not yet received proper 
recognition, but now we have an opportunity to change that by allowing 
the completion of the black patriots memorial.
  In addition, H.R. 2947 also provides for an extension in 
authorization for the Women In Military Service for America Memorial. 
This structure, which will be located at the gates of Arlington 
Cemetery, will serve as a monument to the approximately 1.8 million 
American women who have served their country in peacetime and in war, 
from the American Revolution to the Persian Gulf conflict. By extending 
the memorial's authorization, we allow the Women In Military Service 
for America Memorial Foundation to raise the rest of the funds needed 
to begin construction of this important monument. It is vital that this 
project be completed, because a comprehensive account of the 
contributions of servicewomen throughout our Nation's history has never 
been assembled. This is an oversight which must be corrected. We have 
had a long tradition of distinguished service by women and it is time 
they received due recognition. Once again, I stand in strong support of 
H.R. 2947, and I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill.
  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Traficant). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento] that the 
House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 
2947.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule 
I, and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this 
motion will be postponed.

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