[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 140 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           TO APPROVE THE LOCATION OF A THOMAS PAINE MEMORIAL

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Joint Resolution 227, 
introduced earlier today by Senators Ford and Stevens, to approve the 
placement of a monument in area II of the District of Columbia, to 
honor Thomas Paine; that the resolution be deemed read a third time and 
passed; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that 
any statements relating to passage of this item be printed at the 
appropriate place in the Congressional Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 227) was passed.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The joint resolution (S.J. Res. 227), with its preamble, reads as 
follows:

       Whereas section 6(a) of the Act entitled ``An Act to 
     provide standards for placement of commemorative works on 
     certain Federal lands in the District of Columbia and its 
     environs, and for other purposes,'' approved November 14, 
     1986 (Public Law 99-652; 100 Stat. 3650) provides that the 
     location of a commemorative work in the area described as 
     Area I shall be deemed disapproved unless the location is 
     approved by law not later than 150 days after notification of 
     Congress that the commemorative work may be located in Area 
     I; and
       Whereas Public Law 102-407 as amended by P.L. 102-459 
     authorized the Thomas Paine National Historical Association 
     U.S.A. Memorial Foundation to establish a memorial on Federal 
     land in the District of Columbia to Thomas Paine; and
       Whereas the Secretary of the Interior has notified the 
     Congress of his determination that the memorial may be 
     located in Area I: Now therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     location of a Thomas Paine Memorial authorized by Ruble Law 
     102-407 as amended by P.L. 102-459 and within Area I as 
     described in Public Law 99-652, is approved.

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, this joint resolution will approve the 
placement of a memorial to Thomas Paine in the District of Columbia. I 
am pleased to be joined in this effort by the distinguished Senator 
from Alaska and ranking member of the Committee on Rules and 
Administration, Senator Stevens.
  Two years ago the Senate adopted H.R. 1628. This bill authorized the 
construction of a memorial in the District of Columbia to honor Thomas 
Paine. The concept of a Thomas Paine memorial began with our former 
colleague, Senator Symms. At the time he first introduced legislation 
pertaining to the Paine memorial, it had the support of 77 cosponsors 
in the Senate.
  This law, Public Law 102-407, authorized the Thomas Paine National 
Historical Association U.S.A., Memorial Foundation to establish the 
memorial to Thomas Paine. The proponents of this memorial wish to 
obtain a site in area I of the District of Columbia. Area I roughly 
comprises the areas of the District of Columbia and the environs within 
The National Mall, the monumental core, and along the banks of the 
Potomac River in the monumental core of the city.
  The Secretary of the Interior must approve the location of a 
commemorative work in area I, in consultation with the National Capital 
Memorial Commission. On April 12, 1994, that Commission recommended the 
placement of the Thomas Paine Memorial in area I. And in a letter dated 
September 28, 1994, the Secretary of the Interior concurred with that 
recommendation.
  Under the law, the Congress must now approve the Secretary's 
recommendations within 150 days, by a separate legislative authority. 
Accordingly, this joint resolution will approve the placement of the 
Thomas Paine Memorial in area I or II of the District of Columbia.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I ask unanimous 
consent that there be printed in the Record a letter from the Secretary 
of the Interior, notifying the Senate of his support for the placement 
of the memorial.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                The Secretary of the Interior,

                                   Washington, September 28, 1994.
     Hon. Albert Gore,
     President of the Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: There is enclosed a draft joint 
     resolution, ``Approving the location of a Thomas Paine 
     Memorial.'' We recommend that the joint resolution be 
     introduced, referred to the appropriate committee for 
     consideration, and enacted.
       The draft joint resolution would grant authority to 
     consider location of the Thomas Paine Memorial in Area I. 
     Upon receiving legislative authority to erect a memorial, 
     proponents begin the process of site selection. However, in 
     cases where proponents wish to obtain a site in Area I as 
     defined by Public Law 99-652 (100 Stat. 3650), a separate 
     legislative authority to place the memorial within Area I is 
     necessary. Roughly, Area I comprises areas of the District of 
     Columbia and environs within the National Mall, the 
     Monumental Core, and along the banks of the Potomac River in 
     the Monumental Core area of the city.
       Public Law 102-407 (October 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 1991) 
     authorized the Thomas Paine National Historical Association 
     U.S.A. Memorial Foundation to establish a memorial to honor 
     the United States patriot, Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine was a 
     Revolutionary War Era political philosopher who, through his 
     widely-reproduced essays such as ``Common Sense'' and the 
     ``Crises'' papers, kept the cause of independence alive and 
     actively supported by the colonial citizenry.
       The Thomas Paine National Historical Association U.S.A. 
     Memorial Foundation has made this request so that all sites 
     within Area I and Area II as defined by the Act may be 
     available for consideration as the site for the Thomas Paine 
     Memorial. Section 6(a) of the Act provides that the Secretary 
     of the Interior (the Secretary) may approve the location of a 
     commemorative work in Area I only if he finds that the 
     subject of the work is of preeminent historical and lasting 
     significance to the Nation. That section further provides 
     that the Secretary, after consultation with the National 
     Capital Memorial Commission, shall notify the Congress of his 
     determination that a commemorative work may be located in 
     Area I. Further, the Act provides that an Area I location 
     shall be deemed disapproved unless within 150 days of the 
     notification it is approved by law by the Congress.
       On April 12, 1994, the National Capital Memorial Commission 
     recommended that the Thomas Paine Memorial is eligible for 
     location within Area I. I agree with this determination, and 
     find the subject to be of preeminent historical and lasting 
     significance to the Nation. I recommend that the Thomas Paine 
     Memorial may be located within Area I.
       In accordance with section 6(a) of the Act approved 
     November 14, 1986 (100 Stat. 3650), notice is hereby given 
     that I recommend the potential location of this authorized 
     memorial in Area I, that through my designee, I have 
     consulted with the National Capital Memorial Commission, and 
     that I have determined that the Thomas Paine Memorial may be 
     located in Area I. Under section 6(a) of the Act, the 
     recommendation for Area I location shall be deemed 
     disapproved unless, if not less than 150 days after this 
     notification, this recommendation is approved by law. 
     Therefore, we urge prompt action on this joint resolution.
       The Office of Management and Budget had advised that there 
     is no objection to the submission of this letter from the 
     standpoint of the Administration's program.
           Sincerely,
     Bruce Babbitt.

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