[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 144 (Thursday, October 6, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 6, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
EXCHANGE OF LANDS WITHIN GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE

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                               speech of

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 3, 1994

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to support 
legislation to reauthorize the Women's Rights National Park in Seneca 
Falls, NY.
  A crucial chapter in the history of the American women's movement 
began in Seneca Falls, with the first Women's Rights Convention in 
1848. More than 300 men and women gathered here to endorse a 
Declaration of Sentiments that espoused such radical principles as 
``all men and women are created equal.'' The declaration also called 
for the right of American women to vote, the right to equal education, 
wages and job opportunities. One hundred and forty-six years later, 
American women are still waiting to achieve many of these same 
equalities.
  Today, in Seneca Falls, the Women's Rights National Historic Park 
stands as a testament to the struggle of the fledgling women's rights 
movement and its early organizers. The park was originally established 
by act of Congress in 1980; today it has grown to include:
  The Wesleyan Methodists chapel, which opened to the public just last 
summer and was the site of the 1848 convention; the M'Clintock House, 
where the Declaration of Sentiments was written; and, the home of 
Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
  H.R. 359 was originally introduced to improve the management of the 
Park's resources, and to make possible the preservation of important 
historic structures. In 1991 the Parks Service recommended the 
acquisition of four crucial parcels, including a maintenance building 
and three small properties adjacent to existing park land.
  The legislation we are considering today would authorize the 
expansion of the park to include these properties. This expansion is 
necessary to protect the historic integrity of the park and provide a 
much-needed visitors center. The expansion of the Women's Rights 
Historical National Park has been a North Atlantic regional priority 
for the Parks Service for the past 3 years.
  In addition to the historical exhibits, the park also offers 
important educational services for visitors, especially school 
children, who visit the park from around the country. At the Park's 
Women's History and Resource Center, teachers learn how to integrate 
women's history into their curricula. The center also provides 
opportunities for students to study social change, and how human rights 
are achieved, established and maintained. There is also a meeting 
center and a reference library on women's rights and history.
  The story of this park is the story of a struggle for social change. 
The village of Seneca Falls has played an important role in the women's 
rights movement, as well as in the abolitionist movements of the pre-
Civil War era. And Seneca Falls has continued to be a magnet for 
progressive movements, even into modern times. This legislation will 
ensure that the park can continue to play an important role in American 
history.
  All of us who understand the value of the Women's Rights National 
Park want to see it continue to prosper. We must make sure the park 
remains as an important resource, reminding us of the ongoing struggle 
of American women for full civil rights and economic opportunity. I 
urge my colleagues to approve this authorizing legislation.

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