[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 84 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H6042-H6044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    REGARDING THE CHICKAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK

  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 848) to increase the amount authorized to be appropriated for 
assistance for highway relocation regarding the Chickamauga and 
Chattanooga National Military Park in Georgia, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 848

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. INCREASE IN AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 1(c) of the Act entitled ``An Act to authorize and 
     direct the National Park Service to assist the State of 
     Georgia in relocating a highway affecting the Chickamauga and 
     Chattanooga National Military Park in Georgia'', approved 
     December 24, 1987 (101 Stat. 1442), is amended by striking 
     ``$30,000,000'' and inserting ``$51,000,000''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Pombo] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. 
Faleomavaega] will each be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Pombo].
  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. POMBO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 848, legislation to 
increase the authorization ceiling for construction of a by-pass road 
around Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park.
  In 1890, Congress designated the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National 
Military Park as the first national military park, in recognition of 
several important Civil War engagements which occurred there. Like many 
of the Civil War engagements, the site of this battle occurred along an 
important transportation corridor, in this case the route leading into 
Chattanooga, TN.
  Mr. Speaker, there is still a high degree of conflict along that 
transportation corridor, U.S. Highway 27, but today the conflict is 
between commuter traffic using this road, and those persons who have 
come to the park to understand and appreciate the important events 
which took place there 133 years ago. In fact, 90 percent of the 17,200 
vehicles using this road daily, including about 800 18-wheelers, are 
nonpark visitors. The heavy use of this road intrudes significantly on 
the historic scene, and makes it almost impossible for visitors of the 
park to use the road as part of the autotour route.
  Several years ago, there was a proposal to expand the highway through 
the park to four lanes. Such a proposal would only have resulted in a 
greater number of vehicles going through the park. In 1987, Congress 
passed a law authorizing a bypass around the park in order to protect 
the park, and improve safety for nonpark traffic.
  Unfortunately, due to the amount of rock encountered and fill 
required, the cost for this project has risen since the original 1987 
estimate. Even with the Federal/State matching requirements, the 
estimated cost of the Federal Government for this road has risen to 
about $52 million. However there is no question this funding 
authorization is needed to ensure the protection of this important 
park.

[[Page H6043]]

  I am pleased that Mr. Deal has sponsored this legislation and I am 
glad to be able to support him today. Quite a few Members of this body, 
and the other body, believe that the best thing they can do for the 
National Park Service, or for their district, is to create a new 
national park area. I am pleased that Mr. Deal has focused on taking 
care of an important historic park which Congress has already set 
aside; and as this one issue amply illustrates, there is much work to 
do in our existing park system. This Congress is focusing its attention 
on those areas rather than adding to the backlog of projects facing the 
Park Service, and the national deficit at the same time. I commend Mr. 
Deal for his work, and encourage all my colleagues to support this 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 848 would increase the amount 
authorized for the Federal share of the costs of relocating Highway 27 
around the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Park from $35 million to 
$51.9 million. A similar version of this bill was passed by the House 
during the 103d Congress. We have no objection to enactment of this 
legislation.
  The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was 
established in 1890 as the first national military park. It was created 
to commemorate and interpret the battle of Chickamauga in northern 
Georgia, which took place from September 19 through 22, 1863. ``Chick-
Chat'' was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The park is 
maintained as closely as possible to its historic condition with the 
terrain, vegetation and historic road system that existed in 1863 
largely intact.
  However, one of the crucial arteries over which the battle was waged, 
Lafayette Road, locally known as Highway 27, is now a major commuter 
and commercial route.
  The 3.7 miles of the highway located within the park present a 
significant impediment to visitor safety and enjoyment of the park, and 
its increasing use threatens the park's resources.
  Public Law 100-211 authorized $30 million in Federal funds to assist 
the State of Georgia in relocating this section of the highway around 
the park. The Federal contribution was limited to 75 percent of the 
total cost of relocation, with the funding contingent upon approval by 
the Secretary of the Interior of the design and location of the by-
pass.
  Total appropriated funds stood at $25.446 through fiscal year 1995. 
Of that, $1.9 was rescinded from the fiscal year 95 appropriation. 
According to the Federal Highway Administration, the total estimated 
costs now stand at $69.2 million. The revised Federal share would, 
therefore, be $51.9 million.
  H.R. 848, as reported by the Resources Committee, increases the 
authorized appropriation to $51.9 million. We note that the Clinton 
administration also supports enactment of the bill.

                              {time}  1415

  The Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 848, the bill of 
the gentleman from California, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Deal], the author of the bill.
  [Mr. DEAL of Georgia asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, both gentlemen have adequately 
addressed this issue as to its purposes. I would simply like to 
elaborate that this is one of the oldest military parks in our country. 
It is on a major route that has been there for years. Unfortunately, 
U.S. Highway 27 goes through the middle of Chickamauga-Chattanooga 
National Battlefield, and when the State was in the process of widening 
this very important transportation corridor, which it has designs to do 
all way from the Tennessee border on the top of the State of Georgia 
all the way to the Florida border on the south, it required that, in 
order to expand this route, to either do so in the middle of the 
national military park or to attempt to bypass it. The decision was 
made in 1987 to build a bypass around the outskirts of the national 
military park, and it is for that purpose that this authorization is 
here today.
  Mr. Speaker, the cost of the project has increased from its original 
estimate, and this bill is for the purpose of reaching the 
authorization level that is currently projected as the cost of the 
project. The State of Georgia has been more than willing to pay its 
portion, and had done so and will continue to do so.
  I thank both gentlemen for their support of this legislation, and I 
would urge this Congress to pass this bill so this important project, 
around one of the most important national military battlefields, can be 
completed expeditiously.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the Resources 
Committee for bringing this bill up for consideration.
  H.R. 848 is a bill to increase the authorization of appropriations 
for the National Park Service to assist the State of Georgia in 
relocating a highway affecting the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National 
Military Park. I introduced this same bill during the 103d Congress as 
H.R. 3516. It passed the House by unanimous consent; however, the other 
body did not bring up the bill for a vote.
  The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was 
established in 1890 to commemorate the Civil War military engagements 
which took place there and to allow opportunities for future study of 
these historic battles. The park was administered by the War Department 
until 1933 when jurisdiction was transferred to the National Park 
Service. In addition to its inspirational and commemorative values, the 
park is also used for military instruction, although this military 
activity was substantially curtailed following its transfer to the 
National Park Service. Today, the Army Command General Staff continues 
to bring field classes here to study the military strategies used 
during the battles.
  Specifically, this project reroutes a 3.7-mile section of U.S. 
Highway 27, which passes through the park by way of a 7-mile-long 
bypass around the western boundary. This rerouting is necessary to 
protect the natural and historic resources within the park from damages 
caused by heavy traffic.
  Highway 27 is a major north-south highway through the center of the 
Chickamauga National Military Park connecting Chattanooga, TN to 
Florida. It is a well traveled commuter route between northwest Georgia 
and Chattanooga. On average, 16,200 vehicles pass through the park each 
day by way of Highway 27.
  U.S. Highway 27 serves as a vital north-south link amoung the three 
States and its renewal is a top priority of the Georgia DOT. Highway 27 
presently is undergoing construction from end to end in order to 
upgrade the highway for substantial commercial usage. When complete, 
Highway 27 will be a four-lane highway through rural areas of Georgia 
and will include five-lane bypass sections around urban areas with 
limited access.
  This is an ongoing construction project. Land acquisition is mostly 
completed and construction contracts have already been awarded. This 
includes current construction on two bridge structures. A halt in 
funding would increase future planning and construction costs and 
affect the overall completion date of this project.
  The original authorization was for $30 million. This bill increases 
the authorization by $21.9 million. The 1987 cost estimate provided by 
the Georgia Department of Transportation was based on aerial mapping 
and broad planning values. The 1993 cost estimate provided by the 
Federal Highway Administration is based on detailed surveys, computer 
designs, and geotechnical data from on-site investigation. More cut and 
fill work is required than was initially expected and a large quantity 
of rock will need to be hauled from the site. Bridge structure designs 
had to be changed based on geotechnical data and problems with 
subsurface base materials.
  Let me now explain to you how this is another example of the Federal 
bureaucracy getting in the States way and costing more money. The 
Georgia Department of Transportation originally wanted to widen the 
portion of U.S. 27 which went through the park. The Georgia DOT 
maintained that this plan was the most viable and environmentally 
attainable choice and also provided the best transportation service. 
This plan was estimated to cost approximately $3.9 million. In 
addition, the Georgia DOT was willing to pay for this project with 
State funds.
  However, the National Park Service would not agree to the State's 
plan. Instead, the Park Service advocated an alternative which would 
require that a bypass be built around the park. In 1987, Public Law 
100-211 authorized this alternative at a cost of $30 million.

[[Page H6044]]

This law authorized the National Park Service to assist the Georgia 
Department of Transportation in building the bypass around the park. 
The agreement between the Park Service and the Georgia DOT set up 
matching funds of 75 percent Federal to 25 percent State.
  To date, a total of $28.046 million in Federal funds has been 
appropriated through fiscal year 1996. The State of Georgia has 
contributed around $7 million to meet their end of the agreement. Let 
me remind you that the original cost estimate for this project was $3 
million.
  I have news articles with me which show pictures of unfinished 
bridges. Other articles have been entitled ``Road To Nowhere.'' This is 
not the kind of thing which restores the public's faith and trust in 
their Government. In fact, it creates the very opposite opinion.
  The State of Georgia was more than willing to take on this project 
itself; however, the Federal Government would not allow this to occur. 
Therefore, the Federal Government has an obligation to Georgia to 
fulfill its part of the agreement.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I note also for the Record the gentleman from New Mexico 
fully supports this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Coble). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Pombo] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 848, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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