[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 55 (Wednesday, May 6, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S4440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BINGAMAN:
  S. 2039. A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to designate 
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as a National Historic Trail; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


        the el camino real de tierra adentro national trail act

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to 
amend the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de 
Tierra Adentro as a National Historic Trail. This legislation is 
important to New Mexico and contributes to the national dialogue on the 
history of this country and who we are as a people.
  In history classes across the country, children learn about the 
establishment of European settlements on the East Coast, and the east 
to west migration which occurred under the banner of Manifest Destiny. 
We in New Mexico, however, also know the story of the northward 
exploration and settlement of this country by the Spanish, a little 
known but important piece of America's history.
  My legislation recognizes a proud chapter in American history; the 
northward exploration and settlement of the Southwest by the Spanish. 
Building upon a network of trade routes used by the indigenous Pueblos 
along the Rio Grande, Spanish explorers established a migration route 
into the interior of the continent which they called ``El Camino Real 
de Tierra Adentro,'' the Royal Road of the Interior. My bill will amend 
the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de Tierra 
Adentro as a National Historic Trail, and give the National Park 
Service a mandate to develop interpretive displays explaining the 
importance of the trail during the Spanish settlement of the southwest 
United States.
  This legislation is especially appropriate in this year of the 
Cuartocentenario, which commemorates the 400th anniversary of the 
establishment of the first Spanish capital at San Juan Pueblo, the 
first terminus of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.
  In 1598, almost a decade before the first English colonists landed at 
Jamestown, Virginia, Don Juan de Onate led a Spanish expedition which 
established the northern portion of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. 
The road was the main route for communication and trade between the 
colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial 
capitals at San Juan de Los Caballeros, San Gabriel and then Santa Fe, 
New Mexico.
  From 1598 to 1821 El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro facilitated the 
exploration, conquest, colonization, settlement, religious conversion, 
and military occupation of the borderlands. The Spanish influence from 
that period can still be seen today in the ethnic and cultural 
traditions of the southwestern United States.
  In the 17th century, caravans of wagons and livestock struggled for 
months to cross the desert and bring supplies up El Camino Real to 
missions, mining towns and settlements in New Mexico. On one section 
known as the Jornada del Muerto, or Journey of Death, they traveled for 
90 miles without water, shelter, or firewood. Wagons heading south 
carried the products of New Mexico to markets in Mexico.
  El Camino Real became an integral part of an international network of 
commerce between Europe, the United States, New Mexico and other 
provinces of the Mexican republic. The route is a symbol of the 
commercial exchange and cultural interaction between nations and 
diverse ethnic groups that led to the development of the southwestern 
United States. It is also a proud symbol of the contributions of 
Hispanic people to the development of this great country.
  As we enter the 21st century, it's essential that we embrace the 
diversity of people and cultures that make up our country. It is the 
source of our dynamism and strength. I look forward to helping to 
advance our understanding of our rich cultural history through this 
initiative.
  Mr. President I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2039

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``El Camino Real de Tierra 
     Adentro National Historic Trail Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the Royal Road of the 
     Interior), served as the primary route between the colonial 
     Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial 
     capitals at San Juan de Los Caballeros (1598-1600), San 
     Gabriel (1600-1609) and Santa Fe (1610-1821);
       (2) the portion of El Camino Real in what is now the United 
     States extended between El Paso, Texas, and present San Juan 
     Pueblo, New Mexico, a distance of 404 miles;
       (3) El Camino Real is a symbol of the cultural interaction 
     between nations and ethnic groups and of the commercial 
     exchange that made possible the development and growth of the 
     borderland;
       (4) American Indian groups, especially the Pueblo Indians 
     of the Rio Grande, developed trails for trade long before 
     Europeans arrived;
       (5) in 1598, Juan de Onate led a Spanish military 
     expedition along those trails to establish the northern 
     portion of El Camino Real;
       (6) during the Mexican National Period and part of the 
     United States Territorial Period, El Camino Real facilitated 
     the emigration of people to New Mexico and other areas that 
     were to become part of the United States;
       (7) the exploration, conquest, colonization, settlement, 
     religious conversion, and military occupation of a large area 
     of the borderland was made possible by El Camino Real, the 
     historical period of which extended from 1598 to 1882;
       (8) American Indians, European emigrants, miners, ranchers, 
     soldiers, and missionaries used El Camino Real during the 
     historic development of the borderland, promoting cultural 
     interaction among Spaniards, other Europeans, American 
     Indians, Mexicans, and Americans; and
       (9) El Camino Real fostered the spread of Catholicism, 
     mining, an extensive network of commerce, and ethnic and 
     cultural traditions including music, folklore, medicine, 
     foods, architecture, language, place names, irrigation 
     systems, and Spanish law.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.

       Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1244(a)) is amended--
       (1) by designating the paragraphs relating to the 
     California National Historic Trail, the Pony Express National 
     Historic Trail, and the Selma to Montgomery National Historic 
     Trail as paragraphs (18), (19), and (20), respectively; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(21) El camino real de tierra adentro.--
       ``(A) In general.--El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the 
     Royal Road of the Interior) National Historic Trail, a 404 
     mile long trail from the Rio Grande near El Paso, Texas to 
     San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, as generally depicted on the 
     maps entitled `United States Route: El Camino Real de Tierra 
     Adentro', contained in the report prepared pursuant to 
     subsection (b) entitled `National Historic Trail Feasibility 
     Study and Environmental Assessment: El Camino Real de Tierra 
     Adentro, Texas-New Mexico', dated March 1997.
       ``(B) Map.--A map generally depicting the trail shall be on 
     file and available for public inspection in the Office of the 
     National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
       ``(C) Administration.--The trail shall be administered by 
     the Secretary of the Interior.
       ``(D) Land acquisition.--No land or interest in land 
     outside the exterior boundaries of any federally administered 
     area may be acquired by the United States for the trail 
     except with the consent of the owner of the land or interest 
     in land.
       ``(E) Volunteer groups; consultation.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior shall--
       ``(i) encourage volunteer trail groups to participate in 
     the development and maintenance of the trail; and
       ``(ii) consult with affected Federal, State, and tribal 
     agencies in the administration of the trail.
       ``(F) Coordination of activities.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior may coordinate with United States and Mexican public 
     and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, 
     and, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the 
     government of Mexico and its political subdivisions, for the 
     purpose of exchanging trail information and research, 
     fostering trail preservation and educational programs, 
     providing technical assistance, and working to establish an 
     international historic trail with complementary preservation 
     and education programs in each nation.''.

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