[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H4260-H4266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM ACT OF 1998

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1635) to establish within the United States National Park 
Service the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, 
and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1635

       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 ``National Underground 
     Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Underground Railroad, which flourished from the end 
     of the 18th century to the end of the Civil War, was one of 
     the most significant expressions of the American civil rights 
     movement during its evolution over more than 3 centuries.
       (2) The Underground Railroad bridged the divides of race, 
     religion, sectional differences, and nationality; spanned 
     State lines and international borders; and joined the 
     American ideals of liberty and freedom expressed in the 
     Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to the 
     extraordinary actions of ordinary men and women working in 
     common purpose to free a people.
       (3) Pursuant to title VI of Public Law 101-628 (16 U.S.C. 
     1a-5 note; 104 Stat. 4495), the Underground Railroad Advisory 
     Committee conducted a study of the appropriate means of 
     establishing an enduring national commemorative Underground 
     Railroad program of education, example, reflection, and 
     reconciliation.
       (4) The Underground Railroad Advisory Committee found 
     that--
       (A) although a few elements of the Underground Railroad 
     story are represented in existing National Park Service units 
     and other sites, many sites are in imminent danger of being 
     lost or destroyed, and many important resource types are not 
     adequately represented and protected;
       (B) there are many important sites which have high 
     potential for preservation and visitor use in 29 States, the 
     District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands;
       (C) no single site or route completely reflects and 
     characterizes the Underground Railroad, since its story and 
     associated resources involve networks and regions of the 
     country rather than individual sites and trails; and
       (D) establishment of a variety of partnerships between the 
     Federal Government and other levels of government and the 
     private sector would be most appropriate for the protection 
     and interpretation of the Underground Railroad.
       (5) The National Park Service can play a vital role in 
     facilitating the national commemoration of the Underground 
     Railroad.
       (6) The story and significance of the Underground Railroad 
     can best engage the American people through a national 
     program of the National Park Service that links historic 
     buildings, structures, and sites; routes, geographic areas, 
     and corridors; interpretive centers, museums, and 
     institutions; and programs, activities, community projects, 
     exhibits, and multimedia materials, in a manner that is both 
     unified and flexible.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
       (1) To recognize the importance of the Underground 
     Railroad, the sacrifices made by those who used the 
     Underground Railroad in search of freedom from tyranny and 
     oppression, and the sacrifices made by the people who 
     helped them.
       (2) To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate 
     and facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to 
     commemorate, honor, and interpret the history of the 
     Underground Railroad, its significance as a crucial element 
     in the evolution of the national civil rights movement, and 
     its relevance in fostering the spirit of racial harmony and 
     national reconciliation.

     SEC. 3. NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (in this Act 
     referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish in the 
     National Park Service a program to be known as the ``National 
     Underground Railroad Network to Freedom'' (in this Act 
     referred to as the ``national network''). Under the program, 
     the Secretary shall--
       (1) produce and disseminate appropriate educational 
     materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or 
     electronic information;
       (2) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and 
     memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance 
     under subsection (c); and
       (3) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or device 
     for the national network and issue regulations for its use.
       (b) Elements.--The national network shall encompass the 
     following elements:
       (1) All units and programs of the National Park Service 
     determined by the Secretary to pertain to the Underground 
     Railroad.
       (2) Other Federal, State, local, and privately owned 
     properties pertaining to the Underground Railroad that have a 
     verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad and that 
     are included on, or determined by the Secretary to be 
     eligible for inclusion on, the National Register of Historic 
     Places.
       (3) Other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and 
     programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature 
     that are directly related to the Underground Railroad.
       (c) Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of 
     Understanding.--To achieve the purposes of this Act and to 
     ensure effective coordination of the Federal and non-Federal 
     elements of the national network referred to in subsection 
     (b) with National Park Service units and programs, the 
     Secretary may enter into cooperative

[[Page H4261]]

     agreements and memoranda of understanding with, and provide 
     technical assistance to--
       (1) the heads of other Federal agencies, States, 
     localities, regional governmental bodies, and private 
     entities; and
       (2) in cooperation with the Secretary of State, the 
     governments of Canada, Mexico, and any appropriate country in 
     the Caribbean.
       (d) Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
     appropriated to carry out this Act not more than $500,000 for 
     each fiscal year. No amounts may be appropriated for the 
     purposes of this Act except to the Secretary for carrying out 
     the responsibilities of the Secretary as set forth in section 
     3(a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 1635, as amended, is a bill introduced by the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Stokes), my colleague. Mr. Stokes and the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Portman) are to be congratulated on working very hard on this bill 
which would establish the National Underground Railroad Network to 
Freedom Program within the National Park Service. This program 
facilitates partnerships among the Federal, State and local governments 
and the private sector to assist in interpreting and commemorating the 
network of buildings, museums and routes that portray the movement to 
resist slavery in the United States in the decades prior to the Civil 
War. H.R. 1635 does not create any new units of the National Park 
system and caps appropriation at 500,000 per year to staff and to 
coordinate this program.
  Commemorating the Underground Railroad Network, as H.R. 165 will do, 
is well-deserved and will help every American understand what the 
Underground Railroad was and how it helped thousands of slaves to 
secure their freedom and their place in history.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a completely bipartisan measure that is also 
supported by the administration, and I urge my colleagues to support 
H.R. 1635
  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. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 1635, I 
am pleased that this legislation has finally come to the floor of the 
House of Representatives for consideration. Although it has been a long 
and overdue process, I am happy to note that H.R. 1635 now has the 
bipartisan support of 148 cosponsors.
  This bill will establish a National Underground Railroad Network to 
Freedom program within the National Park Service, to facilitate 
partnerships among Federal, state and local governments and the private 
sector to identify and commemorate the Underground Railroad.
  This bill comes at a time when divisiveness among our Nation's races 
and cultures seems to be on the rise. Through the program, structures, 
routes, and sites which were significant to the Underground Railroad 
will be identified. The National Park Service will create a logo to 
identify these sites and distribute interpretive information for 
visitors to understand the use of the Railroad.
  The uplifting stories of the risks taken by all involved with the 
Underground Railroad put against the stark reality of our past with 
slavery, will provide visitors with powerful examples of the precious 
value of freedom and the strengthen of cooperation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Underground Railroad is probably the best example of 
successful civil disobedience this nation has ever seen and the stories 
must be told. I commend our colleague, Mr. Stokes, for all his hard 
work on this legislation and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to vote for H.R. 1635 so that this powerful story may be 
preserved for generations to come.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the House of 
Representatives is finally considering legislation to honor the 
Underground Railroad. This bill, H.R. 1635, introduced by our highly 
respected colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), would 
establish the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program 
under the National Park Service. Mr. Stokes and my friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), worked together to 
establish this program to identify sites and areas important to the 
struggle for freedom known as the Underground Railroad. This bill is 
without a doubt a long and overdue recognition of an important piece of 
American history.
  Mr. Speaker, the program will incorporate Underground Railroad routes 
and sites with interpretive information about the railroad and the 
people involved. The National Park Service will work in cooperation 
with State and local governments and the private sector to develop a 
comprehensive written history.
  The Underground Railroad stretched for thousands of miles from 
Kentucky and Virginia across Ohio and Indiana. In a northerly direction 
it stretched from Maryland across Pennsylvania and through New York and 
through New England. This was not just a route north though, and the 
network this legislation establishes will link numerous locations and 
landmarks within the United States as well the Caribbean, Mexico and 
Canada.
  It is estimated that in the decade before the Civil War, the 
Underground Railroad movement was responsible for helping approximately 
70,000 slaves escape and journey safely to freedom. Many never made it 
to freedom, dying along the way or caught and forced to endure 
unspeakable punishments and torture. Attempts made through the 
Underground Railroad were made at tremendous risk for those fleeing 
slavery and anyone who helped along the way.
  The movement involved Americans of many different backgrounds. 
Bringing its experience and lessons to bear on the present, it is 
inherently a multiracial process. Each generically different experience 
is grounded in race and personal wealth, but together they shared much 
in this experience of the freedom story that transcended race and 
echoed common commitments among fellow human beings.
  Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support the intention of this 
legislation, but as I mentioned throughout consideration of this bill, 
I am deeply concerned that a $500,000 authorization will not cover the 
costs of this most important program. I understand that the majority 
Members feel that this is all that would be acceptable to their 
leadership, and therefore I will not fight it. But I would be remiss if 
I did not raise my belief that it would be a terrible disservice to the 
memory of the tens of thousands who suffered and braved so much to be 
involved with the Underground Railroad if this Nation does not 
adequately fund this important endeavor.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) worked diligently on this piece of 
legislation, and I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Portman).
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this 
time to me and mostly for all the help he has given us to this point. 
We would not be here this afternoon on the floor if not for the 
subcommittee Chairman's willingness to hold a hearing and then mark up 
this legislation, and I want him to know that both the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and I greatly appreciate that and moving it through 
the process.
  I, of course, rise in very strong support of this historic 
legislation that will help preserve this powerful and often untold 
chapter in our Nation's history. I want to thank my colleague, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), who is seated on the other side of 
the aisle, for his leadership on this project. We have worked for the 
last few years on putting this legislation together and making this a 
reality. In addition to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), I also 
want to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Miller), and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega), who just spoke a moment ago, and the 150 other 
bipartisan cosponsors of this legislation.
  Specifically the bill does three things. First it creates within the 
National Park Service a National Underground Railroad Network for the 
first time of all the existing sites, historic buildings, interpretive 
centers, research facilities, community projects

[[Page H4262]]

and activities directly related to the Underground Railroad. The 
purpose is to commemorate and retell the future generations the 
important story of the Underground Railroad. So much of what we know, 
of course, about the Underground Railroad today has been handed down 
through oral traditions, and over the years as a result, as a recent 
Park Service study has told us, a lot of that tangible evidence is now 
in danger of being lost forever. So this bill will help collect, 
preserve and integrate all the pieces of this fascinating and important 
part of our history.
  Second, it will require the Park Service to produce and disseminate 
educational materials, maps, handbooks, interpretive guides, electronic 
information; enter into cooperative agreements to help technical 
assistance facilities around the country that have a verifiable 
connection to the Underground Railroad; and will create a uniform 
official symbol for the national network and issue regulations for how 
that symbol can be used.
  Third, and I think very importantly, it requires appropriate public-
private partnerships so that we can facilitate strong private support 
for this important part of our history. I think this is perhaps one of 
the most significant parts of the legislation because it represents a 
way for us to maximize and leverage the resources from the private 
sector to enhance a national public network.
  One brief example the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) talked about, the funding in the bill, there is some 
funding in the bill, but in our own area of Cincinnati that I 
represent, we hope to raise up to $80 million for a National Freedom 
Center, which would be part of this linkage, and with those kinds of 
private sector funds we can do much more with regard to commemorating 
this part of our history.
  The legislation, I think, really can foster a sense of racial 
harmony, and just as the Underground Railroad itself bridged a divide 
of race and religion and nationality, joined people together in common 
purpose, so has this bill. The powerful and largely untold stories of 
the brave men and women of the Underground Railroad can inspire us even 
today, and must, about racial cooperation, about reconciliation, about 
determination and about courage. In a very real sense this act, I 
think, is a tangible effort that is bringing together people of 
different races today that helps to advance our ongoing national 
dialogue we must have about race relations in this great country.
  Like so many other people in this Chamber and around this country, I 
have a personal connection to the Underground Railroad. I knew about it 
before this project got started, but I learned a lot more about it. The 
family home of my namesake and grandfather, whose name was Robert 
Jones, was a stop on the railroad. His great-grandparents and 
grandparents were Quakers and abolitionists who lived in a farmhouse 
near West Milton, Ohio, just north of Dayton. In fact, I visited their 
home a couple of weeks ago with my family and was able to show my three 
children the attic above the kitchen where my grandfather told me that, 
in fact, slaves were harbored as they sought freedom.
  Many of the prominent figures of the Underground Railroad, it turns 
out, lived and worked in the district I represent. Levi Coffin, 
considered by many to be the president of Underground Railroad, worked 
for most of the time out of Cincinnati, also a Quaker. Harriet Beecher 
Stowe was a native of Cincinnati who wrote portions of Uncle Tom's 
Cabin, which helped in Cincinnati, and of course that book help 
galvanize antislavery forces in the 1850s and 1860s.
  John Parker of Ripley, Ohio, in my district was a former slave who 
bought his freedom, was a successful inventor and foundry owner and 
entrepreneur, and became a major conductor on the Underground Railroad. 
We are now trying to restore his home in Ripley, Ohio.
  The Reverend John Rankin, also of Ripley, sheltered over a thousand 
people fleeing slavery. His home is restored. It is a site that sits on 
the hill above Ripley, Ohio, and one of the people who he saved was the 
character of Eliza actually in Uncle Tom's Cabin.
  Another town in my district, Springboro, Ohio, has a number of 
stations, they think 15 or 16 stops, on the Underground Railroad, and 
they are now doing more work to uncover and authenticate those sites.
  One of the very exciting aspects of this bill is its encouragement of 
public-private partnerships. In the greater Cincinnati region I 
represent, a national Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which 
expects to raise about, as I said, $70 million of private sector money, 
has been started. The freedom center is expected to open in the year 
2003 on the banks of the Ohio River, an appropriate place, the dividing 
line between free and slave States. It will employ state-of-the-art 
technology and advance interdisciplinary education to commemorate, 
educate, and inspire and promote reconciliation, assisted by a national 
advisory board of distinguished leaders in their number. I will just 
list a few: Desmond Tutu; Rosa Parks; Dick Cheney, a former Member of 
this Chamber, and others.
  This center will be an international resource for scholarship, human 
relations education and genealogical study. It will be one of the first 
distributive museums around the country, meaning it will be in contact 
with this linkage that we are setting up through this legislation, the 
networking, and it will also be the first major museum focused 
exclusively on the Underground Railroad experience. The center will 
create cooperative programming and educational opportunities across the 
continent. It has already attracted substantial private sector support, 
and again it should be a critical and leading link in the network 
envisioned by the legislation.
  I would like to give special thanks today to a friend and a fellow 
Cincinnatian, Ed Rigaud, who is leading that effort in Cincinnati and 
has taught me a lot about the national significance of the Underground 
Railroad. Also, Iantha Gantt-Wright is with the National Parks and 
Conservation Association, and that group has worked with the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and myself over the last couple of years, gave 
us a lot of input in the process of putting together the legislation.

                              {time}  1600

  Finally, I want to single out Jan Oliver of my staff and the staff of 
the House Committee on Resources for all their good work on the 
legislation. I urge bipartisan support of this important and I think 
landmark legislation, to preserve the story of the Underground 
Railroad, the lessons of which can guide us in our quest for racial 
cooperation and understanding even today.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to compliment the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), the cosponsor of this legislation, 
for his eloquent remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Brown).
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from American Samoa 
for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1635, the National Underground 
Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998. As an original cosponsor, I am 
pleased the House is considering this important legislation today.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the 
important role that Oberlin, Ohio in my district played in this 
struggle for freedom. Oberlin is probably best known as the site of an 
historic uprising in which 300 residents of Oberlin and neighboring 
Wellington rescued John Price, an escaped slave from Kentucky, from 
arrest by a determined group of slave catchers led by a U.S. marshal in 
September 1858. This incident drew international attention to the 
plight of American slaves, contributing to an increasing awareness of 
the abolitionist movement. The participants in the rescue included 
students, freed slaves and townspeople of all classes. The open 
defiance of the residents of Oberlin led to the nickname ``The town 
that started the Civil War.''
  In April, I was pleased to join Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt in 
Oberlin to designate the Wilson Bruce Evans House as a National 
Historic Landmark which was home to Wilson and Henry Evans, two of the 
leaders in this historic uprising.
  Additionally, the City of Oberlin is home to several other sites 
which played prominent roles in the Underground Railroad movement. 
First

[[Page H4263]]

Church in Oberlin served as a meeting site for the Oberlin Anti-Slavery 
Society.
  Erected in Martin Luther King Park are several monuments, including a 
memorial to the three African-American men, Shields Green, John 
Copeland and Lewis Sheridan Leary, who died with John Brown during his 
march on Harper's Ferry, Virginia, which served as a prelude to the 
Civil War. Additionally, several other homes of prominent 
abolitionists, including James Monroe and John Mercer Langston, still 
stand in Oberlin.
  Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that future generations learn about the 
role that brave and righteous women and men in communities like Oberlin 
played in establishing and running the Underground Railroad and how 
their actions led to the end of slavery in the United States and the 
beginning of the civil rights movement.
  Mr. Speaker, I add my support to H.R. 1635, thanking especially the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Stokes) for their leadership.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Ohio, (Mr. Stokes), a cosponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished ranking 
member, the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), for 
yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1635, the National Underground 
Railroad Network to Freedom Act. I am proud to share authorship of this 
legislation with my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Portman). It has been a pleasure to work with him and his able staff in 
bringing this historic legislation to the floor.
  I want to express my appreciation to the chairman of the full 
committee, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), for his support and 
interest in this legislation. I also wanted to thank my good friend, 
the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), chairman of the subcommittee, for 
his cooperation in conducting an excellent and outstanding hearing on 
this legislation and for also marking it up in the subcommittee.
  Since its introduction, the Underground Railroad bill has enjoyed 
broad bipartisan support. We are pleased to bring this bill to the 
floor with 156 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle and 
congressional districts across America. I must also acknowledge the 
significant role that the National Park Service provided in working 
with me and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) at all stages of this 
legislative process. Their assistance has been invaluable.
  Mr. Speaker, second only to the protests and martyrdom of 
abolitionists, the Underground Railroad was the most dramatic protest 
against slavery in the history of America. The Underground Railroad, 
which reached its peak from 1830 to 1865, spanned more than 22 States, 
crossed the Mexican and Canadian borders, and thrived in the District 
of Columbia and the Caribbean. The railways were back roads, waterways, 
mountains, forests and swamps. Its conveyances were mules, wagons and 
boats. In short, the railroad was every route escaped slaves took or 
attempted to take to freedom.
  Last year when we introduced the National Underground Network to 
Freedom Act, we did so in memory of the contributions made by our 
ancestors, black and white, Quaker and Protestant, Native American and 
many others who played key roles in the quest of American slaves for 
freedom. As we debate this issue today, we realize that regardless of 
whether we trace our ancestry to those who were enslaved, those who 
were slave owners, or those who were abolitionists and freedom 
fighters, the Underground Railroad bill will allow us to engage in 
constructive dialogue and memorialize an important period in American 
history.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have authored, along with the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Portman), this significant legislation, which will 
enable the National Park Service to identify routes, geographic areas 
and corridors associated with the Underground Railroad. The Park 
Service will also be charged with linking historic buildings and 
structures relating to the Underground Railroad. Lastly, the National 
Park Service will provide technical assistance and support to museums, 
institutions and centers to facilitate the telling of the story of the 
Underground Railroad.
  This bill also encourages the Secretary of the Interior to enter into 
cooperative agreements with the governments of Canada, Mexico and 
appropriate countries in the Caribbean.
  Mr. Speaker, before closing, I want to commend two members of my 
staff for their work on this bill, Joyce Larkin and Minnie Kenney. 
Their service has been outstanding.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1635 is a good bill that each of us should be proud 
to support. I urge my colleagues to vote in its favor.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for 
his most comprehensive and eloquent remarks concerning this 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from 
Maine (Mr. Allen).
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor and supporter of H.R. 1635, 
the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act. The act has 
156 cosponsors and enjoys substantial bipartisan support. The act 
requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a nationwide 
network of historic sites and museums dedicated to preserving the 
legacy of the Underground Railroad.
  Mr. Speaker, the Underground Railroad was used during the 18th and 
first half of the 19th century to smuggle African-American slaves to 
freedom. Maine's citizens were active participants in the Underground 
Railroad. There are 59 possible Underground Railroad sites across the 
State of Maine. These safe havens were used to harbor runaway slaves 
and are located in or near towns like Portland, Biddeford, 
Kennebunkport, Machias, and Waterboro.
  In particular, the Abyssian Meetinghouse in Portland was an important 
link in the Underground Railroad. Oral history verifies that the site 
functioned as a way station for slaves on their way to freedom.
  Oral history is a useful tool to help determine what buildings were 
part of the Underground Railroad. Someone's grandmother may remember 
hearing stories about how slaves were hidden in the town church. 
Organizations in Maine are working to recover these oral histories in 
order to identify additional Underground Railroad sites. As people age 
and die, the stories and information they carry with them die as well. 
The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act will ensure 
the preservation of this aspect of American history so that future 
generations can learn and benefit from it.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Maine people were an important part of 
the national effort to help slaves attain their freedom. Maine served 
as a final link between the United States and freedom in Canada. The 
people that comprised the Underground Railroad were motivated by the 
principles on which our Nation's democracy rests, that all men and all 
women are created free and equal.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the distinguished minority whip.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me time 
and for the support.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to take this time also to congratulate the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Portman) on bringing this legislation to the floor. I also want to 
thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) for being cooperative and supportive of this piece 
of legislation in the committee.
  My interest, Mr. Speaker, on this issue revolves around the great 
history and the struggle that is part of the Underground Railroad and 
the cooperation to make it happen, but also because I have in my 
district a place called the Spring Hill Farm. It is located in Shelby 
Township, and from 1850 to 1865 this farm served as a place where 
runaway slaves could come and get shelter.
  This was out in the middle of the country. The slaves would see this

[[Page H4264]]

huge cedar tree, over 100 feet tall. They would know that the spring-
in-the-hill cave on this farm was a place where they could get refuge. 
They would go there, and within the cave by the spring in the hill 
would be food and blankets and necessities to keep them going on their 
journey. The farm was owned by Peter and Sarah Lerich. They had 10 
children, and they were able to even keep the secrecy of this facility 
from their children for many, many, many, many years.
  The significance of this particular farm revolves around a couple of 
things. Number one, the owners and their agents trying to intercept the 
slaves would often go to the Detroit River, thinking the slaves would 
cross over to Windsor. But what actually was happening, they would go 
to this farm and then move up throughout my county of Macomb and into 
Saint Clair County and cross up at the Saint Clair River into Canada, 
which was 30 or 40 miles north of the Detroit crossing, thereby 
avoiding the agents and owners.
  Interestingly enough, this farm was purchased by the late and great 
humanitarian and heavyweight boxer, Joe Louis, years later in my 
district, before he sold the property. It is a wonderful memorial to 
bravery and to cooperation and to reconciliation.
  The Underground Railroad is a story of great courage and 
determination and the struggle for freedom in this country. It is an 
American story, but it is a universal story in its relevance. It 
teaches us the important lessons about liberty, understanding, 
cooperation and reconciliation.
  So it is with great pride that I rise this afternoon to support this 
wonderful idea, so that we can memorialize and understand and pass on 
to our children and our grandchildren the great struggle that ensued in 
this country, so that they will never, ever forget the sacrifices that 
were made and, of course, the cooperation and help that was given.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from the U.S. Virgin Islands (Ms. Christian-Green).
  Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding 
me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today, delighted that we finally have the 
opportunity to consider this bill on the floor of the House. I am 
especially pleased because H.R. 1635 is a fitting tribute to its 
sponsor, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), and I am honored to be 
among the 156 Members of the House who have joined our esteemed 
colleagues, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Portman) as cosponsors.
  Mr. Speaker, the Underground Railroad network is an important part of 
our Nation's diverse history and deserves to be celebrated. I am 
particularly pleased to note that the borders of the network went 
beyond the North American Continent to the Caribbean. I trust that when 
the program which will be established by this bill is completed, it 
will include the escape routes to freedom which my ancestors from the 
Virgin Islands used to nearby Puerto Rico.
  I urge all of my colleagues to unanimously support this bill. Because 
of H.R. 1635, we will come to know the many heretofore nameless 
individuals and groups who made the Underground Railroad route come 
alive and the traditions that created its culture. As we continue the 
ongoing national dialogue on race and its impact on our past, present 
and future, the memorializing of this testament to the courage and 
sacrifice of many people of all persuasions and to the spirit, strength 
and determination of the Africans who had been forced into brutal 
slavery will be an important legacy.
  The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program will have an 
unlimited potential to be a part of the education process in our 
country, and it will also be a source to further inspire and promote 
the healing of our diverse community, as well as serve as a source of 
strength, direction and hope for our children. I urge its passage.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

                              {time}  1615

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I could not help but listen to 
the passion and compassion of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) for 
this very important bill, and we thank him not only for his 
collaboration but the history of his family. He has joined with someone 
that we hold in such high respect, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Stokes).
  We know that the gentleman will not be in the Congress in the next 
session, but we are gratified of his vision and his ability to 
collaborate and to represent, as the Portman and Stokes H.R. 1635 I 
hope passes unanimously in this House, what America is all about.
  The Underground Railroad should be commemorated and celebrated, for 
it is the recognition of what volunteerism in the face of adversity can 
bring about. It did not single out any culture or race, any religion. 
Everyone who was concerned about the degradation and the tragedy in 
this Nation were able to participate. Up south, north, down south, 
south, all parts of this Nation could in some way contribute either in 
spirit or in actuality.
  I am proud of the many midwestern States and cities whose people rose 
to the occasion; the Eastern Seaboard who, along that route, that was 
not pretty and attractive and well focused. There were no nice railroad 
beds. There was no stopping for refreshments, where you would stop in 
some lovely train station. It was, in fact, the Underground Railroad, 
unpleasant, but yet spirited.
  Harriet Tubman, who was called General Moses, had her own way of 
taking tickets, for if you felt a little fearful and were about to turn 
around, the story tells us that Harriet Tubman had a way of saying, 
``if you turn around, you will not live; if you go forward, you can go 
and live with me.''
  So this was a challenging time. But the most important aspect of this 
whole Underground Railroad was a collaboration of Americans, people who 
came together for good, who did not ask of your background, who did not 
ask what color you were, but believed in freedom, and believed that 
this country would be better when slavery was eliminated and helped 
those who wanted to seek freedom, to work for freedom to be able to go 
safely into the night and to go into the free North.
  So I want to thank the cosponsors of this legislation and 
particularly would like to acknowledge those who did not survive, all 
of those heroes and sheros who provided the food and the support that 
we may not even have in our history books, all the religious leaders.
  In Philadelphia, in fact, the AME Church was noted as one that took 
in the freed slaves from the Underground Railroad, providing them with 
clothes, food, and support and providing them work. Everyone who became 
free wanted to work, wanted to contribute to America, wanted to make it 
better and great. So this is befitting.
  We thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for their vision on this. To those who are not here 
to hear their stories being told in the United States Congress, you are 
great Americans, you are great heroes and sheros; and for this, we 
salute you. The National Underground Network to Freedom Act will 
forever put in the annals to history our tribute to the Underground 
Railroad.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The gentleman from American 
Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) has 1 minute remaining.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my good friend, 
the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) if I could indulge in his 
acceptance of my request for 2 additional minutes from his time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from American Samoa or to one of his speakers.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentleman.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
American Samoa is recognized for an additional 2 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today on this bill,

[[Page H4265]]

H.R. 1635. This bill requests the National Park Service, number one, to 
produce and disseminate appropriate educational materials to inform 
people about the Underground Railroad, provide technical assistance to 
the Underground Railroad Partnership, which includes individuals, 
Federal, State, and local governments, and the private sector to ensure 
coordination.
  Thirdly, to create and adopt a symbol to be placed at all sites 
designated along the network known as the Underground Railroad.
  During perhaps the worst period in American history, the Underground 
Railroad emerged, an important historic coalition of black and white, 
religious and concerned citizens joined together to form the 
abolitionists movement.
  Many of the people involved in the Underground Railroad were called 
conductors. Many of them were former slaves. The conductors led other 
slaves out of bondage to freedom.
  They developed their own terminology to protect those persons 
involved in helping to secure freedom as well as the slaves. The slaves 
were known as packages or freight. The route from one safehouse to the 
next was called the line. The safehouses were called stations. Those 
who aided the fugitive slaves were conductors.
  The most famous of these conductors was Harriet Tubman. It is said 
that she personally conducted approximately 300 persons to freedom in 
the North. Reportedly, she even threatened to shoot any of her charges 
who wanted to turn back. She felt that moving forward or death was the 
only way to keep the locations of the stations secret.
  Without fear for her personal safety, Harriet Tubman would disappear 
for weeks at a time to provide safety for her passengers on the 
Underground Railroad. She did so even though she was hunted by 
slaveholders and slave hunters.
  Harriet Tubman worked closely with abolitionists such as John Brown 
and Germain Logan, Frederick Douglas, and countless other named and 
unnamed Underground Railroad supporters.
  After the outbreak of the Civil War, Harriet Tubman also served as a 
soldier, a spy, and a nurse. During the war, with her keen knowledge of 
the route from the south to Canada, she served as a guide to many black 
soldiers.
  The importance of our debate here today is to begin a coordinated 
effort to mark some of the many sites along the route of the 
Underground Railroad for generations to come. The work of assisting 
fugitive slaves along the Underground Railroad is a critical piece of 
our collective history.
  Before the Civil War, it is estimated that approximately 70,000 
slaves escaped and made the journey safely to northern States and 
Canada and subsequent freedom through the Underground Railroad.
  It is my hope that the designation of the sites along the Underground 
Railroad, along with the educational programs and information that 
follows, will allow Americans of all walks of life to understand the 
important contribution to the history of the Underground Railroad.
  I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Stokes) and everybody that has been involved in making this a 
possibility.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my good friend, 
the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) for 1 additional minute.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
American Samoa.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
American Samoa is yielded 1 additional minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would just like to say again to the eloquence of my two good 
friends as cosponsors of this legislation, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Portman) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for bringing this 
piece of legislation to the floor for consideration and to commend them 
both for the spirit of bipartisanship that we have this legislation, 
understanding the spirit behind it, the intention. Hopefully this will 
be one of those remarkable pieces of history that will be helpful not 
only for our generation but for future generations to appreciate what 
these people did as they participated in the Underground Railroad 
system.
  Mr. Speaker, I also would like to say my personal tribute to my good 
friend and colleague who has certainly been an inspiration to me over 
the years that I have served in the House, my good friend, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), who will not be here since he is 
retiring, but just to let him know how much we really appreciate the 
service that he has rendered, not only to this body, to his district, 
and certainly to the American people.
  Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today delighted, that we 
finally have the opportunity to consider this bill on the floor of the 
House, and I am honored to be among the 150 members of the House who 
have joined our esteemed colleague, Mr. Stokes and Mr. Postman, as 
cosponsors.
  Since he has announced that he will be leaving us when his team 
expires at the end of the Congress, it would be a fitting tribute for 
this House which Congressman Stokes has served so admirably, to pass 
H.R. 1635 unanimously.
  I want to personally take this opportunity to publicly thank 
Congressman Stokes for taking me under his wing, as he has done for 
countless other new members, and guiding me through the complexities of 
this body, and to commend him for his leadership, not only on this 
issue before us today, but especially on health care and other matters 
importantly to the integrity of the Nation.
  My colleagues H.R. 1635 is the result a Congressional study, mandated 
in 1990, which required the National Park Service to look at how best 
to interpret and commemorate the Underground Railroad. The bill before 
us would establish a program in the National Park Service to be known 
as the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
  Once established, the Secretary of Interior will produce and 
disseminate educational materials about the railroad and provide 
technical assistance to other governmental agencies, private entities 
or Governments of Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean to ensure 
coordination of the network.
  As my district is located in the Caribbean, I am particularly pleased 
to note that the borders of the network will extend beyond the North 
American continent to the Caribbean.
  I trust when the program which will be established by this bill is 
completed, it will include the escape routes to freedom which my 
ancestors used from the Virgin Islands to nearby Puerto Rico.
  My colleagues the Underground Railroad Network is an important part 
of our nation's diverse history and deserves to be celebrated.
  As we continue with the ongoing national dialog on race and its 
impact on our past, present and future, the memorializing of this 
testament to the courage and sacrifice of many people of all 
persuasions, and to the spirit, strength and determination of the 
Africans who had been forced into brutal slavery, will be an important 
legacy.
  I urge all of my colleagues to unanimously support this bill. Because 
of H.R. 1635 we will come to know the many heretofore nameless 
individuals and groups who made the Underground Railroad route come 
alive and the traditions which created its culture.
  In addition, The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Network 
Program will have the unlimited potential to be a part of the education 
process in our country and to further inspire and promote the healing 
of our diverse community, as well as serve as a source of strength, 
direction and hope for our children.
  Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to register my strong support 
for H.R. 1635, the ``National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom 
Act.'' This measure authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to 
facilitate and coordinate federal and non-federal activities that honor 
and help people learn about the Underground Railroad. The bill 
establishes within the NPS the means to link Underground Railroad 
sites, produce educational materials and provide technical assistance 
to local organizations. In addition, H.R. 1365 encourages the Secretary 
of the Interior to enter into innovative public and private 
partnerships to tell the story of the Underground Railroad.
  I am proud to count myself among the original co-sponsors of this 
important legislation. The Underground Railroad is one of the most 
significant events of the American civil rights movement, and although 
more than a century has passed since its inception, I feel that the 
stories of those who participated in the Underground Railroad remain 
vital sources of inspiration and can help promote racial understanding 
and cooperation. In my own congressional district, there is a building 
known as the ``Old Slave House,'' which was built in 1834 and has 
served as a meaningful history lesson to those who have been fortunate 
enough to visit it. The Old Slave House is unique in that

[[Page H4266]]

it is the only known remaining structure to have been used by 
kidnappers operating a kind of ``reverse'' Underground Railroad, and it 
is considered a key site by researchers and historians seeking to 
preserve relics of this critical time in American history.
  Mr. Speaker, I am committed to ensuring that the Old Slave House and 
other sites receive the recognition and protection necessary for their 
preservation, so that future generations may benefit from the lessons 
they have to offer. The ``National Underground Railroad Network to 
Freedom Act'' represents a critical step in this process, and I urge my 
colleagues to vote for its passage today.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of an effort in the 
Senate to amend the Higher Education Bill. This amendment would give 
the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of the 
Interior, the authority to provide grant money to create an educational 
center to research and celebrate the history of the Underground 
Railroad.
  The Underground Railroad story is unique in American history. Tens of 
thousands of enslaved Black men and women risked their lives to pursue 
freedom. The common bond that led free Blacks, Whites, Native Americans 
and others to help secure safe passage for the fugitives was the firmly 
held belief that all human beings have an inalienable right to freedom.
  Under the proposed Senate amendment, which may be considered in the 
next few weeks, the Department of Education would be authorized to 
evaluate proposals put forward by non-profit educational groups and 
select one that meets certain criteria, including the utilization of an 
existing public-private partnership and an on-going endowment to 
sustain the facility in the future.
  In 1990, the Congress directed the National Park Service to conduct a 
study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the 
Underground Railroad. The Park Service found that there were numerous 
sites in several states involved in the Underground Railroad and, 
therefore, could not recommend a single site for an Underground 
Railroad memorial.
  The effort in the Senate resolves the matter by providing funds for 
the development of a major ``hub'' site and the creation of satellite 
centers all across the country--as was the actual Underground Railroad 
operation. Including this bill in the Higher Education Bill also 
creates more than a historical monument; it provides an educational 
program dedicated to preserving, displaying and disseminating the 
history of the Underground Railroad.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope the Senate will include this amendment and I 
encourage the House conferees to accept the language of the amendment 
in conference.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1635 the 
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998. With the passage 
of this legislation, which promotes the interpretation and 
commemoration of the path to freedom for escaped slaves, we will ensure 
that one of the most important stories in American history is told. It 
is a real-life drama, with all of the elements which make a compelling 
story--danger, courage, sacrifice and an undeniable longing for freedom 
which led to the establishment of the Underground Railroad. It is also 
a story which illustrates humanity at its best and worst, holding 
enduring lessons for present and future generations.
  I am proud that the Underground Railroad's most famous conductor, 
Harriet Tubman, spent time in my home state of New Jersey carrying out 
her momentous mission. This brave African-American heroine, who was a 
fugitive slave, nurse, abolitionist, and social worker, risked her own 
life to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom.
  Documented as an Underground Railroad Station is a home in Salem, New 
Jersey, which belonged to Abigail Goodwin, a Quaker and outspoken 
abolitionist, and her sister, Elizabeth. Under the initiative we are 
considering today, attention will be given to the stories of people 
like the Goodwin sisters and those they helped usher to freedom. As we 
continue a national dialogue on race, we cannot fail to remember such a 
critical period in our history and its impact on the development of our 
nation.
  Mr. Speaker, as a former educator, I firmly believe in this effort to 
educate the public about the movement to resist slavery in the United 
States in the decades leading up to the Civil War. I commend my friend 
and colleague, Congressman Louis Stokes, for introducing this 
legislation and I look forward to working with the National Park 
Service and others to successfully implement thus effort to facilitate 
partnerships among federal, state and local governments and the private 
sector to highlight the Underground Railroad.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 1635, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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