[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 3, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRAMS:
  S. 347. A bill to redesignate the Boundary Waters Canoe Area 
Wilderness, Minnesota, as the ``Hubert H. Humphrey Boundary Waters 
Canoe Area Wilderness''; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.


        hubert h. humphrey boundary waters canoe area wilderness

  Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
rename the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) in Minnesota 
and in doing so, salute the father of our Nation's wilderness system, 
the late Senator from Minnesota and Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey. 
My bill would redesignate the BWCA as ``The Hubert Humphrey Boundary 
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.''
  Mr. President, my home state is known for a number of things uniquely 
Minnesotan. If you've seen the movie ``Grumpy Old Men'' you're aware of 
our love of ice fishing. If you've flown into Minneapolis, you've seen 
the Mall of America. If you watched the national weather maps, you've 
seen our bonechilling winter temperatures. And our new Governor--well, 
we are proud to say that he is uniquely Minnesotan as well. But if 
you've ever visited one of our Nation's wilderness areas, you would not 
necessarily have realized that its creation was due in large part to 
another uniquely Minnesotan individual, Senator Hubert H. Humphrey.
  In the early 1960s, right here in these halls and in this Chamber, 
then-Senator Humphrey lead the charge in helping Congress recognize the 
wisdom of creating a wilderness preservation system in the United 
States. Senator Humphrey, as a member of the Senate Committee on 
Agriculture and Forestry, authored the 1964 Wilderness Preservation 
Act, and by doing so, created the BWCA. Many in our state feel that if 
it weren't for Senator Humphrey's tireless commitment, there would be 
no wilderness system and no BWCA. Senator Humphrey worked closely with 
the people of Northern Minnesota to win their trust and gain their 
acceptance of a federally designated wilderness area--one that would 
surely change the way they recreated and the way they lived. In fact, 
Senator Humphrey's legislation was very controversial and took several 
years to complete. Last year's passage of legislation to restore two 
motorized portages in the BWCA was consistent with both Senator 
Humphrey's vision for the BWCA and his promises to the people of 
northern Minnesota. Through his dedication and willingness to address 
the concerns of everyone, we now have a wilderness system that is the 
envy of the world.
  Through Senator Humphrey's hard work and dedication to the National 
Wilderness Preservation System, Americans today have countless 
protected wilderness areas throughout this country in which they can 
experience nature as it was 50, 75, or 100 years ago, knowing with 
certainty that these precious areas will be left intact for generations 
to come.
  Senator Humphrey's vision endures to this very day, and Minnesotans 
are proud to claim the BWCA, one of the nation's true national 
treasures, as our own. Boy Scouts wait every year for their trip into 
the Boundary Waters. Families know that every summer they can get away 
from their jobs, their studies, their cars and their phone, and enjoy 
at least a few days of peace and quiet. And elderly folks know that 
their favorite fishing hole is still a fishing hole and still 
accessible for them and their grandchildren.
  Like Paul Bunyan, lutefisk, and our State Fair, the Boundary Waters 
is something uniquely Minnesotan and uniquely identifiable as our own 
across the country. It is for that reason that I believe it should bear 
the name of the father of the Wilderness system and be redesignated, 
``The Hubert H. Humphrey Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.''
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