[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 111 (Monday, August 2, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H6775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




VISITOR CENTER FOR HOME OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1104) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to transfer 
administrative jurisdiction over land within the boundaries of the Home 
of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site to the Archivist of the 
United States for the construction of a visitor center.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1104

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

     SECTION 1. VISITOR CENTER FOR HOME OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT 
                   NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, HYDE PARK, NEW YORK.

       (a) Transfer of Administrative Jurisdiction.--The Secretary 
     of the Interior may transfer to the Archivist of the United 
     States administrative jurisdiction over land located in the 
     Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, for use 
     by the Archivist for the construction of a visitor center 
     facility to jointly serve the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     National Historic Site and the Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     Presidential Library, located in Hyde Park, New York.
       (b) Conditions of Transfer.--
       (1) Protection of historic site.--The transfer authorized 
     in subsection (a) shall be subject to an agreement between 
     the Secretary and the Archivist that shall include such 
     provisions for the protection of the Home of Franklin D. 
     Roosevelt National Historic Site and the joint use of the 
     facility to be constructed as the Secretary and the Archivist 
     may consider necessary.
       (2) Consideration.--A transfer made pursuant to subsection 
     (a) shall be made without consideration or reimbursement.
       (3) Termination.--If use by the Archivist of the land 
     referred to in subsection (a) is terminated by the Archivist 
     at any time, administrative jurisdiction over the land shall 
     automatically revert to the Department of the Interior.
       (c) Description of Land.--The land referred to in 
     subsection (a) shall consist of not more than 1 acre of land 
     as may be mutually agreed to by the Secretary and the 
     Archivist and more particularly described in the agreement 
     required under subsection (b)(1).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton).
  (Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1104 is a noncontroversial bill that would 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to transfer administrative 
jurisdiction over land within the boundaries of the Home of Franklin D. 
Roosevelt National Historic Site to the Archivist of the United States 
for the construction of a visitor center.
  The visitor center facility would jointly serve the F.D.R. Historic 
Site and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, located in 
Hyde Park, New York. The land transferred is authorized to be not more 
than one acre.
  H.R. 1104 is the result of efforts by the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Sweeney) and retired Congressman Jerry Solomon, also from New 
York.
  This bill is supported by the administration.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. H.R. 1104 is a 
minor housekeeping measure to authorize the National Park Service to 
transfer jurisdiction over approximately one acre of land to the 
National Archives to enable construction of a joint visitor center 
facility at the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde 
Park, NY.
  It is our understanding that the site in question has been mutually 
agreed upon by the two agencies and that the funds have already been 
appropriated to construct the joint-use facility.
  Mr. Speaker, both the National Park Service and the National Archives 
and Records Administration testified in favor of this legislation, and 
we are unaware of any controversy and we support the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) the author of the bill.
  Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for 
yielding me the time and for his support.
  I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller) for his support.
  Finally, I would like to thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), 
the subcommittee chair, for his support.
  I am proud to rise in support of H.R. 1104, the legislation I 
introduced to transfer administrative jurisdiction from the National 
Park Service to the National Archives for the construction of a visitor 
center at the Franklin R. Roosevelt National Historic Site.
  The much anticipated visitor center will serve three area National 
Historic Sites and will be a great addition to the rich history of the 
Nation's Roosevelt era and that of New York's Hudson Valley.
  The 105th Congress provided $8.2 million to the National Archives for 
construction of the much-needed new facility on a one-acre parcel 
within the historic site. However, construction is stalled due to a 
legal snag; and this legislation corrects that snag.
  In short, jurisdiction over this site for the visitor center must be 
transferred from the National Park Service to the National Archives and 
Records Administration before we can begin construction on this long-
awaited visitor center.
  Mr. Speaker, Franklin D. Roosevelt, our Nation's 32nd President, 
lived at his home in Hyde Park, New York, commonly referred to as 
``Springwood,'' for most of his young life.
  While Governor of New York and as President, Mr. Roosevelt frequented 
Springwood often and entertained many dignitaries, including Winston 
Churchill and King George VI.
  Franklin D. Roosevelt was involved in the planning and construction 
of the Presidential library at the site. The F.D.R. Library is the only 
Presidential library that was used by a sitting President for official 
duty.
  F.D.R. was intent on preserving his papers and mementos for future 
generations to cherish and study. Included in his collection are 44,000 
books, photographs, Roosevelt's White House desk and chair, and his 
collection of naval prints, models, and many paintings.
  The F.D.R. Library became the site of the broadcast of Mr. 
Roosevelt's popular fireside chats, and President Roosevelt would 
regularly hold conferences with world leaders in his personal study.
  This legislation enjoys widespread support of the National Park 
Service, the National Archives and Records Administration, the town of 
Hyde Park, the Eleanor Roosevelt Site at Val-Kill, the Franklin and 
Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, Historic Hudson, and the Hudson River 
Valley Greenway.
  All of these organizations and communities have dedicated their time 
and expertise to ensure that this visitor center becomes a reality, and 
I thank them all for their support.
  I look forward to seeing many Americans and all of those who would 
travel and venture to Hyde Park, New York, to seeing the visitor center 
finally become a reality at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1104.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________