[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 116 (Thursday, September 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1843-E1844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVINGS SERVICE HERITAGE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 9, 1999

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the United States Life-
Saving Service Heritage Act, legislation to celebrate one of the most 
inspiring periods in America's maritime history. This legislation would 
establish a comprehensive program to inventory, evaluate, document, and 
assist efforts to restore and preserve surviving historic lifesaving 
stations. I am pleased that my Jersey Shore colleague Representative 
Frank LoBiondo has joined me in this effort.
  The history of lifesaving in the United States dates back to 1785, 
when the Massachusetts Humane Society began building huts along the 
Massachusetts coast to aid shipwreck victims. These huts were later 
fitted with surfboats, beachcarts, and other lifesaving equipment. 
Beginning in 1847, the Federal government recognized the importance and 
necessity of lifesaving efforts when Congress provided a series of 
appropriations to establish lifesaving stations equipped to render 
assistance to shipwrecked mariners and their passengers. These stations 
were first established along the Atlantic coast with the assistance of 
Representative William Newell, who during the 31st and 39th Congresses 
represented some of the same areas of New Jersey that I represent 
today. Representative Newell's efforts contributed to the establishment 
of a network of lifesaving stations along the Jersey Shore from Sandy 
Hook to Cape May. In 1871, Congress approved the first appropriation 
for the Federal government to employ crews of lifesavers. On June 18, 
1878, the ``Act to Organize the Life-Saving Service'' was enacted. In 
1915 the Life Saving Service merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to 
form the Coast Guard. At that time, there were over 275 lifesaving 
stations to aid shipwreck victims on the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and 
Great Lakes coasts.
  The volunteer and professional lifesaving personnel who staffed these 
stations risked life and limb to prevent shipwreck casualties. Winslow 
Homer immortalized these great heroes of the American coast in this 
painting The Life Line. Walt Whitman celebrated their inspiring actions 
in the following excerpt of his poem Patrolling Barnegat--

     Through cutting swirl and spray watchful and firm advancing,
     (That in the distance! Is that a wreck? Is the red signal 
           flaring?)
     Slush and sand of the beach tireless till daylight wending,
     Steadily, slowly, through horse roar never remitting,
     Along the midnight edge by those milk-white combs careering,
     A group of dim, weird forms, struggling, the night 
           confronting,
     That savage trinity warily watching.

  An outstanding example of this period survives today in my district. 
The historic Monmouth Beach lifesaving station, established in 1895, is 
a Duluth style station designed by the architect George Tolman. In 
1880, every member of the station's crew was awarded a gold lifesaving 
medal for rescuing victims of two shipwrecks on the same evening. 
Earlier this year, this historic structure was slated for demolition to 
make way for a new parking lot for beachgoers. Fortunately, the entire 
community came together to save this important structure. However, much 
work needs to be done to preserve the station's history and the 
inspiring stories of those who served there.
  It is not certain exactly how many stations like the one in Monmouth 
Beach remain. Many surviving historic lifesaving stations are of rare

[[Page E1844]]

architectural significance, yet they are unfortunately threatened by 
harsh coastal environments, rapid economic development in the coastal 
zone, neglect, and lack of resource for their preservation. The heroic 
actions of America's lifesavers deserve greater recognition, and their 
contributions to America's maritime and architectural history should be 
celebrated.
  That is why I have proposed the United States Life-Saving Service 
Heritage Act. This legislation would provide the resources necessary to 
inventory, document, and evaluate surviving lifesaving stations. It 
would also provide grant funding to assist efforts to protect and 
preserve these maritime treasures.
  The United States Life-Saving Service Heritage Act would authorize 
the National Park Service, through its National Maritime Initiative, to 
inventory, document, and evaluate surviving historic lifesaving 
stations. These activities would be conducted in cooperation with the 
U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association, a Massachusetts based 
non-profit educational organization that works to protect and preserve 
America's lifesaving heritage. This inventory, documentation, and 
evaluation would be similar in nature to a study completed by the Park 
Service in 1994, on historic lighthouses. Under this legislation, the 
Park Service would serve as a clearinghouse of information on 
lifesaving station preservation efforts, which would greatly assist 
public and private efforts to protect these historic structures and the 
maritime heritage that they embody.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to 
celebrate one of the most heroic and inspiring periods in America's 
maritime history.

                                H.R. --

       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 ``United States Life-Saving 
     Service Heritage Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) The United States has a long tradition of heroic 
     efforts to rescue those in peril on the sea.
       (2) Legislation providing appropriations to the Secretary 
     of the Treasury for ``surf boats, rockets, carronades, and 
     other necessary apparatus for the better preservation of life 
     and property from shipwrecks on the coast of New Jersey, 
     between Sandy Hook and Little Egg Harbor'' was approved 
     August 14, 1848 (9 Stat. 322), and was subsequently extended 
     to support volunteer lifesaving efforts on the coast of New 
     Jersey between Little Egg Harbor and Cape May, and in other 
     States and territories.
       (3) Legislation providing appropriations to the Secretary 
     of the Treasury ``for the purpose of more effectively 
     securing life and property on the coast of New Jersey and 
     Long Island . . . and to employ crews of experienced surfmen 
     at such stations'' was approved April 20, 1871 (17 Stat. 12).
       (4) The Life-Saving Service was reorganized by the Congress 
     by enactment of the Act entitled ``An Act to organize the 
     Life-Saving-Service'', approved June 18, 1878 (chapter 265; 
     20 Stat. 163).
       (5) America's lifesaving stations and boats were staffed by 
     brave volunteer and professional lifesavers, who risked life 
     and limb to rescue shipwrecked passengers and crews.
       (6) Many surviving Life-Saving Service stations are of rare 
     architectural significance, yet these historic stations are 
     threatened by harsh coastal environments, rapid economic 
     development in the coastal zone, neglect, and lack of 
     resources for their preservation.
       (7) The heroic actions of Life-Saving Service personnel 
     deserve greater recognition, and their contributions to 
     America's maritime and architectural history should be 
     celebrated through a comprehensive preservation program and 
     greater opportunities for the public's education about the 
     heritage of the Life-Saving Service and related private and 
     public organizations.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the 
     Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to 
     inventory, evaluate, document, and assist in efforts to 
     restore and preserve surviving lifesaving stations and other 
     structures and artifacts dedicated to our forefathers' 
     lifesaving efforts.

     SEC. 3. UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING SERVICE STATION 
                   PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, through the 
     National Maritime Initiative of the National Park Service, 
     shall establish a program in accordance with this section to 
     inventory, evaluate, document, and assist efforts to restore 
     and preserve surviving United States Life-Saving Service 
     stations.
       (b) Inventory, Documentation, and Evaluation.--The 
     Secretary, in cooperation with the U.S. Life-Saving Service 
     Heritage Association, shall--
       (1) survey coastal regions of the United States to identify 
     and prepare an inventory of surviving historic lifesaving 
     stations, boats, and other significant lifesaving equipment;
       (2) document the designs of significant existing structures 
     and lifesaving boats for inclusion in the Historic American 
     Building Survey/Historic American Engineering Record 
     Collection in the Library of Congress; and
       (3) evaluate historic lifesaving stations, including--
       (A) assessing the historic significance, integrity, and 
     condition of surviving historic lifesaving stations;
       (B) making recommendations for outstanding examples of 
     historic lifesaving stations that should be listed on the 
     National Register of Historic Places, or designated as 
     National Historic Landmarks; and
       (C) making recommendations for outstanding examples of 
     lifesaving boats to be included in the Historic American 
     Engineering Record Collection.
       (c) Technical Assistance, Educational Materials, Research 
     Aids, and Other Information.--The Secretary shall--
       (1) serve as a clearinghouse of information for persons 
     interested in restoring and preserving historic lifesaving 
     stations, their boats, and related lifesaving equipment; and
       (2) make available to the public, including through the 
     Internet, educational materials, research aids, guides, 
     bibliographies, and other information regarding the Life-
     Saving Service, Revenue Cutter Service, and related 
     organizations that provided humanitarian assistance to 
     shipwrecked mariners and their passengers, including--
       (A) information on the history and development of the Life-
     Saving Service, the Revenue Cutter Service, predecessor 
     private and State lifesaving organizations such as the Humane 
     Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and early Coast 
     Guard lifesaving and lifeboat stations;
       (B) technical descriptions of lifesaving boats, line-guns, 
     life cars, and beachcarts;
       (C) the inventory, documentation, and evaluation prepared 
     under subsection (b);
       (D) guidance and technical assistance in the listing of 
     historic lifesaving and lifeboat stations on the National 
     Register of Historic Places, or their designation as National 
     Historic Landmarks; and
       (E) guidance and technical assistance in the listing of 
     historic lifesaving boats in the Historic American 
     Engineering Record Collection.
       (d) Grants.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary, subject to the availability 
     of appropriations, shall make grants to coordinate and assist 
     in the restoration and preservation of historic lifesaving 
     stations, historic lifesaving boats, and other significant 
     lifesaving artifacts.
       (2) Cost share.--The Federal share of the cost of an 
     activity carried out with financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of 
     the activity.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Historic lifesaving station.--The term ``historic 
     lifesaving station'' means any land, structure, equipment, or 
     other physical artifact or facility formerly under the 
     jurisdiction or control of the Life-Saving Service or any 
     earlier private or State organizations, including lifesaving 
     and lifeboat stations, sailors' refuges, shipwreck survivors' 
     cache sites, boats, and beachcarts.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the National Maritime 
     Initiative of the National Park Service.
       (3) U.S. life-saving service heritage association.--The 
     term ``U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association'' means 
     the national nonprofit educational organization by that name 
     established under the laws of the Commonwealth of 
     Massachusetts for the purposes and objectives of meeting and 
     preserving America's lifesaving heritage.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary--
       (1) for use in making grants under subsection (d), 
     $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2004; and
       (2) for carrying out the other provisions of this section 
     $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2004.

     

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