[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 118 (Monday, September 13, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H8112-H8113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE ACT
Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 658) to establish the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in
the State of New York as an affiliated area of the National Park
System, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 658
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Thomas
Cole National Historic Site Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 4. Establishment of Thomas Cole National Historic Site.
Sec. 5. Retention of ownership and management of historic site by
Greene County Historical Society.
Sec. 6. Administration of historic site.
Sec. 7. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act:
(1) The term ``historic site'' means the Thomas Cole
National Historic Site established by section 4 of this Act.
(2) The term ``Hudson River artists'' means artists who
were associated with the Hudson River school of landscape
painting.
(3) The term ``plan'' means the general management plan
developed pursuant to section 6(d).
(4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the
Interior.
(5) The term ``Society'' means the Greene County Historical
Society of Greene County, New York, which owns the Thomas
Cole home, studio, and other property comprising the historic
site.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The Hudson River school of landscape painting was
inspired by Thomas Cole and was characterized by a group of
19th century landscape artists who recorded and celebrated
the landscape and wilderness of America, particularly in the
Hudson River Valley region in the State of New York.
(2) Thomas Cole is recognized as America's most prominent
landscape and allegorical painter of the mid-19th century.
(3) Located in Greene County, New York, the Thomas Cole
House, also known as Thomas Cole's Cedar Grove, is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places and has been
designated as a National Historic Landmark.
(4) Within a 15 mile radius of the Thomas Cole House, an
area that forms a key part of the rich cultural and natural
heritage of the Hudson River Valley region, significant
landscapes and scenes painted by Thomas Cole and other Hudson
River artists, such as Frederic Church, survive intact.
(5) The State of New York has established the Hudson River
Valley Greenway to promote the preservation, public use, and
enjoyment of the natural and cultural resources of the Hudson
River Valley region.
(6) Establishment of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site
will provide opportunities for the illustration and
interpretation of cultural themes of the heritage of the
United States and unique opportunities for education, public
use, and enjoyment.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to preserve and interpret the home and studio of Thomas
Cole for the benefit, inspiration, and education of the
people of the United States;
(2) to help maintain the integrity of the setting in the
Hudson River Valley region that inspired artistic expression;
(3) to coordinate the interpretive, preservation, and
recreational efforts of Federal, State, and other entities in
the Hudson Valley region in order to enhance opportunities
for education, public use, and enjoyment; and
(4) to broaden understanding of the Hudson River Valley
region and its role in American history and culture.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
(a) Establishment.--There is established, as an affiliated
area of the National Park System, the Thomas Cole National
Historic Site in the State of New York.
(b) Description.--The historic site shall consist of the
home and studio of Thomas Cole, comprising approximately 3.4
acres, located at 218 Spring Street, in the village of
Catskill, New York, as generally depicted on the boundary map
numbered TCH/80002, and dated March 1992.
SEC. 5. RETENTION OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF HISTORIC
SITE BY GREENE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The Greene County Historical Society of Greene County, New
York, shall continue to own, administer, manage, and operate
the historic site.
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.
(a) Applicability of National Park System Laws.--The
historic site shall be administered in a manner consistent
with this Act and all laws generally applicable to units of
the National Park System, including the Act of August 25,
1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.; commonly known as the National
Park Service Organic Act), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16
U.S.C. 461 et seq.; commonly known as the Historic Sites,
Buildings, and Antiquities Act).
(b) Cooperative Agreements.--
(1) Assistance to society.--The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements with the Society to preserve the
Thomas Cole House and other structures in the historic site
and to assist with education programs and research and
interpretation of the Thomas Cole House and associated
landscapes.
(2) Other assistance.--To further the purposes of this Act,
the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the
State of New York, the Society, the Thomas Cole Foundation,
and other public and private entities to facilitate public
understanding and enjoyment of the lives and works of the
Hudson River artists through the provision of assistance to
develop, present, and fund art exhibits, resident artist
programs, and other appropriate activities related to the
preservation, interpretation, and use of the historic site.
(c) Artifacts and Property.--The Secretary may acquire
personal property associated with, and appropriate for, the
interpretation of the historic site.
(d) General Management Plan.--Within two complete fiscal
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall develop a general management plan for the
historic site with the cooperation of the Society. Upon the
completion of the plan, the Secretary shall provide a copy of
the plan to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of
the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of
Representatives. The plan shall include recommendations for
regional wayside exhibits, to be carried out through
cooperative agreements with the State of New York and other
public and private entities. The plan shall be prepared in
accordance with section 12(b) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C.
1a-1 et seq.; commonly known as the National Park System
General Authorities Act).
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are
necessary to carry out this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr.
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).
Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. SHERWOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 658 would establish the Thomas Cole
Historic Site in the State of New York as an affiliated area of the
National Park System. This bill is the result of the dedication of the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) and retired Congressman Jerry
Solomon, also from New York, who worked hard to protect this historic
site. The Thomas Cole House is currently listed on the National
Register of Historic Places and has been designated as a national
historic landmark. H.R. 658 also authorizes the Secretary to enter into
cooperative agreements with both public and private entities relating
to the preservation, the interpretation and use of this historic site.
One of the private entities, the Greene County Historical Society,
shall continue to own, manage and operate this historic site.
This bill also directs the historical society with assistance from
the Secretary to develop a management plan for the site within 2 fiscal
years of enactment. This bill is supported by the administration, and I
urge my colleagues to support H.R. 658.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R.658 establishes the Thomas Cole National Historic
Site in the State of New York as an affiliated area of the National
Park System.
Mr. Thomas Cole, who lived from 1801 to 1848, was the founder of an
American artistic movement known as the Hudson River School. Mr. Cole
painted landscapes of the American wilderness. Students and followers
included such artists as Frederick Church, Alfred Dierstadt, and Thomas
Moran. This school of painting, with its focus on natural landscapes,
is closely associated with the beginning of the conservation movement.
The Thomas Cole property, known as Cedar Grove, is located in
Catskill, New York. Originally encompassing 88
[[Page H8113]]
acres, the home and grounds now occupy 3.4 acres. The property has been
designated a national historic landmark. In 1991, the National Park
Service completed a suitability and a feasibility study of the Thomas
Cole property.
{time} 1445
Legislation dealing with the Thomas Cole property has been around
since the early 1900s. Hearings were held on a nearly identical bill,
H.R. 1301, in the 105th Congress. That legislation was favorably
reported by the Committee on Resources, passed the House last
September, but unfortunately, action was not completed on the measure
prior to adjournment.
Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Resources adopted a minor amendment to
H.R. 658 that made a clarifying change requested by the National Park
Service. We believe this is a good change in the bill, and support the
bill. I do urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Again, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Sherwood) for his management of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Sweeney).
Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my good
friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood), for bringing up
this legislation, and also thanking the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman
Young) of the Committee on Rules, the subcommittee chairman, the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the ranking member, the gentleman
from Puerto Rico (Mr. Romero-Barcelo), and my friends on the other side
for their assistance here.
This legislation, as has been said, Mr. Speaker, would allow the
Greene County Historical Society to remain as owners and operators of
the Thomas Cole House while establishing the site as an affiliated area
of the national park system.
Essentially what this legislation does, it allows for the historical
society to develop interpretive programs related to the facility. It
also requires an annual general management plan by the historical
society. Both of these things I think are very important to the
continued health and welfare of the Thomas Cole House.
I am a strong supporter of preserving our national historical sites
generally, and specifically here as it relates to the Thomas Cole
House. The circumstances of the Thomas Cole House make this an
important piece of legislation, given its age. It is a true national
treasure in the heart of one of the most scenic areas of the Nation,
New York's Hudson River Valley.
As has been stated, Thomas Cole was one of the country's preeminent
landscape painters in the earlier 19th century. His work inspired
generations of artists, including Frederick Church and Thomas Moran, to
chronicle the growth of the young United States and help to generate
interest in our country's natural beauty.
Today the paintings provide insight and reflect the growth of what is
the uniquely American spirit. In passing this legislation, we will
preserve this school of art and the very residence Thomas Cole worked
from within in creating many of his paintings, as well as the
landscapes these artists painted of the beautiful Hudson River Valley.
Last year the legislation passed the House. It was not passed by the
Senate point. That was because there was some language in the bill that
the Senate objected to regarding the purchase by the Secretary of the
Interior of the paintings and artwork. We have revised that and made
amendments to make that language more palatable. I am confident that
the Senate will pass it this year.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the committee and the National
Park Service for their assistance, as well as the local organizations
in my district who worked strenuously to see this bill passed, and who
worked as a partnership to ensure the continuation of the Thomas Cole
House. I look forward to seeing the Thomas Cole site become an
important addition to the National Park Service.
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation that
will provide the Thomas Cole National Historic Site with appropriate
federal recognition and assistance. It is appropriate because Thomas
Cole continues to be a major figure in our nation's history, and an
important influence on many Americans who would not recognize his name.
As founder of the Hudson River School of American Painting, Thomas
Cole stood at the beginning of a long line of artists who taught
Americans to love and appreciate dramatic landscapes. It is hard for us
now to imagine a time when places like the Hudson Highlands, the Grand
Canyon, and the mountain peaks of the east and west were not treasured,
but that was largely the case before Thomas Cole's time. They were
regarded as obstacles or places of danger. His paintings showed people
they were beautiful; his allegories invested them with meaning. If it
were not for Thomas Cole, we might not have our national parks today;
we would almost certainly not have our long tradition of landscape art.
I hope this legislation will enable more people to learn about Thomas
Cole and his followers and the history of how our people came to
appreciate the beauty of nature and the landscape. I further hope it
will bring more people to the Hudson Valley that Cole loved and
painted, and educate them about the role that the Hudson Valley--
through its natural features, its people, and its history--has had in
defining our country's vision of itself.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Foley). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 658, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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