Congressional Record, Volume 148 Issue 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)

[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H7-H9]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

TUMACACORI NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK BOUNDARY REVISION ACT OF 2001

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2234) to revise the boundary of the Tumacacori National
Historical Park in the State of Arizona, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 2234

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 ``Tumacacori National
Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) Tumacacori Mission in southern Arizona was declared a
National Monument in 1908 in recognition of its great
historical significance as ``one of the oldest mission ruins
in the southwest''.
(2) In establishing Tumacacori National Historical Park in
1990 to include the Tumacacori Mission and the ruins of the
mission of Los Santos Angeles de Guevavi and the Kino visita
and rancheria of Calabazas, Congress recognized the
importance of these sites ``to protect and interpret, for the
education and benefit of the public, sites in the State of
Arizona associated with the early Spanish missionaries and
explorers of the 17th and 18th centuries''.
(3) Tumacacori National Historical Park plays a major role
in interpreting the Spanish colonial heritage of the United
States.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to protect and interpret the resources associated with
the Tumacacori Mission by revising the boundary of Tumacacori
National Historical Park to include approximately 310 acres
of land adjacent to the park; and
(2) to enhance the visitor experience at Tumacacori by
developing access to these associated mission resources.

SEC. 3. BOUNDARY REVISION, TUMACACORI NATIONAL HISTORICAL
PARK, ARIZONA.

Section 1(b) of Public Law 101-344 (16 U.S.C. 410ss(b)) is
amended--
(1) by inserting after the first sentence the following new
sentence: ``The park shall also consist of approximately 310
acres of land adjacent to the original Tumacacori unit of the
park and

[[Page H8]]

generally depicted on the map entitled `Tumacacori National
Historical Park, Arizona Proposed Boundary Revision 2001',
numbered 310/80,044, and dated July 2001.''; and
(2) in the last sentence--
(A) by striking ``The map'' and inserting ``The maps''; and
(B) by striking ``the offices'' and inserting ``the
appropriate offices''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2234, introduced by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Pastor), would authorize the expansion of the boundary of the
Tumacacori National Historical Park to include 310 acres of adjacent
land. These lands were originally part of a chain of missions
established by the Spanish from north-central Sonora, Mexico, to San
Xavier del Bac near present-day Tucson. In 1908, President Theodore
Roosevelt set aside 9 acres immediately around the church and declared
it a national monument. Since that time, boundaries have been changed
to include other significant missions, and in 1990 the monument was
declared a National Historical Park.
The park's general management plan identifies the need to acquire
these additional lands, which were all a part of the original mission.
The expansion would allow the Park Service to replant the orchard and
add a program with livestock and farming, while enhancing the
development of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. The
current landowners of the property are willing sellers and are
supportive of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation is supported by both the majority and
the minority as well as the administration, and I urge my colleagues to
support the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The Tumacacori Mission was declared a national monument in 1908,
making it one of the first monuments declared in the United States. The
site contains the ruins of the original mission church, which dates
from the 17th century, as well as a limekiln and cemetery. Over time,
the monument was expanded; and in 1990, the area was established as a
National Historical Park.
However, certain features of the compound, including an irrigation
ditch and orchard, lie on private lands adjacent to the park. H.R. 2234
revises the boundary of the park to include an additional 310 acres
which were originally part of the mission. The land is divided into two
parcels and both landowners support the park expansion. It is our
understanding this expansion will allow the National Park Service to
move park facilities away from historic buildings and allow the park to
recreate the mission and orchard as they once appeared.
Tumacacori serves as a cultural and historical touchstone for a
variety of different peoples, including Native American, Spanish,
Mexican, and European cultures. Expansion of this site will allow
improved interpretation and preservation of this valuable area. We
commend our colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor), for his
work on this legislation and support the passage of H.R. 2234.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Arizona (Mr. Pastor).
Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin
Islands for yielding me this time.
As my good friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) and
the ranking member of the subcommittee, has explained, there is a lot
of history in the Tumacacori National Park; and what we are attempting
to do is to extend the boundaries to approximately 310 acres. The
reason we want to do this is that the park's general management plan
calls for the acquisition of additional lands. We want to ensure that
the support facilities, which are greatly needed, can be built on the
site but will not detract from the historical mission.
Also, we want to create a living museum, a living park; and so by
acquiring the land, we will restore orchards that were utilized during
the time that the Spanish were coming to this mission. There are two
large properties now bordering the park. A 90-acre ranch lies to the
south and east and this ranch contains the remains of the historic
orchard and other mission-related cultivated lands. To the north and
east, 220 acres of undeveloped land contain the remains of the mission
fields and sites that now have many artifacts.
The expansion of the park's boundary would allow the Park Service to
further enhance the visitor's experience at Tumacacori by the replanted
orchard and by adding a living history program. We also want to develop
the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail that now exists on
private land between Tumacacori and the town of Tubac.
In this last appropriation bill, in the Department of the Interior
appropriations, which was signed by the President recently, included
was $1 million to construct administration and maintenance facilities
at this park, removing these functions from the viewed historical
areas. This is an important first step taken by this Congress toward
preserving the history of this monumental place and these beautiful
times. I ask the House to now take the next step by increasing the
boundaries of the park.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes to pay tribute to the
chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen). He has
assisted the people of Arizona in the many years that he has been
chairman in the increase of monuments and increase of parks, and so I
want to thank him for his support and his friendship.
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Kolbe).
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time; and I do rise in support of H.R. 2234, the Tumacacori National
Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2001. And in doing so, I want
to pay special tribute to my colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Pastor), whose idea and whose vision has brought this about and which I
believe is making a very significant improvement to this important
historical park.
As has already been mentioned by earlier speakers, the legislation
revises the boundary of this historical park, the Tumacacori National
Historical Park, in southeastern Arizona, to include approximately 310
acres of land which are now adjacent to the park. The park includes
three mission sites that were established by Jesuit Father Kino on the
then-northern frontier of New Spain. And of course this area has a
fascinating history of its relationship with Spain and the Jesuit
missions.
Father Kino established this mission in 1690, and the priests
maintained a presence at the mission for over 150 years. However, when
financial aid from Spain ceased with the Mexican independence in 1821,
all native Spaniards were expelled from Mexico and Tumacacori's last
resident Spanish priest was forced to leave. But the Mexican priests
continued to maintain it, even as Apache raids increased. Then, in
1848, when the soldiers left the nearby town of Tubac, the residents of
Tumacacori followed.
A few years later, in 1853, Tubac and Tumacacori became part of the
United States with the Gadsden Purchase that added it to the territory
of New Mexico and Arizona. It was September 15, 1908, when President
Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed this as a national monument and it was
redesignated as a park in 1990.
Tumacacori is just a few miles from the ranch where I grew up. People
then and people now go to this historic park to tour the mission park
and to go back and visit the late 17th and early 18th centuries. I
remember as a schoolchild many visits to this wonderful place and the
sense of history and culture that it brings to all of us that live
there and to, I think, all the people of the United States.
Today, we are recognizing the importance of this historic site both
for what it was in the 17th century and what it will continue to be in
the 21st century. I am very pleased to support this legislation and
urge its adoption.

[[Page H9]]

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
to highly compliment the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor) and the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) for their dedication to this
legislation and for an informed statement about the history of this
area.
I know it must be beautiful to both gentlemen, and I am sure that
they are very happy it is going to be protected.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to
commend our colleague, Representative Pastor, for his work on this
important legislation.
Given that we are still a comparatively young nation, the list of
sites in the United States dating from the 17th century is a short one.
We must be certain to provide those few we have with the protection
they deserve. This legislation achieves this important goal.
Furthermore, few sites in America speak to the history of such a
broad array of peoples. This area is rich in Native American, Spanish,
Mexican and European culture. Such rich and diverse history must be
preserved and H.R. 2234 will do just that.
Representative Pastor has described to me the annual fiesta held at
the old mission attended by hundreds of people representing each of the
cultures which value this site. I am very pleased that, thanks to
Representative Pastor's diligence, this year's fiesta may take place on
an expanded site that more accurately represents the way this historic
area once looked.
We thank our Republican colleagues for their assistance in moving
this legislation, commend Representative Pastor for his hard work and
urge our colleagues to support H.R. 2234.
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time and urge an ``aye'' vote on the
legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2234, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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.

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