[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 30, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H1701-H1702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MUSCLE SHOALS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA, ALABAMA

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2628) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
study of the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Muscle 
Shoals National Heritage Area in Alabama, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2628

       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 ``Muscle Shoals National 
     Heritage Area Study Act of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. STUDY.

       The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with 
     appropriate State historic preservation officers, States 
     historical societies, and other appropriate organizations, 
     shall conduct a study regarding the suitability and 
     feasibility of designating the study area described in 
     section 3 as the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. The 
     study shall include analysis, documentation, and 
     determination regarding whether the study area--
       (1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and cultural 
     resources that together represent distinctive aspects of 
     American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, 
     interpretation, and continuing use, and are best managed 
     through partnerships among public and private entities and by 
     combining diverse and sometimes noncontiguous resources and 
     active communities;
       (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife 
     that are a valuable part of the national story;
       (3) provides outstanding opportunities to conserve natural, 
     historic, cultural, or scenic features;
       (4) provides outstanding recreational and educational 
     opportunities;
       (5) contains resources important to the identified theme or 
     themes of the study area that retain a degree of integrity 
     capable of supporting interpretation;
       (6) includes residents, business interests, nonprofit 
     organizations, and local and State governments that are 
     involved in the planning, have developed a conceptual 
     financial plan that outlines the roles of all participants 
     (including the Federal Government), and have demonstrated 
     support for the concept of a national heritage area;
       (7) has a potential management entity to work in 
     partnership with residents, business interests, nonprofit 
     organizations, and local and State governments to develop a 
     national heritage area consistent with continued local and 
     State economic activity; and
       (8) has a conceptual boundary map that is supported by the 
     public.

     SEC. 3. BOUNDARIES OF THE STUDY AREA.

       The study area referred to in section 2 shall be comprised 
     of the following:
       (1) The part of the Tennessee River's watershed in northern 
     Alabama.
       (2) The cities of Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and 
     Muscle Shoals City, Alabama.
       (3) The towns of Anderson, Cherokee, Courtland, Leighton, 
     Lexington, Littleville, Red Bay, Rogersville, Russellville, 
     Town Creek, and Waterloo, Alabama, and their environs.
       (4) Colbert, Lauderdale, Franklin, and Lawrence Counties, 
     Alabama.
       (5) Other areas that have heritage aspects that are similar 
     to those aspects that are in the areas described in 
     paragraphs (1) through (4) and which are adjacent to or in 
     the vicinity of those areas.

     SEC. 4. REPORT.

       Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which funds 
     are first made available for this Act, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall submit to the Committee on Resources of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the findings, 
     conclusions, and recommendations of the study.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2628, introduced by the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. 
Cramer) would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study 
to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Muscle 
Shoals National Heritage Area in northwest Alabama.
  Mr. Speaker, the city of Muscle Shoals and the surrounding area of 
northwest Alabama has played an integral part in shaping many aspects 
of Alabama and southern culture.

                              {time}  1500

  It is the birthplace of Helen Keller, setting for Henry Ford's 
utopian 75-Mile City, which inspired Frank Lloyd Wright's Broadacre 
City, a number of Victorian arts and crafts residences, and plays host 
to the annual music festival named for blues musician W. C. Handy. It 
is also the home of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the first piece of 
the New Deal legislation. A number of historic trails also transverse 
the area, including the Natchez Trail and the Trail of Tears.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2628 is supported by both the majority and the 
minority of the committee and the administration. I urge my colleagues 
to support H.R. 2628.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2628, introduced by my colleague, the gentleman 
from Alabama (Mr. Cramer), would direct the Secretary of the Interior 
to do a National Heritage Area study of the Muscle Shoals area of 
northern Alabama. The Muscle Shoals area has a long history of 
industry, transportation and music, among other things.
  When the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands 
held a hearing on H.R. 2628 earlier this year, the National Park 
Service testified in support of the study. Our other witnesses, 
including the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Cramer), also detailed and 
expanded upon the history of the Muscle Shoals area for the 
subcommittee. It is obvious that the communities of the Muscle Shoals 
area value their heritage and are looking for ways to maintain and 
enhance the historical and natural resources of the area.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2628 is a good bill. It is also noncontroversial. I 
support the passage of the legislation and urge its favorable 
consideration by the House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Alabama (Mr. Cramer), the sponsor of this measure.
  Mr. CRAMER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Committee on Resources 
and the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands 
for moving H.R. 2628, which is my bill, as well as the chairman, the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), and the ranking member, the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen), very much for 
their consideration.
  Both the chairman and the ranking member have made reference to this 
unique area of Alabama that has an extraordinary history. H.R. 2628 
would allow us to do a study to determine the feasibility of collecting 
that history and naming our area a national heritage study area. It was 
passed by the

[[Page H1702]]

committee itself by unanimous consent, so it is a very uncontroversial 
piece.
  This area of northwest Alabama is adjacent to the State of Tennessee 
and the State of Mississippi as well, so my colleagues in the House, 
the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) and the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), both are cosponsors of this piece of 
legislation.
  As the chairman referred to and the ranking member referred to in 
their remarks about H.R. 2628, this area of northwest Alabama has an 
extraordinary history of involvement. Native Americans were active in 
this particular area, and we have an Indian Mound Museum there that is 
one of the most extraordinary museums in the country.
  As we move on through history, the Tennessee River has defined our 
area culturally as well as in terms of transportation issues as well. 
In the early 1920s, the Wilson Locks and Dam was built there even 
before TVA came into existence. At the time it was the largest lock and 
dam on the Tennessee River and one of the largest dams in the country 
as well.
  President Roosevelt visited that area and was so impressed by the 
potential that he saw there that he was inspired to form the Tennessee 
Valley Authority, which has given us a significant part of our 
prosperity there, not only in the State of Alabama but in Tennessee and 
the entire region as well.
  But as the chairman referred to, we are the home of the W. C. Handy 
Festival. That is a blues festival. W. C. Handy, unbeknownst to a lot 
of people in the country, is the ``Father of the blues.'' He was born 
in Florence, Alabama, which is located in northwest Alabama. This 
festival has existed for 20 years and has brought thousands of music 
specialists from all over the country.
  We have a verbal history that is available in our area of the music 
tradition that is there. Now, the Muscle Shoals Studio was a recent era 
of music that really was born out of the blues era. It is a sound 
recording studio that has been used by many musicians around the world. 
All of that kind of heritage was started back in the early 1920s and 
built on from there as well. So this feasibility study would give us 
the chance to catalogue a lot of that information.
  Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. That is within 5 miles 
of this Tennessee River, and within 10 miles of Florence, Alabama as 
well. Her home, Ivy Green, was preserved as a museum. There is a Helen 
Keller Festival there as well. A lot of Helen Keller relatives come 
back to that area to this particular festival.
  Jesse Owens was born in Lawrence County, again, another 7 miles from 
the very center of the area we are talking about. There is a museum to 
celebrate his contributions to American history there as well.
  The Frank Lloyd Wright structures we have in this area all combine to 
give our area of Alabama a unique history which we think is deserving 
of this declaration as a National Heritage Area study place.
  I want to thank again the committee for giving us this opportunity, 
and I urge my colleagues to pass this important bill, H.R. 2628.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2628.
  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.

                          ____________________