[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 24, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H6519-H6520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           VANCOUVER NATIONAL HISTORIC RESERVE AUTHORIZATION

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2099) to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management 
Act of 1996 to provide adequate funding authorization for the Vancouver 
National Historic Reserve, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2099

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

     SECTION 1. INCREASE IN AUTHORIZATION FOR RESERVE.

       Section 502(d) of division I of the Omnibus Parks and 
     Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; 110 
     Stat. 4154) is amended by striking ``$5,000,000'' and all 
     that follows through the period and inserting ``$15,000,000 
     for development costs associated with capital projects 
     consistent with the cooperative management plan, except that 
     the Federal share of such development costs shall not exceed 
     50 percent of the total costs.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) 
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. 2099, introduced by the gentleman from Washington 
(Mr. Baird) and amended by the Committee on Resources, increases the 
funding authorization for the Vancouver National Historic Reserve to 
$15 million for development costs associated with capital projects 
consistent with the cooperative management plans for the site, and the 
Federal share of such costs will not exceed 50 percent of the total 
costs. The changes made by the committee concur with the actions by the 
other body on S. 1649.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2099, as amended, is supported by both the majority 
and the minority. I urge Members to support H.R. 2099, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the majority has already explained this legislation. We 
support it. I urge its passage, and I commend the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Baird) for the gentleman's leadership in bringing this 
bill to our attention.
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2099, 
legislation that would increase by $10 million the authorization for 
federal spending on preserving and rehabilitating the Vancouver 
National Historic Reserve.
  Fort Vancouver, located on the banks of the Columbia River, is 
perhaps the most significant historic site in the Pacific Northwest. It 
is rich in national historic and cultural significance, pre-dating the 
arrival of Lewis and Clark through the mid-20th century. Before the 
arrival of the American traders and well before the Lewis and Clark 
expedition arrived, this site on the shore of the Columbia River was 
home to a variety of Native American Indian tribes for over 10,000 
years, including the Cascades, Chehalis, Chinook, Clallam, Cowlitz, 
Klickitat, Nisqually, Tillamook, and Shasta tribes. Fort Vancouver was 
also headquarters

[[Page H6520]]

for the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department, embracing present-
day British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The trading post, 
which was the center of the region's fur trading enterprise, 
represented Britain's business and governmental interests in 
competition with the United States. The 1846 treaty between Great 
Britain and the United States established today's northern-most 
boundary at the 49th parallel.
  The Vancouver Barracks was established in 1849 when the first 
contingent of U.S. Army troops arrived in the newly acquired American 
lands. From 1849 until World War I, during which time some of the 
Army's most promising officers (including Ulysses S. Grant, Phillip 
Sheridan, George McClellan and George C. Marshall) were stationed at 
Vancouver, the barracks was the principal military headquarters for the 
Pacific Northwest. As a result of its national significance, the site 
was designated by Congress as a National Historic Monument in 1948, and 
later as a National Historic Site. The 55-acre Vancouver Barracks 
contains 32 structures, many of which have been determined to be 
eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, 
including several rare examples of military architecture.
  The Vancouver National Historic Reserve was designated by Congress in 
1996 for the coordinated preservation, public use and management of 
historic sites within the Vancouver area. The Reserve was established 
as a partnership among the landowners in the Reserve, which include the 
National Park Service, the City of Vancouver, the U.S. Army and the 
Washington State Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. The 
366 acre Historic Reserve contains the Fort Vancouver National Historic 
Site, Vancouver Barracks, Officers Row, Pearson Field, the Water 
Resources Center and portions of the Columbia river waterfront.

  H.R. 2099 seeks to preserve the Vancouver Barracks for future 
generations. The 1996 Act that created the Historic Reserve provided an 
initial $5 million authorization for capital projects, which has been 
fully appropriated. It is important to note that a provision was 
included in the Fiscal Year 2002 Interior Appropriations bill which 
essentially says there would be no further federal appropriations for 
capital projects within the Vancouver National Historic Reserve unless 
and until a new ``authorization'' for capital projects is approved by 
Congress. Of great importance to my congressional district, to the 
Pacific Northwest and our nation, H.R. 2099, as amended by the House 
Resources Committee, would increase from $5 million to $15 million the 
authorization of appropriations for development costs associated with 
capital projects at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve.
  For over half a century local, state and federal government agencies, 
along with numerous private individuals and organizations, have been 
collaborating to preserve and interpret the history of the Vancouver 
area and the region. During the past 15 years, in excess of $30 million 
has been invested in property improvements and projects within the 
present Historic Reserve boundaries. The federal government has 
provided approximately 25% of the capital funds for these efforts. The 
remaining 75% has been provided by local and state governments, 
foundations such as the locally based Vancouver National Historic 
Trust, and numerous other individuals businesses and not-for-profit 
organizations.
  The Vancouver Barracks adaptive Reuse and Economic Analysis completed 
in early 2000 determined the need for additional rehabilitation of 
buildings and adaptations necessary for new uses in the West Barracks 
area. The City of Vancouver has committed $6 million for infrastructure 
improvements, the state of Washington has committed $6 million for 
educational uses, and private donations will make up an additional $8 
million for building preservation efforts. The increase in federal 
authorization of $10 million that is contained in H.R. 2099 will be 
used to match non-federal funding for the West Barracks project. This 
federal funding has been deemed key to successful private fund-raising 
efforts, securing tenants for the property, minimizing the impact of 
inflation and avoiding additional serious property deterioration.
  Finally, I would like to give a word of thanks to our partners who 
have helped us get to this point. I would be remiss if I did not thank 
Chairmen Hansen and Radanovich and Representatives Rahall and 
Christensen for their assistance in bringing this bill to the House 
floor for consideration. On behalf of all the community leaders who 
have worked on this project, I want to especially thank Vancouver Mayor 
Royce Pollard and Bruce Hagensen, the former Mayor and current Board 
Member of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage passage of H.R. 2099.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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. 2099, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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