[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 3, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11033-S11034]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BYRD (for himself and Mr. Rockefeller):
  S. 1576. A bill to revise the boundary of Harpers Ferry National 
Historical Park, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to expand 
the park boundaries for the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. 
Harpers Ferry, located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah 
Rivers, is one of West Virginia's jewels. Its place in American 
history, coupled with the natural scenic beauty of the park and its 
surroundings, make for a one-of-a-kind experience for local residents 
and visitors alike. Now is the time to move forward with that effort.
  Harpers Ferry has been the backdrop for remarkable historic events. 
Here, in one setting, several themes in America's story converge: 
exploration, industry and transportation, the question of slavery, the 
Civil War, and the natural splendor of our Nation.
  We are taught that the Lewis and Clark Expedition began in Wood 
River, IL, on the Mississippi River in 1804. But, in fact, Harpers 
Ferry also contributed to that important historic expedition by 
providing a cache of supplies that helped sustain these brave explorers 
as they traveled to the Pacific Ocean and back.
  One of Harpers Ferry's most famous incidents occurred in 1859 when 
the fierce abolitionist leader John Brown and a small band of raiders 
held Federal troops at bay in the Federal arsenal. John Brown's capture 
fueled the growing tensions on the issue of slavery.
  The property includes the operational Baltimore & Ohio train station, 
and it borders a part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Both the 
railroad and the canal made Harpers Ferry a key transit point during 
the Civil War.
  In September 1862, 37,000 Union and Confederate troops wrestled for 
the control of Harpers Ferry. Over the course of 4 days, a famous West 
Virginian, GEN Thomas Jonathan ``Stonewall'' Jackson, battled Union 
troops that were under the leadership of COL Dixon Miles in the area of 
Schoolhouse Ridge and Bolivar Heights. When it was over, the largest 
surrender of Union soldiers, 12,500 in all, occurred. Jackson's victory 
allowed GEN Robert E. Lee to carry his fight further to Sharpsburg, MD, 
where the bloodiest single day battle of the Civil War the Battle of 
Antietam--was fought.
  Harpers Ferry's rich history is matched only by its great natural 
beauty. Throughout the year, residents and visitors alike can be seen 
enjoying fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting, canoeing, 
kayaking, and much more in this scenic park. In the summer of 2001, the 
Peregrine Falcon Restoration Project began at the park. Since that 
time, 12 peregrine falcon chicks have been released across the Potomac 
River on Maryland Heights. This and other efforts are underway to 
restore these incredible raptors to their native nesting sites in the 
Appalachian region.
  Today, the park is home to a vast array of outdoor and recreational 
opportunities. The historical, recreational, and ecological 
significance

[[Page S11034]]

suggests that the time is right to expand the boundaries of Harpers 
Ferry National Historic Park. The boundary expansion has the support of 
a number of groups, including the Friends of Harpers Ferry, the Harpers 
Ferry Conservancy, and the Civil War Preservation Trust.
  Harpers Ferry became a part of the National Park System in 1944. My 
legislation would expand its boundary by 1,240 acres, from its current 
2,505 acres to 3,745 acres. In order to educate local residents about 
the expansion process, I directed the National Park Service, in the 
year 2000, to conduct a public outreach program. As part of that 
program, the Park Service asked for public response to potential 
expansion. Since the publication of the study, some lands have been 
purchased under the current acquisition ceiling. Further, the larger 
expansion proposal, which would be authorized by the passage of my 
legislation, has the strong support of 94 percent of the responders.
  So, Mr. President, we must do all that we can to protect such very 
special places. Therefore, I am proud to introduce this legislation 
that I hope will protect an important place for West Virginia and the 
Nation as a whole.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
                                 ______