[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 131 (Tuesday, September 23, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H8424-H8425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DIRECTING SECRETARY OF INTERIOR TO CONDUCT STUDY TO DETERMINE NATIONAL 
    SIGNIFICANCE OF MIAMI CIRCLE IN FLORIDA AND OF ITS INCLUSION IN 
         NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AS PART OF BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 111) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 
a special resource study to determine the national significance of the 
Miami Circle site in the State of Florida as well as the suitability 
and feasibility of its inclusion in the National Park System as part of 
Biscayne National Park, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 111

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

     SECTION 1. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

       (a) Study.--Not later than 3 years after the date funds are 
     made available, the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter 
     referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct a special 
     resource study to determine the national significance of the 
     Miami Circle archaeological site in Miami-Dade County, 
     Florida (hereinafter referred to as ``Miami Circle''), as 
     well as the suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in 
     the National Park System as part of the Biscayne National 
     Park. In conducting the study, the Secretary shall consult 
     with the appropriate American Indian tribes and other 
     interested groups and organizations.
       (b) Content of Study.--In addition to determining national 
     significance, feasibility, and suitability, the study shall 
     include the analysis and recommendations of the Secretary 
     on--
       (1) any areas in or surrounding the Miami Circle that 
     should be included in Biscayne National Park;
       (2) whether additional staff, facilities, or other 
     resources would be necessary to administer the Miami Circle 
     as a unit of Biscayne National Park; and
       (3) any effect on the local area from the inclusion of 
     Miami Circle in Biscayne National Park.
       (c) Submission of Report.--Not later than 30 days after 
     completion of the study, the Secretary shall submit a report 
     on the findings and recommendations of the study to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and 
     the Committee on Resources of the United States House of 
     Representatives.

     SEC. 2. 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 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi).
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 111, introduced by Senator Bob Graham of Florida, and 
passed by the Senate earlier this year, would authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the 
national significance of the Miami Circle as well as the suitability 
and feasibility of its inclusion as part of the Biscayne National Park.
  Miami Circle, a 2.2-acre archeological site discovered in 1998, is 
presumed to have been constructed by the Tequesta Indians about 2,000 
years ago. The Tequesta Indians are thought to be among the first 
people to establish permanent villages in southeast Florida.
  The bill is supported by the administration and the majority and the 
minority of the committee, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 111.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 111 authorizes a special resource study to determine 
the national significance of the Miami Circle as well as the 
feasibility of including the site in the Biscayne National Park. Miami 
Circle is an archeological site discovered in 1998, located in Miami-
Dade County, Florida. The most important features of the site are 24 
large basin-holes carved into the limestone bedrock forming a circle 
approximately 38 feet in diameter. The circle is thought to be the 
footprint of a structure built by Native Americans and may date back 
2,000 years.
  Our former colleague, Representative Carrie Meek, worked tirelessly 
on this legislation, and now her successor in this office, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) has taken up the banner for this 
important project. We are eager to see this study move forward as a 
small part of the huge legacy that has remained after Ms. Meek's 
retirement, and because the historical and culture resources present at 
this site are potentially invaluable.
  Mr. Speaker, this measure passed the Senate by unanimous consent and 
passed the House during the previous Congress, and so we urge our 
colleagues to support S. 111 at this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Meek).

[[Page H8425]]

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the 
Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) for yielding me this time. I also 
wish to thank the members of this committee and the chairman of the 
Committee on Resources, the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), as 
well as the chairman of the subcommittee. Additional thanks to the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), the ranking member of the 
Committee on Resources. I met both of them in the course of 
consideration of this legislation, and I am very much appreciative of 
the fact that with their assistance, we were able to move this 
legislation forward to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, this is very important to every Floridian and should be 
important to every American as it relates to the Tequesta Indians and 
what they were able to do in such a time, in prehistoric time, as 
relates to having a sun dial, or a dial to be able to determine the 
months of the year or the time of day. This is definitely something 
that we find is a gift in south Florida.
  Those individuals that believe in preservation in Florida put 
together their resources to make sure we make it to this point. I would 
like to commend Senator Bob Graham of Florida for bringing this bill 
up. I would like to also commend Congresswoman Carrie Meek for her work 
in the last Congress in bringing this bill to the floor. I would also 
like to thank the Florida delegation for its work in a bipartisan way 
to make sure this bill made it to the floor and supporting it as 
cosponsors.
  This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
feasibility study on the possibility of inclusion of the Miami Circle, 
which we call it now, as a part of the National Park System, as a part 
of Biscayne Bay National Park. The Circle is truly a wonderful historic 
site. In 1998, workers preparing land for development at the mouth of 
the Miami River noticed a strange circle formation in the limestone 
bedrock, which we call the Miami Circle.

                              {time}  1545

  The circle itself is 38 feet in diameter within a 2.2-acre 
archaeological site in downtown Miami. It is very interesting because 
the developers, when they stumbled upon this site, thought it was quite 
interesting, and individuals in Miami raised almost $2.4 million to be 
able to purchase the land.
  Mr. Speaker, this would point the National Park Service into 
conducting a study and must give consideration to be able to add this 
to Biscayne National Park, which is one of our national treasures.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to vote for this bill to allow it to 
become law so we can preserve and learn more about what these Tequesta 
Indians put together almost 2,000 years ago, which is definitely a part 
of our civilization.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge 
the passage of S. 111, a bill to study the inclusion of the Miami 
Circle in the Biscayne National Park. This important archaeological 
site must be preserved for education and cultural benefit.
  Over 2,000 years ago, the Tequesta civilizations inhabited the 
Biscayne and Miami Circle areas in what is present-day Miami. Although 
at times numbering only 800 inhabitants, the Tequesta were one of the 
largest South Florida civilizations. Their marine village consisted of 
a complex network of jobs, including set tasks for fishing and 
gathering of food. As a result of disease and territory disputes, the 
Tequesta began to lose power and eventually all but disappear in the 
early 1800's, but their society remains a historical part of South 
Florida.
  While speculation continues on the use of the Miami Circle site, its 
archaeological importance is unquestioned. Many scholars believe that 
the site was used as a large astronomical tool or a center of culture 
in their society. On a national scale, the Miami Circle deserves 
preservation as the only cut-in-rock prehistoric footprint in the 
United States. While many of the smaller Tequesta sites are included in 
Biscayne Bay National park, this new site which is thought to house the 
bulk of the civilization remains an unprotected treasure.
  Mr. Speaker, S.111 is a good bill and one that will continue the 
efforts of this Congress to preserve our important historical places 
across the Nation. To study the inclusion of the Miami Circle in the 
Biscayne National Park is a significant step towards our goals and I 
urge its passage.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona 
(Mr. Renzi) and the Republican members of the committee for their 
strong support for this bill, which has been a bipartisan effort, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 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 Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 111.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. RENZI. 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, 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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