[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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