[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 159 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H11446-H11447]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AUTHORIZING SUITABILITY AND FEASIBILITY STUDY OF DESIGNATING THE ST. 
LOUIS SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL MILITARY MUSEUM AS A UNIT OF THE NATIONAL PARK 
                                 SYSTEM

  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 452) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
study to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the 
Soldiers' Memorial Military Museum located in St. Louis, Missouri, as a 
unit of the National Park System.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 452

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

     SECTION 1. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STUDY REGARDING THE 
                   SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL MILITARY MUSEUM.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
       (1) The Soldiers' Memorial is a tribute to all veterans 
     located in the greater St. Louis area, including Southern 
     Illinois.
       (2) The current annual budget for the memorial is $185,000 
     and is paid for exclusively by the City of St. Louis.
       (3) In 1923, the City of St. Louis voted to spend 
     $6,000,000 to purchase a memorial plaza and building 
     dedicated to citizens of St. Louis who lost their lives in 
     World War I.
       (4) The purchase of the 7 block site exhausted the funds 
     and no money remained to construct a monument.
       (5) In 1933, Mayor Bernard F. Dickmann appealed to citizens 
     and the city government to raise $1,000,000 to construct a 
     memorial building and general improvement of the plaza area 
     and the construction of Soldiers' Memorial began on October 
     21, 1935.
       (6) On October 14, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     officially dedicated the site.
       (7) On Memorial Day in 1938, Mayor Dickmann opened the 
     building to the public.
       (b) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall carry out a 
     study to determine the suitability and feasibility of 
     designating the Soldiers' Memorial Military Museum, located 
     at 1315 Chestnut, St. Louis, Missouri, as a unit of the 
     National Park System.
       (c) Study Process and Completion.--Section 8(c) of Public 
     Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)) shall apply to the conduct and 
     completion of the study required by this section.
       (d) Report.--The Secretary shall submit a report describing 
     the results the study required by this section to the 
     Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Drake) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 452 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to study the suitability and feasibility of designating a military 
memorial in St. Louis as a unit of the National Park System.
  In 1923, the City of St. Louis voted to spend $6 million to purchase 
a memorial plaza and building dedicated to citizens of St. Louis who 
lost their lives in World War I. The purchase of the memorial site 
exhausted the funds. In 1933, the city government raised another $1 
million to construct a memorial building on the site. On October 14, 
1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated the site, 
and the building was open to the public on Memorial Day, 1938.
  Currently, the memorial is administered by the City of St. Louis with 
a budget of $192,000. Local officials have expressed that the memorial 
faces an uncertain future without Federal assistance and would like a 
Federal agency to administer the site. Again, this bill only proposes a 
study of this memorial and the possibility of its becoming a unit of 
the National Park System.
  I urge adoption of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the majority has already explained the purpose of H.R. 
452, which was introduced by my friend and colleague from Missouri (Mr. 
Clay). The gentleman from Missouri is to be commended for his efforts 
to preserve this memorial and museum, which was built to honor those 
who lost their lives in service to our country.
  It is our expectation that the study authorized by H.R. 452 will help 
determine the most appropriate means to preserve and maintain the 
Soldiers' Memorial and thus help to continue to honor the sacrifice of 
those who have fought and died for our country.
  Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 452 and urge its adoption by the House 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), the sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this 
time.
  I want to take a moment to thank the Chairman Pombo and Chairman 
Saxton and Ranking Members Rahall and Christensen for their willingness 
to support and their generous help of their staffers who have worked 
hard to bring the St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial Military Museum bill to 
the floor today.
  H.R. 452, which I sponsored along with Representatives Skelton and 
Carnahan, will authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
study of the feasibility of including the Soldiers' Memorial Military 
Museum in St. Louis among the National Park Service's inventory of 
Federal monuments.
  At a time when our soldiers are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 
American people feel a very special connection to our military forces, 
and the citizens of our Nation have a very real need to visit shrines 
that honor our Nation's veterans.
  The St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial Military Museum is a treasured 
monument to our Nation's veterans. I believe this landmark is truly one 
of the most outstanding memorials ever built in tribute to those who 
have sacrificed their lives in service to our Nation.
  The St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial was initiated by residents of St. 
Louis in the 1920s to honor the brave Americans who lost their lives in 
World War I. After several years of fundraising for land acquisition 
and construction, the monument was dedicated by President Franklin 
Delano Roosevelt on October 14, 1936, and officially opened to the 
public on Memorial Day, 1938.
  The Soldiers' Memorial was a unique place in our Nation's history as 
it is the only structure in St. Louis that is

[[Page H11447]]

known to have been dedicated by a sitting U.S. President. The Soldiers' 
Monument is a national treasure and an architectural masterpiece. 
Designed by one of the 20th Century's foremost art deco sculptors, Mr. 
Walker Hancock, its entrance is flanked by four limestone sculptures 
which symbolize the most important virtues in a soldier's life: 
courage, loyalty, sacrifice and vision, while its ceiling displays a 
mosaic tile in the shape of a large gold star that is dedicated to our 
Nation's Gold Star Mothers.
  The Soldiers' Memorial is an important cultural resource and 
gathering place. It attracts nearly 48,000 visitors each year and 
provides the setting for more than 20 ceremonies annually, including 
changing of command and retirement ceremonies and many patriotic events 
hosted by veterans groups. It is the center of an annual Veterans Day 
Parade and Observance, which is the largest of its kind in the Midwest, 
drawing participants from several surrounding States and presenting 
more than 100 marching units.
  In recent years, the memorial has received support and contributions 
from active military personnel and veterans to help the city of St. 
Louis maintain this cherished structure.
  At this time in our history, we are engaged in a war against 
terrorism. The people of our Nation are mourning more than 2,000 
American service men and women who have given their lives in the Iraq 
War. The American people are anxious to pay tribute to the Nation's 
veterans, and they should have national shrines to commemorate their 
friends and family members who have lost their lives for our Nation.
  It is time for the Federal Government to consider acquiring the St. 
Louis Soldiers' Memorial Military Museum in its inventory of national 
monuments. I believe that a study of this monument would show that it 
is an historically important structure with a national significance.
  H.R. 452 is strongly supported by veterans groups and other civic 
organizations. I hope the Members of this body will endorse this 
important effort to help create a Federal monument to honor our 
Nation's veterans. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this means to share my support 
for H.R. 452, a bill introduced by my good friend and Missouri 
colleague, Congressman Lacy Clay. I was pleased to cosponsor this 
legislation, which would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
study the feasibility of including the St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial 
Military Museum as a part of the National Park System.
  Through the years, the people of St. Louis and the surrounding area 
have visited the St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial to pay tribute to the 
selfless sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. Originally 
constructed to honor Americans who lost their lives during the first 
World War, the monument was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt 
in 1936 and opened to the public in 1938. Since that time, the memorial 
has held a unique place in the history of our state and our country.
  As such, it seems fitting that Congress authorize the Interior 
Secretary to determine whether the St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial should 
be included in America's inventory of national monuments. I hope my 
colleagues agree and will support this sensible legislation offered by 
the gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Clay.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 452.
  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.

                          ____________________