[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STE. GENEVIEVE COUNTY NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE STUDY ACT OF 2005
Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 1728) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the
suitability and feasibility of designating the French Colonial Heritage
Area in the State of Missouri as a unit of the National Park System,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 1728
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ste. Genevieve County
National Historic Site Study Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Area.--The term ``Area'' means Ste. Genevieve County,
Missouri, which includes the Bequette-Ribault, St. Gemme-
Amoureaux, and Wilhauk homes, and the related and supporting
historical assets located in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National
Park Service.
SEC. 3. STUDY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on
which funds are made available to carry out this Act, the
Secretary shall, in consultation with the State of Missouri--
(1) complete a study on the suitability and feasibility of
designating the Area as a unit of the National Park System,
which shall include the potential impact that designation of
the area as a unit of the National Park System is likely to
have on land within the proposed area or bordering the
proposed area that is privately owned at the time that the
study is conducted; and
(2) submit to the Committee on Resources of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a report describing the findings of
the study.
(b) Contents.--The study under subsection (a) shall be
conducted in accordance with Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-
1 et seq.).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
General Leave
Mr. RENZI. 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
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1728, introduced by Congressman Russ Carnahan of
Missouri and amended by the Resources Committee, would authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the feasibility of
designating the French Colonial Heritage Area in eastern Missouri as a
unit of the National Park System. This area contains some of the only
existing examples of the French colonial period settlement in North
America dating to circa 1785.
I urge adoption of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. RAHALL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I do commend the gentleman from Missouri,
Representative Carnahan, for valuing the historic and cultural
resources which make his district unique and for seeking ways to
interpret and share those resources more broadly.
I spoke with him personally on the phone last night. He is in his
district at the current time attending very important activities, but
this legislation is just as important to him. Otherwise, he would be
here speaking on this personally.
If the study we are authorizing today should support such a move, we
look forward to working with Representative Carnahan on legislation to
make this area a unit of the National Park System.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1728.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1728, the
Ste. Genevieve County National Historic Site Study Act of 2005.
This bill will authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the
feasibility of designating areas within Ste. Genevieve County,
Missouri, as a unit of the National Park System.
This study is important to the area, as it will help preserve the
great history in the region.
Ste. Genevieve's historical significance derives from French colonial
settlement in Missouri.
It was an outpost of the French empire and demonstrates France's
efforts to colonize the central region of North America.
Today, Ste. Genevieve remains steeped in French tradition, both
culturally and architecturally.
The historic region in Ste. Genevieve has a rich collection of
resources, including a significant number of 18th century French
colonial structures.
Included in the proposed site study are two of the only five
remaining vertical log houses known to survive in North America.
Built around 1800, each stands together on their original sites,
standing as a reflection of our history, which needs to be preserved
for our future.
In addition to these two homes, historic downtown Ste. Genevieve, as
well as a common field used by French settlers, known as Le Grand
Champ, are further examples of the history and tradition that exists in
Ste. Genevieve County.
This bill is important because the study will not only ensure the
preservation of local colonial history, but it will result in economic
development from increased tourism and entrepreneurship.
I'd like to thank Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member Rahall for their
work on this bill. I would also like to thank my colleague and co-
sponsor, Congresswoman Emerson for her support.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RENZI. 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 Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1728, 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.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and
feasibility of designating portions of Ste. Genevieve County in the
State of Missouri as a unit of the National Park System, and for other
purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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