[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 132 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8697-H8698]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        LOWELL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 395) to adjust the boundary of Lowell National Historical 
Park, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 395

       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 ``Lowell National Historical 
     Park Boundary Adjustment Act''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS.

       The Act entitled ``An Act to provide for the establishment 
     of the Lowell National Historical Park in the Commonwealth of 
     Massachusetts, and for other purposes'' approved June 5, 1978 
     (Public Law 95-290; 92 Stat. 290; 16 U.S.C. 410cc et seq.) is 
     amended as follows:
       (1) In section 101(a), by adding a new paragraph after 
     paragraph (2) as follows:
       ``(3) The boundaries of the park are modified to include 
     five parcels of land identified on the map entitled `Boundary 
     Adjustment, Lowell National Historical Park,' numbered 475/
     81,424B and dated September 2004, and as delineated in 
     section 202(a)(2)(G).''.
       (2) In section 202(a)(2), by adding at the end the 
     following new subparagraph:
       ``(G) The properties shown on the map identified in 
     subsection (101)(a)(3) as follows:
       ``(i) 91 Pevey Street.
       ``(ii) The portion of 607 Middlesex Place.
       ``(iii) Eagle Court.
       ``(iv) The portion of 50 Payne Street.
       ``(v) 726 Broadway.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. 
Bordallo) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 395, introduced by Mr. Meehan of Massachusetts and 
supported by the administration, would authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to acquire five small tracts of land totaling less than 1 acre 
to complete development of the Canal Way, a linear park and walkway 
along Lowell's 5.6 mile historic power canal system. The acquisition of 
these tracts will provide the access points necessary for development, 
maintenance and surveillance necessary to complete the Canal Way.
  I urge the adoption of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, the majority has already explained the 
purpose of H.R. 395, which was introduced by my colleague from 
Massachusetts, Representative Marty Meehan.
  This is really a housekeeping measure. The five parcels to be added 
to the park total less than 1 acre. Yes, that is correct, less than 1 
acre. The gentleman from Massachusetts, Representative Meehan, is to be 
commended for his efforts on behalf of the Lowell National Historical 
Park. He has worked diligently to advance the preservation and the 
interpretation of the historic

[[Page H8698]]

resources located at this historical park, and the addition of these 
parcels will help further that goal.

                              {time}  1230

  So, Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 395, and I urge adoption of the 
legislation by the House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
my colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan).
  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, it has been indicated what this bill would 
do relative to small tracts of land.
  I want to say that the Lowell National Historical Park was created in 
1978, and it really created the vision for my hometown of Lowell, 
Massachusetts. Lowell was the cradle of America's industrial 
revolution, and it was determined by this Congress that it was worthy 
of preservation.
  For 30 years, starting in the 1800s, Lowell led the Nation in cotton 
textile production. Harnessing the power of the mighty Merrimack River, 
it gave Lowell the fuel for this Nation's largest manufacturing engine.
  Today, because of the work of so many people in the city of Lowell 
and the National Park Service, the Lowell National Historic Park 
continues to tell the story of America's industrial revolution right in 
Lowell.
  The mark stands as a bridge to the past and a looking glass to the 
future. The same land that hosted textile mills are now home to high-
tech companies and a university where nanotechnology research is 
flourishing.
  The park, the first urban park of the Nation, is also a study in 
contrast. The old brick mills, emblematic of industry and development, 
are surrounded by pristine, open, green space. As the park has 
developed and improved, so too has the community around it. The park 
attracts three-quarters of a million visitors each year, and the ripple 
effect of that is significant.
  Since the park has come into existence, Lowell has been named a 
distinctive designation city by the National Trust for Historic 
Preservation and an all-American city by the National Civic League.
  This bill will keep the progress of this park rolling, allowing the 
last two miles of Lowell's historic canalway to be accessed by the 
public.
  I want to thank the park superintendent Michael Creasey, Peter 
Aucella, and the others who are involved in this project. This is a 
community project that continues this resolve. This legislation is 
important for continued development of the park, and I thank my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support of this 
legislation.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Mr. Meehan from the great 
State of Massachusetts for his diligent work on this piece of 
legislation
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. 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 California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 395.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having 
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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