[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 37 (Monday, March 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2132-H2133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    AUTHORIZING NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STUDY REGARDING THE SOLDIERS' 
                        MEMORIAL MILITARY MUSEUM

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1047) 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. 1047

       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 Natural 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 gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each 
will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H2133]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
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. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1047, introduced by my colleague from Missouri, 
Representative Clay, directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out 
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.
  Construction of the memorial and military museum began in 1935. The 
site was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. On Memorial 
Day, 1938, the building officially opened to the public. The Soldiers' 
Memorial Building is a stately structure which, in addition to serving 
as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the service of their 
country, also contains exhibit rooms that house a collection of 
military items. The building has been found eligible for listing in the 
National Register of Historic Places. It is operated by the City of St. 
Louis and made available to the public free of charge.
  I want to commend my colleague from Missouri, Representative Clay, 
for his efforts to preserve this memorial and museum, which was built 
to honor those who gave their lives to this country.
  Mr. Speaker, the House approved identical legislation in the 109th 
Congress. We strongly support H.R. 1047 and urge its adoption by the 
House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the majority has adequately explained H.R. 1047, but I 
wish to note that while this legislation passed in the House in the 
109th Congress, it is not supported by the administration because the 
memorial is not distinguished beyond that of many war memorials, and it 
is not known whether it meets the criteria of national significance.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay).
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank my friend and colleague 
from Arizona for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, the American people are unanimous in supporting the 
courageous men and women serving in our Armed Forces. In recent days, 
we were appalled to learn that our veterans are not receiving high-
quality health care. We have been sickened by some of the stories and 
images of the patients at Walter Reed Hospital who have been neglected 
and left untreated. And we are beginning to understand that this is a 
nationwide crisis. We are all somewhat ashamed that we have failed to 
provide to those who have given the most to keep our Nation free and 
secure.
  With these recent events in mind, I want to address the legislation 
before us today. H.R. 1047 is a bill to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a study to determine the suitability and 
feasibility of designating the Soldiers' Memorial Military Museum in 
the city of St. Louis as a unit of the National Park System.
  This memorial is a shining landmark to those brave men and women who 
gave their lives in World War I. Today, as much as any time in our 
history, the American people feel a very special connection to our 
military forces, and the citizens of our Nation have a real need to 
visit shrines that honor our wartime heroes.
  The St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial is a valuable shrine where citizens 
can participate in the tradition of honoring our Nation's veterans. 
Initiated by the residents of St. Louis in the 1920s, after many years 
of fundraising, the land was acquired and the monument was constructed. 
On October 14, 1936, St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial Military Museum was 
officially dedicated by President Roosevelt. And St. Louis Soldiers' 
Memorial Military Museum also has a unique place in our Nation's 
history as it is the only structure in St. Louis that is known to have 
been dedicated by a sitting U.S. President.
  The Soldiers' Monument is a national treasure, and it is recognized 
as an architectural masterpiece. Designed by one of the 20th century's 
foremost art deco sculptors, Mr. Walter Hancock, the entrance to the 
memorial is flanked by four limestone sculptures which symbolize the 
most important virtues in a soldier's life: courage, loyalty, sacrifice 
and vision. The ceiling of the monument is decorated with mosaic tiles 
in the shape of large gold stars that are dedicated to our Nation's 
Gold Star Mothers.
  Today, the St. Louis Soldiers' Memorial is an important cultural 
resource and gathering place. It attracts about 48,000 visitors a year, 
and provides the setting for more than 20 ceremonies annually, 
including change-of-command and retirement ceremonies, and many other 
patriotic events hosted by veterans groups. It is also the center of an 
annual Veterans Day parade which is the largest of its kind in the 
Midwest, drawing participants from several States and hosting more than 
100 marching units.
  In recent years, the city of St. Louis has relied upon the support 
and contributions of active military personnel and veterans to enable 
it to maintain this cherished monument. We all want to honor the 
veterans and citizens of our Nation. We should have Federal monuments 
to help us all remember those family members and friends who have given 
their lives for us in combat.
  It is the right 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 the monument will show it 
is a historically important structure with a national significance.
  H.R. 1047 is strongly supported by veterans groups and other civic 
organizations. I hope the Members of this body will endorse this 
important effort to create a Federal monument to honor our Nation's 
veterans. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. 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. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1047.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being 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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