[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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