[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H2268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL AND THE NATIONAL 
 COMMISSION TO PLAN AND COORDINATE THE BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE 
                              WAR OF 1812

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce two related 
bills. The first would create a Star-Spangled Banner National Historic 
Trail to commemorate the Chesapeake Bay Campaign of the War of 1812. 
The second bill I am introducing would create a national commission to 
plan and coordinate the bicentennial celebration of the War of 1812.
  The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail would match some of 
the most important events of the War of 1812. The trail commemorating 
the only combined naval and land attack on the United States begins 
with June 1814 battles between the British Navy and the American 
Chesapeake flotilla in Saint Leonard's Creek in Calvert County and ends 
at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, where our National Anthem was composed 
and the British met their ultimate defeat.

                              {time}  1750

  Maryland is blessed with a multitude of historic and cultural 
attractions across the State. Fort McHenry is a classic example of this 
rich heritage and a centerpiece of the legislation I introduce today. 
Francis Scott Key best captured the essence of Fort McHenry in his poem 
written as a prisoner aboard a British frigate during the bombardment 
of the fort. The text of the poem later became our National Anthem.
  For decades, my family has enjoyed Fort McHenry's history as well as 
its tremendous vistas of our beloved Chesapeake Bay. Just recently, I 
spent the morning there with my son, an avid birder and budding 
naturalist, exploring the wetland restoration area that abuts the fort.
  The second bill I introduce today would create a Star Spangled Banner 
and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission to plan and coordinate the 
bicentennial celebration of the War of 1812 and the composition of our 
National Anthem. The Commission would be made up of citizens from 
States that the National Park Service has determined to be the most 
historically significant, as well as National Park Service officials, 
historical experts and other individuals selected by congressional 
leadership.
  With the bicentennial of the War of 1812 quickly approaching, we 
should move swiftly to approve this measure and enable the Commission 
to plan a suitable bicentennial celebration.
  Mr. Speaker, the War of 1812 was a seminal moment in American 
history. Many refer to it as the ``second war of independence.'' When 
the war began, our fragile experiment in democracy was still in its 
early stages, and the Nation found itself under attack from one of the 
most powerful countries in the world. Many wondered whether democracy 
could hold together through the trials of war. The War of 1812 proved 
that liberty and security are not mutually exclusive conditions and set 
the stage for the spread of democracy around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, just this morning I met with War of 1812 experts and 
historic preservationists from throughout the State of Maryland at Fort 
McHenry. For years, these individuals have been dedicated advocates for 
creating the Star Spangled Banner Trail and Bicentennial Commission. 
This legislation represents a culmination of their interests and hard 
work. I am very proud to be introducing it today, and I hope my 
colleagues will join with me to pass both bills during this Congress.

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