[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 24, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1608]]
NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 23, 2007

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1239, 
the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Reauthorization 
Act of 2007.
  Established in 1998, the Network to Freedom encompasses over 250 
programs, sites, and partners in over 27 states and the District of 
Columbia, and is the only national program dedicated to the 
preservation, interpretation, and dissemination of Underground Railroad 
history.
  Recent National Park Service financial projections, however, show the 
Network to Freedom budget reducing by 72 percent by the year 2011. 
Without continued and adequate funding, efforts to disseminate this 
critical history and build on the program's successes will be greatly 
diminished. H.R. 1239 will reauthorize the National Underground 
Railroad Network to Freedom Act by increasing funding to cover needed 
operations costs for the National Parks Service to carry out the 
provisions of the program, and by increasing the availability of grant 
funding to support Underground Railroad preservation and interpretative 
projects throughout the United States.
  With nine Network to Freedom sites throughout Delaware and reports 
that more passengers came through Wilmington on the Underground 
Railroad than any other place, this program has a real local 
significance. Underground Railroad stations were operated by a few very 
effective people throughout Delaware in Blackbird, Camden, Middletown, 
New Castle, Hockessin and Wilmington. Thomas Garrett, for example, is 
known as Delaware's greatest station master. Spending the greater part 
of his lifetime working in the Underground Railroad, Thomas Garrett is 
credited with helping 2,700 slaves reach freedom.
  By playing a critical role in helping local communities to 
effectively share the stories of the men and women who resisted slavery 
through escape and flight in the Underground Railroad, this program 
highlights the rich history of Delaware and many other states and is an 
asset to our National Parks System. I believe strongly in promoting 
programs and partnerships to commemorate this time in history and 
educating the public about the historical significance of the 
Underground Railroad.
  I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in 
supporting passage of H.R. 1239.

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