[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H1203-H1204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WRIGHT BROTHERS-DUNBAR NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK DESIGNATION ACT
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4191) to redesignate Dayton Aviation Heritage National
Historic Park in the State of Ohio as ``Wright Brothers-Dunbar National
Historical Park'', and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4191
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 ``Wright Brothers-Dunbar
National Historical Park Designation Act''.
SEC. 2. REDESIGNATION OF DAYTON AVIATION HERITAGE NATIONAL
HISTORICAL PARK.
(a) Redesignation.--The Act titled ``An Act to establish
the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in the
State of Ohio, and for other purposes'', approved October 16,
1992 (106 Stat. 2141), is amended--
(1) by striking ``Dayton Aviation Heritage National
Historical Park'' each place it appears and inserting
``Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) of section 108 as
subsection (c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) of section 108 the
following new subsection:
``(b) Grant Assistance.--The Secretary is authorized to
make grants to the parks' partners, including the Aviation
Trail, Inc., the Ohio Historical Society, and Dayton History,
for projects not requiring Federal involvement other than
providing financial assistance, subject to the availability
of appropriations in advance identifying the specific partner
grantee and the specific project. Projects funded through
these grants shall be limited to construction and development
on non-Federal property within the boundaries of the park.
Any project funded by such a grant shall support the purposes
of the park, shall be consistent with the park's general
management plan, and shall enhance public use and enjoyment
of the park.''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law (other than this
Act), map, regulation, document, record, or other official
paper of the United States to the ``Dayton Aviation Heritage
National Historical Park'' shall be considered to be a
reference to the ``Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical
Park''.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL AVIATION HERITAGE AREA.
Title V of division J of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2005 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 108-447), is
amended--
(1) in section 503(3), by striking ``104'' and inserting
``504'';
(2) in section 503(4), by striking ``106'' and inserting
``506'';
(3) in section 504, by striking subsection (b)(2) and by
redesignating subsection (b)(3) as subsection (b)(2); and
(4) in section 505(b)(1), by striking ``106'' and inserting
``506''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from West Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4191, introduced by our colleague
Representative Michael Turner of Ohio, would change the Name of Dayton
Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in Ohio to the Wright
Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park. The bill also sets conditions
under which the Secretary of Interior may make grants to the park's
partners.
A contemporary of the Wright brothers in Dayton was poet Paul
Laurence Dunbar. The house that Dunbar purchased for his mother is part
of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. The Wright
brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar are each featured prominently at this
park, and this redesignation of the park as the Wright Brothers-Dunbar
National Historical Park will provide equal weight to both of these
important stories.
I support passage of H.R. 4191 and urge its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 4191, and
yield myself such time as I may consume.
This does change the name of the Dayton Aviation National Park to
reflect more accurately the individuals being commemorated at this site
and the role they played in the history of aviation in this country.
Additionally, this new name describes the park's purpose.
I thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Turner) for bringing this bill to
us. It is an excellent bill, and I urge its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Turner), the sponsor of the bill.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank National Parks, Forests, and
Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman
[[Page H1204]]
Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop, as well as Natural Resources full
committee Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young, for their support
in bringing this bill to the floor today.
H.R. 4191, the Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park
Designation Act, is identical to H.R. 4612 from the 109th Congress
which passed the House Committee on Resources by unanimous consent on
June 21, 2006. It renames the Dayton Aviation National Historic Park as
the Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park.
In 2002, Chairman and Federal Judge Walter Rice of the Dayton
Aviation Heritage Commission appointed a committee made up of
commission members to make recommendations regarding the name of the
Dayton Aviation National Historic Park.
The committee held several hearings and solicited comments from
businesses, government, stakeholders, neighborhood and citizens groups
on the name change. Based on the public comments, the committee
recommended to the commission that the name of the park, Dayton
Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, be changed to the Wright
Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park.
Following input from the community, that committee recommended to the
commission that the name of the park be changed to the Wright Brothers-
Dunbar National Historical Park, which was approved by the full
commission and the National Park Service in 2003.
The commission recognized a number of reasons for the name change.
The new name establishes a clear connection to the universally
recognized Wright brothers, the inventors of the airplane, and the new
name also creates a better link between the park and the primary park
assets. All four of the park sites, a majority of interpretive exhibits
and media at the park sites describe the accomplishments of the Wright
brothers and the first recognized African American Poet Laureate, Paul
Laurence Dunbar.
Finally, the new name also establishes a better distinction between
the park and the new National Aviation Heritage Area.
The new name of this park will truly be a reflection of Dayton's
heritage, that of innovation and creativity. The Wright brothers'
airplane and Dunbar's famous poems are two historic assets which make
Dayton a great place to call home. It is fitting that the new park name
pays homage to Dayton's hometown heroes, Paul Laurence Dunbar and
Orville and Wilbur Wright.
It is also important to note that the National Heritage Park in
Dayton is unique in that it is a scattered site national park and it
works with regional partners to advance the park's mission. The Park
Service partners with ``Dayton History'' at Carillon Park and Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base to provide maintenance and program assistance
for park assets.
Both entities contain different parts of the national park. The
Wright Flyer III, the world's first practical airplane, is located at
Carillon Park, and the Huffman Prairie Flying Field, where the Wright
brothers perfected flight, is located on the grounds of Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base. This bill authorizes grant funding to these
partner organizations to ensure their continued cooperation with the
Park Service in fulfilling the mission of the park.
Mr. Speaker, today's bill is the result of a community process which
has resulted in an improved and more appropriate name to a regional
asset, a name which reflects Dayton's true heritage. While Ohio is the
birthplace of aviation, Dayton is the birthplace of the first airplane
and the birthplace of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where 1 million
people every year visit the National Museum of the United States Air
Force.
Dayton's future is bright, with over 1,000 jobs headed to Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base as a result of 2005 BRAC process, and it will
continue to be a leader in American innovation.
Mr. Speaker, the Wright brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar would be
proud of the accomplishments in their hometown, and I am proud today to
speak for this bill, which will honor their legacies.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, once again I encourage adoption of
this excellent bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. 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 West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4191.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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