[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 8, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H6182-H6187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PRESERVE AMERICA AND SAVE AMERICA'S TREASURES ACT

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3981) to authorize the Preserve America Program and Save 
America's Treasures Program, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3981

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Preserve 
     America and Save America's Treasures Act''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                   TITLE I--PRESERVE AMERICA PROGRAM

Sec. 101. Purpose.
Sec. 102. Definitions.
Sec. 103. Establishment.
Sec. 104. Designation of Preserve America Communities.
Sec. 105. Regulations.
Sec. 106. Authorization of appropriations.

               TITLE II--SAVE AMERICA'S TREASURES PROGRAM

Sec. 201. Purpose.
Sec. 202. Definitions.
Sec. 203. Establishment.
Sec. 204. Regulations.
Sec. 205. Authorization of appropriations.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Prohibition on funding certain activities.

                   TITLE I--PRESERVE AMERICA PROGRAM

     SEC. 101. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this title is to authorize the Preserve 
     America Program, including--
       (1) the Preserve America grant program within the 
     Department of the Interior;
       (2) the recognition programs administered by the Advisory 
     Council on Historic Preservation; and

[[Page H6183]]

       (3) the related efforts of Federal agencies, working in 
     partnership with State, tribal, and local governments and the 
     private sector, to support and promote the preservation of 
     historic resources.

     SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Advisory 
     Council on Historic Preservation.
       (2) Heritage tourism.--The term ``heritage tourism'' means 
     the conduct of activities to attract and accommodate visitors 
     to a site or area based on the unique or special aspects of 
     the history, landscape (including trail systems), and culture 
     of the site or area.
       (3) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Preserve 
     America Program established under section 103(a).
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 103. ESTABLISHMENT.

       (a) In General.--There is established in the Department of 
     the Interior the Preserve America Program, under which the 
     Secretary, in partnership with the Council, may provide 
     competitive grants to States, local governments (including 
     local governments in the process of applying for designation 
     as Preserve America Communities under section 104), Indian 
     tribes, communities designated as Preserve America 
     Communities under section 104, State historic preservation 
     offices, and tribal historic preservation offices to support 
     preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and 
     historic preservation planning activities.
       (b) Eligible Projects.--
       (1) In general.--The following projects shall be eligible 
     for a grant under this title:
       (A) A project for the conduct of--
       (i) research on, and documentation of, the history of a 
     community; and
       (ii) surveys of the historic resources of a community.
       (B) An education and interpretation project that conveys 
     the history of a community or site.
       (C) A planning project (other than building rehabilitation) 
     that advances economic development using heritage tourism and 
     historic preservation.
       (D) A training project that provides opportunities for 
     professional development in areas that would aid a community 
     in using and promoting its historic resources.
       (E) A project to support heritage tourism in a Preserve 
     America Community designated under section 104.
       (F) Other nonconstruction projects that identify or promote 
     historic properties or provide for the education of the 
     public about historic properties that are consistent with the 
     purposes of this Act.
       (2) Limitation.--In providing grants under this title, the 
     Secretary shall only provide 1 grant to each eligible project 
     selected for a grant.
       (c) Preference.--In providing grants under this title, the 
     Secretary may give preference to projects that carry out the 
     purposes of both the program and the Save America's Treasures 
     Program.
       (d) Consultation and Notification.--
       (1) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the 
     Council in preparing the list of projects to be provided 
     grants for a fiscal year under the program.
       (2) Notification.--Not later than 30 days before the date 
     on which the Secretary provides grants for a fiscal year 
     under the program, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on 
     Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a 
     list of any eligible projects that are to be provided grants 
     under the program for the fiscal year.
       (e) Cost-Sharing Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--The non-Federal share of the cost of 
     carrying out a project provided a grant under this title 
     shall be not less than 50 percent of the total cost of the 
     project.
       (2) Form of non-federal share.--The non-Federal share 
     required under paragraph (1) shall be in the form of--
       (A) cash; or
       (B) donated supplies and related services, the value of 
     which shall be determined by the Secretary.
       (3) Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that each 
     applicant for a grant has the capacity to secure, and a 
     feasible plan for securing, the non-Federal share for an 
     eligible project required under paragraph (1) before a grant 
     is provided to the eligible project under the program.

     SEC. 104. DESIGNATION OF PRESERVE AMERICA COMMUNITIES.

       (a) Application.--To be considered for designation as a 
     Preserve America Community, a community, tribal area, or 
     neighborhood shall submit to the Council an application 
     containing such information as the Council may require.
       (b) Criteria.--To be designated as a Preserve America 
     Community under the program, a community, tribal area, or 
     neighborhood that submits an application under subsection (a) 
     shall, as determined by the Council, in consultation with the 
     Secretary, meet criteria required by the Council and, in 
     addition, consider--
       (1) protection and celebration of the heritage of the 
     community, tribal area, or neighborhood;
       (2) use of the historic assets of the community, tribal 
     area, or neighborhood for economic development and community 
     revitalization; and
       (3) encouragement of people to experience and appreciate 
     local historic resources through education and heritage 
     tourism programs.
       (c) Local Governments Previously Certified for Historic 
     Preservation Activities.--The Council shall establish an 
     expedited process for Preserve America Community designation 
     for local governments previously certified for historic 
     preservation activities under section 101(c)(1) of the 
     National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a(c)(1)).
       (d) Guidelines.--The Council, in consultation with the 
     Secretary, shall establish any guidelines that are necessary 
     to carry out this section.

     SEC. 105. REGULATIONS.

       The Secretary shall develop any guidelines and issue any 
     regulations that the Secretary determines to be necessary to 
     carry out this title.

     SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     title $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009, 2010, 2011, 
     2012 and 2013, to remain available until expended.

               TITLE II--SAVE AMERICA'S TREASURES PROGRAM

     SEC. 201. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this title is to authorize within the 
     Department of the Interior the Save America's Treasures 
     Program, to be carried out by the Director of the National 
     Park Service, in partnership with--
       (1) the National Endowment for the Arts;
       (2) the National Endowment for the Humanities;
       (3) the Institute of Museum and Library Services;
       (4) the National Trust for Historic Preservation;
       (5) the National Conference of State Historic Preservation 
     Officers;
       (6) the National Association of Tribal Historic 
     Preservation Officers; and
       (7) the President's Committee on the Arts and the 
     Humanities.

     SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Collection.--The term ``collection'' means a collection 
     of intellectual and cultural artifacts, including documents, 
     sculpture, and works of art.
       (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
     Federal entity, State, local, or tribal government, 
     educational institution, or nonprofit organization.
       (3) Historic property.--The term ``historic property'' has 
     the meaning given the term in section 301 of the National 
     Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470w).
       (4) Nationally significant.--The term ``nationally 
     significant'' means a collection or historic property that 
     meets the applicable criteria for national significance, in 
     accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary 
     pursuant to section 101(a)(2) of the National Historic 
     Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a(a)(2)).
       (5) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Save America's 
     Treasures Program established under section 203(a).
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
     Park Service.

     SEC. 203. ESTABLISHMENT.

       (a) In General.--There is established in the Department of 
     the Interior the Save America's Treasures program, under 
     which the amounts made available to the Secretary under 
     section 205 shall be used by the Secretary, in consultation 
     with the organizations described in section 201, subject to 
     subsection (f)(1)(B), to provide grants to eligible entities 
     for projects to preserve nationally significant collections 
     and historic properties.
       (b) Determination of Grants.--Of the amounts made available 
     for grants under section 205, not less than 50 percent shall 
     be made available for grants for projects to preserve 
     collections and historic properties, to be distributed 
     through a competitive grant process administered by the 
     Secretary, subject to the eligibility criteria established 
     under subsection (e).
       (c) Applications for Grants.--To be considered for a 
     competitive grant under the program an eligible entity shall 
     submit to the Secretary an application containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require.
       (d) Collections and Historic Properties Eligible for 
     Competitive Grants.--
       (1) In general.--A collection or historic property shall be 
     provided a competitive grant under the program only if the 
     Secretary determines that the collection or historic property 
     is--
       (A) nationally significant; and
       (B) threatened or endangered.
       (2) Eligible collections.--A determination by the Secretary 
     regarding the national significance of collections under 
     paragraph (1)(A) shall be made in consultation with the 
     organizations described in section 201, as appropriate.
       (3) Eligible historic properties.--To be eligible for a 
     competitive grant under the program, a historic property 
     shall, as of the date of the grant application--
       (A) be listed in the National Register of Historic Places 
     at the national level of significance; or
       (B) be designated as a National Historic Landmark.
       (e) Selection Criteria for Grants.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall not provide a grant 
     under this title to a project for an eligible collection or 
     historic property unless the project--
       (A) eliminates or substantially mitigates the threat of 
     destruction or deterioration of the eligible collection or 
     historic property;
       (B) has a clear public benefit; and
       (C) is able to be completed on schedule and within the 
     budget described in the grant application.
       (2) Preference.--In providing grants under this title, the 
     Secretary may give preference to projects that carry out the 
     purposes of both the program and the Preserve America 
     Program.
       (3) Limitation.--In providing grants under this title, the 
     Secretary shall only provide 1

[[Page H6184]]

     grant to each eligible project selected for a grant.
       (f) Consultation and Notification by Secretary.--
       (1) Consultation.--
       (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary 
     shall consult with the organizations described in section 201 
     in preparing the list of projects to be provided grants for a 
     fiscal year by the Secretary under the program.
       (B) Limitation.--If an entity described in subparagraph (A) 
     has submitted an application for a grant under the program, 
     the entity shall be recused by the Secretary from the 
     consultation requirements under that subparagraph and 
     subsection (a).
       (2) Notification.--Not later than 30 days before the date 
     on which the Secretary provides grants for a fiscal year 
     under the program, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on 
     Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a 
     list of any eligible projects that are to be provided grants 
     under the program for the fiscal year.
       (g) Cost-Sharing Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--The non-Federal share of the cost of 
     carrying out a project provided a grant under this title 
     shall be not less than 50 percent of the total cost of the 
     project.
       (2) Form of non-federal share.--The non-Federal share 
     required under paragraph (1) shall be in the form of--
       (A) cash; or
       (B) donated supplies or related services, the value of 
     which shall be determined by the Secretary.
       (3) Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that each 
     applicant for a grant has the capacity and a feasible plan 
     for securing the non-Federal share for an eligible project 
     required under paragraph (1) before a grant is provided to 
     the eligible project under the program.

     SEC. 204. REGULATIONS.

       The Secretary shall develop any guidelines and issue any 
     regulations that the Secretary determines to be necessary to 
     carry out this title.

     SEC. 205. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     title $50,000,000 for each fiscal year, to remain available 
     until expended.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

     SEC. 301. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.

       None of the funds provided pursuant to this Act may be used 
     to study or establish a National Heritage Area or fund a 
     National Heritage Area management entity.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. 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 bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, both the Preserve America and the Save 
America's Treasures Programs provide Federal matching grants for 
important historic preservation projects. Preserve America provides 
grants for interpretation and education regarding historic resources, 
while the Save America's Treasures Program provides grants for 
rehabilitation in restoration work.
  Both programs, Mr. Speaker, are enormously successful because they 
leverage limited Federal dollars for much larger State, local, and 
private investment in preserving and interpreting our history and our 
heritage. These programs were created by executive order, and this 
legislation simply provides statutory authorization for both of these 
programs. H.R. 3981 is a top priority for the Bush administration.
  I ask my colleagues to support passage of this measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, Preserve America has been an 
administration initiative that encourages and supports community 
efforts to preserve cultural and natural heritage. Preserve America 
communities in Virginia's First Congressional District include Prince 
William County, Spotsylvania County, and Williamsburg, Virginia.
  The Save America's Treasures Program provides grants preserving 
certain historic sites and collections including Kenmore Mansion in 
Fredericksburg and the restoration of the original military campaign 
tents used by George Washington that are now currently on display at 
the Colonial National Historic Park in Yorktown, Virginia.
  I would like to acknowledge the positive contributions that have been 
made to responsible preservation, particularly by Mr. Turner of Ohio 
who has long promoted property rights as a key component of these 
programs. Mr. Turner's contribution to this legislation has brought us 
to where we are today by ensuring the constitutional rights of private 
property owners while promoting historic and cultural preservation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Miller), the bill's sponsor.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. MILLER of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support 
of the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures Act, which will, 
as the two speakers already have said, authorize two programs that are 
critical to the future of America's historic preservation efforts.
  I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young of the 
Natural Resources Committee, as well as Chairman Grijalva and Ranking 
Member Bishop of the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands 
Subcommittee, for their work in shepherding this legislation, as well 
as the historic preservation community for their support for this bill.
  The Save America's Treasures Program was started as part of the White 
House Millennium Council chaired by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. 
The program has provided much-needed bricks and mortar support and has 
succeeded beyond anyone's expectations, funding America's most 
threatened cultural treasures for almost 10 years.
  The current administration, under the leadership of First Lady Laura 
Bush, created the Preserve America Program to support community 
preservation efforts by providing funding for heritage tourism and 
preservation planning.
  The two programs serve different purposes, and together, they provide 
a comprehensive approach to preservation and community revitalization.
  Mr. Mike Turner and I announced the Preserve America and Save 
America's Treasures Act in the Sewall-Belmont House, just a couple of 
blocks from here. The Sewall-Belmont House was designated a national 
historic landmark for its significance in American history. It was the 
headquarters for the National Woman's Party, led by Alice Paul, and 
their movement to secure women the right to vote.
  Despite that obvious historical significance, it was not long ago 
that the Sewall-Belmont House was threatened by a leaking roof and by 
significant other structural damage. The Sewall-Belmont House was the 
first building to receive funding as a Save America's Treasures 
project.
  In my own district, Save America's Treasures funding has helped 
preserve the F.W. Woolworth Building in downtown Greensboro. Mr. 
Speaker, as you know well, on February 1, 1960, four African American 
students from North Carolina A&T University sat down at the ``white 
only'' lunch counter and refused to move until they were treated the 
same as the white customers.
  Within 2 months, the sit-ins at Woolworth's inspired similar 
demonstrations throughout the South involving thousands of protesters. 
The sit-in at the Woolworth's lunch counter was the moment when the 
civil rights struggle in this country became a mass movement.
  The Woolworth Building and its lunch counter are sacred grounds of 
the civil rights movement and must be preserved for future generations.
  The Preserve America Program has designated more than 500 
neighborhoods, cities, and towns throughout the United States as 
Preserve America Communities and has awarded grants since 2006. Earlier 
this year, the Department of the Interior made its first round of 2008 
grants of $2.9 million to 43 projects in 25 States. This September they 
will award an additional $4.3 million in grants. The projects support 
heritage tourism, the commercial revitalization of neglected downtowns, 
and the reuse of historic properties.
  Mr. Speaker, America's historic places remind us of who we are. They 
remind us of our history. We cannot cheat our children of that 
connection with their past, that understanding of who they are.

[[Page H6185]]

  The Preserve America Program, through its grant opportunities and 
community designations, ensures that important communities and 
neighborhoods will survive for future generations.
  Historic preservation helps revitalize cities, towns, and rural areas 
nationwide where dramatic population shifts, outdated planning, and the 
loss of manufacturing jobs have made market-driven reinvestment 
impossible without some assistance.
  Rehabilitation of vacant and underused historic structures can 
attract new investment in growing communities. Whether it is preserving 
main streets of downtowns, or reusing historic properties as affordable 
housing, preservation makes history come alive in communities 
throughout the country.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is now considering these two 
successful programs. Through passing this bill and authorizing these 
programs, Congress can affirm our commitment to saving our natural 
heritage, our historic heritage, and revitalizing our communities.
  Once again, I ask my colleagues for their support for the Preserve 
America and Save America's Treasures Act.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, today I speak in favor of H.R. 3981, the 
Save America's Treasures/Preserve America Authorization Act of 2008.
  I want to thank Representative Miller, the co-chair of the Historic 
Preservation Caucus, for his collaboration on this bill, as well as 
Senator Domenici and Senator Clinton for their work in moving this bill 
forward in the Senate.
  I also want to thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young of the 
House Natural Resources Committee, as well as Chairman Grijalva and 
Ranking Member Bishop of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on 
National Parks, Forests and Public Lands for their work on this bill.
  Finally, I want to commend the work of the national historic 
preservation advocacy groups, many of which have collaborated with our 
offices in crafting this bill.
  To this date, the Save America's Treasures and Preserve America 
Programs have been authorized through executive order, and I want to 
point out that through both First Lady Laura Bush's and former First 
Lady Hillary Clinton's efforts and commitment to historic preservation, 
these programs have been a success for many local communities.
  H.R. 3981 would ensure that these two important programs continue by 
codifying them into law.
  Both the Save America's Treasures and Preserve America Programs have 
had an enormous impact on historic preservation nationally, as well as 
in Ohio. Ohio is home to nine Preserve America communities, Dayton, my 
hometown, being one. In fact, Dayton recently received a Preserve 
America Grant that will help analyze heritage tourism in the area.
  Additionally, since 1999, Ohio has been the home of 45 Save America's 
Treasures Projects. These projects total nearly $11 million in funding 
toward bricks and mortar restoration of important Ohio historic assets 
such as the Paul Lawrence Dunbar House in Dayton; Cincinnati's Union 
Terminal; the Wright Flyer III in Dayton, Ohio; the Palace Theatre in 
Columbus; and last, but not least, The National First Ladies Library in 
Canton, Ohio.
  It's certainly interesting to note that the First Ladies Library was 
a recipient of the two programs started by these two First Ladies.
  H.R. 3981 will ensure a stable and continuous funding source is 
authorized to assist in funding these important projects.
  Additionally, the bill ensures that public-private partnerships 
remain a key aspect to the preservation of important historic assets by 
requiring non-Federal funds be used in collaboration with these Federal 
grants.
  The authorization of these programs will help highlight the 
importance of historic preservation as an economic development tool, as 
well as a core national value.
  It is clear that saving our heritage in these buildings and 
neighborhoods is not just a way to pay homage to our past. It is also 
an important way to boost our economy in the present, in addition to 
the future.
  This bill enjoys a broad range of support, including many historic 
preservation organizations and over 55 cosponsors in the House.
  Again, I want to thank Congressman Miller for being the lead sponsor 
of this legislation, as well as the leadership of the Resources 
Committee for ushering this bill through the committee process.
  This bill is also important because many of the recipients are 
organizations that are staffed by volunteers. These programs recognize 
their efforts to preserve the fabric of their community and help tell 
the story of our Nation's heritage. These programs work.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

                                                     July 7, 2008.
     Hon. Nick Rahall,
     Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Don Young,
     Ranking Member, Committee on Natural Resources, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young: We are 
     writing as representatives of the national preservation 
     community in support of H.R. 3981, a bill that would 
     authorize both the Preserve America (PA) and Save America's 
     Treasures (SAT) programs. Our organizations support this 
     measure and we are grateful to Reps. Miller and Turner for 
     their initiative in authoring this legislation, as well as 
     their leadership as co-chairs of the House Historic 
     Preservation Caucus. We hope that Congress will pass H.R. 
     3981, legislation which is critical to the historic 
     preservation community.
       Despite all of their success and support, the PA and SAT 
     programs are unauthorized and funded from year-to-year 
     through the annual appropriations process. We would like to 
     see Congress authorize SAT and PA with a long-term 
     programmatic and funding vision that would enable both 
     programs to work in harmony with the other components of the 
     national historic preservation program. Authorization would 
     codify the successful implementation and practices of the 
     ten-year old SAT program along with its newer partner, 
     Preserve America, led by First Ladies Clinton and Bush 
     respectively. While each of these historic preservation 
     initiatives apply to projects of a different nature--SAT for 
     ``bricks and mortar'' preservation and PA for heritage 
     education and outreach, it is important that they should be 
     authorized and mutually supportive of each other to maximize 
     federal resources and goals in saving the nation's historic 
     assets. We already know that PA and SAT are working together 
     at specific locations throughout the country.
       While much has been achieved since SAT was established, the 
     need remains great and we must look to future needs. In just 
     the first eight years of the program, 2,702 grant 
     applications were received, representing requests for more 
     than $1.17 billion in critical preservation assistance. SAT 
     has provided more than $264 million in federal challenge 
     grants to 1,024 historic preservation projects through 2007. 
     These funds have helped bring new life to irreplaceable 
     historic treasures--including buildings, documents and works 
     of art--in every state. SAT funds have made a huge 
     difference, but without Congress' ongoing commitment to the 
     program, it would be virtually impossible to stimulate the 
     required dollar-for-dollar non-federal matching contributions 
     and hard to imagine where else the money would come from to 
     preserve our national heritage.
       That same ongoing need applies to PA projects as well with 
     grants to support community efforts that demonstrate 
     sustainable uses of historic and cultural sites, and the 
     economic and educational opportunities related to heritage 
     tourism. The first round of Preserve America Grants in 2007 
     provided 43 applicants with a total of $2.6 million 
     distributed across the nation. The second round provided 
     $2.26 million to 29 recipients in 20 states. The importance 
     of resources to support this effort has not diminished since 
     then--in fact, it has grown.
       SAT and PA reflect the bipartisan and bicameral commitment 
     that has characterized historic preservation policy in 
     Congress and the White House over the years. SAT was created 
     during a Democratic administration and embraced by the Bush 
     Administration and Congressional Republicans. Likewise, PA 
     was created during a Republican administration and is now 
     supported by Members on both sides of the aisle. This is the 
     strongest signal that authorizing both programs makes sense 
     when bipartisanship is sometimes an elusive quality. We urge 
     you to pass this timely authorization.
           Sincerely,
     Richard Moe,
       President,
       National Trust for Historic Preservation.
     Heather MacIntosh,
       President,
       Preservation Action.
     Mike Polk,
       President,
       American Cultural Resources Association.

[[Page H6186]]

     Lu Ann De Cunzo,
       President,
       Society for Historical Archeology.

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, 
and I would reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun).
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we're talking about preserving 
America, but we need to preserve the economic viability of America, and 
as long as we're paying $4.10 a gallon, we're not going to be an 
economically viable Nation. It's going higher and higher.
  In the last bill's debate, we talked about monkey bites, shark bites, 
and there was an accusation of the energy production companies are 
biting people. But what's biting people in their pocketbooks and their 
wallets is this high cost of gasoline, high cost of energy.
  Until we start dealing with this issue, we're going to continue to 
have problems in this country. We're going to continue to have economic 
problems, and it's absolutely critical that we deal with what's on 
America's mind, and that is energy costs.
  As we head into the fall and winter, not too far off, people are 
going to have a hard time heating their homes. Poor people and retirees 
are going to have a hard time buying the heating oil.
  The problem is the shortage of energy supplies here in America, and 
until we start making energy supplies more available to the American 
public, we're going to continue to have higher and higher costs.
  We can't just talk about conservation. We can't just talk about solar 
and wind. We've got to talk about those things certainly, but that's 
only a minute part of the answer. We've got to develop nuclear energy.
  Just below my district, Plant Vogel in Georgia is having a hard time 
getting permitting for two nuclear reactors. They're being blocked by 
the radical environmentalists and through the inane permitting process 
that's going on today. We need to get those reactors online. We need to 
get oil, coal, gas, propane, all more available so that people can have 
an economic future that makes sense.
  So, as we talk about preserving things, let's preserve our families. 
Let's preserve our pocketbooks. Let's have money to spend to create a 
stronger economy. Not focus on these other things, as important as some 
feel that they may be. But the most important thing to America today is 
energy and the high cost of energy.
  We need to do something about that. We shouldn't go home until we 
solve the energy problem of America, and we're not doing the American 
public justice when we continue talking about all these other things 
except energy. We need to focus on energy. Let's drill for oil. Let's 
drill now.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Democrats have been on this floor for weeks watching 
our colleagues from across the aisle defend multinational oil 
conglomerates. The fact of the matter is that the energy challenges 
that our Nation faces demand more than rhetoric and battles on the 
floor of the House. Certainly, our constituents who are feeling the 
energy pinch deserve more.
  We need to put our energies into finding common ground to achieve 
real, workable solutions to our energy problems, and toward that end, 
we need to be working on our energy challenge from two ends at the same 
time, furthermore, the supply end and the conservation end. By doing 
so, we can work without partisanship to bring relief to the American 
people. And that, just like the underlying bill, would preserve 
America's true treasures and the treasures are our people.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland).
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my friend from Guam and 
her comments about bipartisan and working together and coming up with a 
common solution.
  Mr. Speaker, I am all for that, but what we've come up with in the 
past is very limited debate. We've had bills come to the floor with no 
amendments. We've had bills come to this floor that had no committee 
hearings. Now, that, to me, is not working together or with bipartisan 
support.
  So, if we want to have this bipartisan discussion, let's have it on 
the floor. Let's have an open rule on an energy bill, an open rule 
energy bill. What a great way to preserve what this body was meant to 
be, a place where representatives of the people came to debate and 
discuss and to talk about things that were affecting their 
constituents.
  But half the people in America who are represented by Republicans in 
this body have not had an opportunity to even offer an amendment to 
some of these energy bills. We've not even had an opportunity to come 
down and speak on this floor because of the limited debate.
  If we want to work out a solution, if we want to hear all the ideas 
from all 435 Members of this, so all the people in this country can 
have some input into this process, let's have an open energy bill that 
went through regular order and went through the subcommittee and the 
committee process, had a rule that was written where we could all have 
some input.

                              {time}  1445

  I'm for that kind of bipartisan support, and I know you are too 
because you are a very sweet lady.
  Now, let me go on to say one thing: There was a poll that came out 
today I thought was very interesting. The percentage of voters who give 
Congress good or excellent ratings has fallen to single digits for the 
first time in Rasmussen reporting tracking history.
  This month, just 9 percent say Congress is doing a good or excellent 
job. Mr. Speaker, I think we need to form a committee to go find that 9 
percent of the people to find out where they've been because we are not 
doing a good job, we are not doing an excellent job. We are doing a 
very poor job of addressing the needs of the American people and what's 
affecting their pocketbook and the ability for their family to survive 
today.
  We've got gasoline that is up $1.76 a gallon since the end of 2006. A 
loaf of bread is up 23 cents, or about 23 percent, than what it was at 
the end of 2006. A gallon of milk is up almost 30 percent, Mr. Speaker, 
since the new majority came in. The Dow Jones has lost about 20 
percent. The stock market is down $53 billion in the wealth of the 
stock market. Real net worth is down $2.51 trillion. The real per 
capita gross domestic product is down. Inflation rate is up. 
Unemployment rate is up. The real average wage is down, Mr. Speaker. We 
are not doing a good job.
  Part of the reason that bread is high, that milk is high, that the 
stock market is going down, that inflation is up is because of the oil 
crisis that we're in right now because we are totally dependent on 
foreign oil. And I would like to close with this, as a quote from the 
Department of Minerals Management Service that's in the Interior 
Department. The director says, ``The agency estimates that offshore 
drilling could produce 1.8 billion barrels of oil and 76 trillion cubic 
feet of natural gas.'' And we're going to need that natural gas, Mr. 
Speaker, when these home heating oil and natural gas bills come due for 
people trying to stay warm this winter. The director would not say how 
much more oil and gas he thinks the lands could produce, but he said 
that experience has shown that once companies begin drilling on land, 
they often find more than expected.
  Mr. Speaker, we have about 2.5 billion acres of Federal land and 
offshore that we could be drilling on; 68 million of that has leases 
that oil companies have leased. And we certainly--and I say we, I'm 
talking about the minority--do not think that Big Oil does not play 
some part in this. But the reality of it is we cannot expect Big Oil to 
go out and drill on leased land that has no oil or no gas. You do not 
go grocery shopping at a hardware store.
  We need to open up this land that is available, that the Department 
of Interior, that the Minerals and Management Service says that there 
is gas and oil there. We need to open up this land to let people drill 
on, to let people get our natural resources out of the ground rather 
than us being dependent on going to foreign countries on bended knee 
with hat in hand asking them to sell us their natural resources when we 
refuse to use our own.

[[Page H6187]]

  So Mr. Speaker, I will close with this, that we do want to work. We 
want a bipartisan solution. Because we think the answer is all of the 
above, it's more conservation, it's more use of wind and solar, but 
it's also drilling. It's also using our own natural resources. It's 
using clean coal. It's using an environmentally sensitive way to get 
this natural resource out of the ground. And we welcome an open rule 
bill that comes to the floor that all 435 people and the seven 
delegates that represent people in our territories and our States in 
this great country that we live in, to come have an open, honest debate 
about what we can do to solve our energy policy, to come together, to 
work together. That's the kind of change that the American people want, 
not the radical kind of change that has been offered so far in this 
Congress.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman keeps talking about opening up more land. 
Well, the fact is 80 percent of the oil available on the Outer 
Continental Shelf today is already open for leasing, but the oil 
companies haven't decided it's worth their money to drill there.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WITTMAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support this 
worthwhile bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3981, as amended.
  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. WESTMORELAND. 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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