[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 95 (Wednesday, June 23, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5321-S5322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON:
  S. 3524. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter 
into a cooperative agreement for a park headquarters at San Antonio 
Missions National Historical Park, to expand the boundary of the Park, 
to conduct a study of potential land acquisitions, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, today I rise to speak on the San 
Antonio Missions National Historical Park Boundary Expansion Act of 
2010. This legislation will preserve and enhance one of Texas' most 
historic regions. Additionally, it will provide for a new education 
center so folks from around the nation can learn more about one of the 
many historic gems Texas has to offer.
  I would like to commend Congressman Ciro Rodriguez for his leadership

[[Page S5322]]

and dedication to the San Antonio Missions. The legislation I have 
introduced today is a Senate companion to legislation that Congressman 
Rodriguez introduced earlier this year.
  During the 1700s, Spain greatly influenced the San Antonio area. As 
Spanish explorers travelled through modern-day Texas, Catholic 
missionaries and soldiers accompanied the group and established the 
missions and forts we now benefit from in the San Antonio Missions 
National Historical Park. The missions and forts were originally 
established to protect Spanish land claims from the French in 
Louisiana. The missions and forts were also important to Spain in order 
to spread their influence and recruit new citizens for Spain's 
expanding empire. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park 
preserves the 18th century missions on site and offers visitors an 
opportunity to learn about the historical importance that the area 
played in vocational and educational training during the 1700s.
  Furthermore, the park exemplifies the diverse cultural influences we 
enjoy in Texas. The park's cultural influences can be seen through the 
formation of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, the largest 
concentration of historical Catholic missions in North America. The 
park also has some of the most effectively maintained Spanish colonial 
architecture in the United States. The rich history of the San Antonio 
Missions Historic Park must be preserved for future generations to 
enjoy. I am pleased to join Congressman Rodriguez in supporting the San 
Antonio Missions.
                                 ______