[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 91 (Thursday, June 23, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S4104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 24--COMMEMORATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
               THE DEDICATION OF SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK

  Mr. WEBB (for himself and Mr. Warner) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources:

                            S. Con. Res. 24

       Whereas the 75th anniversary of the dedication of 
     Shenandoah National Park corresponds with the Civil War 
     sesquicentennial, enriching the heritage of both the 
     Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States;
       Whereas in the early to mid-1920s, as a result of the 
     efforts of the citizen-driven Shenandoah Valley, Inc. and the 
     Shenandoah National Park Association, the congressionally 
     appointed Southern Appalachian National Park Committee 
     recommended that Congress authorize the establishment of a 
     national park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the 
     purpose of providing the western national park experience to 
     the populated eastern seaboard;
       Whereas, in 1935, the Secretary of the Interior, Harold 
     Ickes, accepted the land deeds for what would become 
     Shenandoah National Park from the Commonwealth of Virginia, 
     and, on July 3, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     dedicated Shenandoah National Park ``to this and to 
     succeeding generations for the recreation and re-creation 
     they would find'';
       Whereas the Appalachian Mountains extend through 200,000 
     acres of Shenandoah National Park and border the 8 Virginia 
     counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Greene, Madison, Page, 
     Rappahannock, Rockingham, and Warren;
       Whereas Shenandoah National Park is home to a diverse 
     ecosystem of 103 rare and endangered species, 1,405 plant 
     species, 51 mammal species, 36 fish species, 26 reptile 
     species, 23 amphibian species, and more than 200 bird 
     species;
       Whereas the proximity of Shenandoah National Park to 
     heavily populated areas, including Washington, District of 
     Columbia, promotes regional travel and tourism, providing 
     thousands of jobs and contributing millions of dollars to the 
     economic vitality of the region;
       Whereas Shenandoah National Park, rich with recreational 
     opportunities, offers 520 miles of hiking trails, 200 miles 
     of which are designated horse trails and 101 miles of which 
     are part of the 2,175-mile Appalachian National Historic 
     Trail, more than 90 fishable streams, 4 campgrounds, 7 picnic 
     areas, 3 lodges, 6 backcountry cabins, and an extensive, 
     rugged backcountry open to wilderness camping to the millions 
     of people who annually visit the Park;
       Whereas the Park protects significant cultural resources, 
     including--
       (1) Rapidan Camp, once a summer retreat for President 
     Herbert Hoover and now a national historic landmark;
       (2) Skyline Drive, a historic district listed on the 
     National Register of Historic Places;
       (3) Massanutten Lodge, a structure listed on the National 
     Register of Historic Places;
       (4) 360 buildings and structures included on the List of 
     Classified Structures;
       (5) 577 significant, recorded archeological sites, 11 of 
     which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places; 
     and
       (6) more than 100 historic cemeteries;
       Whereas Congress named 10 battlefields in the Shenandoah 
     Valley for preservation in the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields 
     National Historic District and Commission Act of 1996 
     (section 606 of Public Law 104-333; 110 Stat. 4174), and 
     Shenandoah National Park, an integral partner in that 
     endeavor, provides visitors with outstanding views of 
     pristine, natural landscapes that are vital to the Civil War 
     legacy;
       Whereas Shenandoah National Park also protects intangible 
     resources, including aspects of the heritage of the people of 
     the United States through the rigorous commitments of the 
     Civilian Conservation Corps and the advancement of Civil 
     Rights as Shenandoah's ``separate but equal'' facilities 
     became the first to desegregate in Virginia;
       Whereas, on October 20, 1976, Public Law 94-567 was 
     enacted, designating 79,579 acres within Shenandoah National 
     Park's boundaries as wilderness under the Wilderness Act (16 
     U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), which protects the wilderness character 
     of the lands ``for the permanent good of the whole people''; 
     and
       Whereas Congress should support efforts to preserve the 
     ecological and cultural integrity of Shenandoah National 
     Park, maintain the infrastructure of the Park, and protect 
     the famously scenic views of the Shenandoah Valley: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) commemorates the 75th anniversary of the dedication of 
     Shenandoah National Park; and
       (2) acknowledges the historic and enduring scenic, 
     recreational, and economic value of the Park.

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