[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 61 (Monday, April 28, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H3214-H3215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1715
                 NEW PHILADELPHIA, ILLINOIS, STUDY ACT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 930) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
conduct a special resource study of the archeological site and 
surrounding land of the New Philadelphia town site in the State of 
Illinois, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 930

       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 ``New Philadelphia, Illinois, 
     Study Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) Frank McWorter, an enslaved man, bought his freedom and 
     the freedom of 15 family members by mining for crude niter in 
     Kentucky caves and processing the mined material into 
     saltpeter;
       (2) New Philadelphia, founded in 1836 by Frank McWorter, 
     was the first town planned and legally registered by a free 
     African-American before the Civil War;
       (3) the first railroad constructed in the area of New 
     Philadelphia bypassed New Philadelphia, which led to the 
     decline of New Philadelphia; and
       (4) the New Philadelphia site--
       (A) is a registered National Historic Landmark;
       (B) is covered by farmland; and
       (C) does not contain any original buildings of the town or 
     the McWorter farm and home that are visible above ground.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (2) Study area.--The term ``Study Area'' means the New 
     Philadelphia archeological site and the surrounding land in 
     the State of Illinois.

     SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a special resource 
     study of the Study Area.
       (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall--
       (1) evaluate the national significance of the Study Area;
       (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
     designating the Study Area as a unit of the National Park 
     System;
       (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 
     protection, and interpretation of the Study Area by--
       (A) Federal, State, or local governmental entities; or
       (B) private and nonprofit organizations;
       (4) consult with--
       (A) interested Federal, State, or local governmental 
     entities;
       (B) private and nonprofit organizations; or
       (C) any other interested individuals;
       (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, 
     development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance 
     associated with the alternatives considered under paragraph 
     (3); and
       (6) determine the effect of the designation of the Study 
     Area as a unit of the National Park System on--
       (A) existing commercial and recreational activities, 
     including but not limited to hunting, fishing, recreational 
     shooting, and on the authorization, construction, operation, 
     maintenance or improvement of energy production and 
     transmission infrastructure; and
       (B) the effect of the authority of State and local 
     governments to manage those activities; and
       (7) identify any authorities, including condemnation, that 
     will compel or permit the Secretary to influence or 
     participate in local land use decisions (such as zoning) or 
     place restrictions on nonfederal land if the Study Area is 
     designated a unit of the National Park System.

[[Page H3215]]

       (c) Applicable Law.--The study required under subsection 
     (a) shall be conducted in accordance with section 8 of Public 
     Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5).
       (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which 
     funds are first made available for the study under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural 
     Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
     on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report 
     containing--
       (1) the results of the study; and
       (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.


                             General Leave

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. 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 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as 
he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schock) who authored 
this bill.
  Mr. SCHOCK. I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska for yielding me 
this time, and for his leadership on the committee to make these bills 
law.
  Mr. Speaker, New Philadelphia, Illinois, was the first town founded 
and built by a freed slave, and it happened before the Civil War.
  Today, this historic town in my district deserves designation as a 
national park, and H.R. 930 will pave the way for official recognition.
  The man who founded New Philadelphia was Frank McWorter, a Kentucky 
slave who worked to buy his own freedom and that of his wife and 15 
family members. At a time of immense cultural and political hostilities 
over the issue of slavery, the McWorter family and other citizens of 
New Philadelphia built a town where free African Americans and European 
settlers lived and worked side by side.
  Due to their hard work and strong faith, the scourge of racial 
violence never gained a foothold in the town, despite the upheaval 
around them. Think of the significance of that. The people of New 
Philadelphia built the dream of Martin Luther King a full 127 years 
before his immortal words were spoken on the steps of the Lincoln 
Memorial. Long before the Supreme Court ordered the desegregation of 
American schools, these Illinoisans were teaching their children in the 
same classrooms, letting them play in the same parks, and drawing water 
from the same wells. The story of New Philadelphia is a proud heritage 
for central Illinois, and it deserves to be shared with all Americans.
  Today, we are honored to have a direct descendant of Frank McWorter 
here in the gallery, Sheena Franklin. This family, this town, are 
examples of the best of America, and they accomplished it during the 
worst of our times.
  I also want to especially thank members of the New Philadelphia 
Association, especially Charlotte King, who have worked for more than a 
decade to document, preserve, and restore the extraordinary history of 
the town. It is through their efforts that this unique chapter in our 
history can be preserved for generations as a national park, and I look 
forward to continuing to work with them toward that goal.
  This legislation is another step in the direction of racial justice. 
It is another sure stitch in the healing process for a Nation once 
divided so bitterly and tragically over the issue of slavery. I urge 
passage of H.R. 930.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
referring to occupants in the gallery.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This bill by the gentleman from Illinois, he has already eloquently 
described the history and the purpose. It is an extraordinary history 
in New Philadelphia, and it certainly deserves more national 
recognition. In this case, the gentleman's legislation, H.R. 930, would 
direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 
study of the New Philadelphia archaeological site and the surrounding 
land. It would require the Secretary to evaluate the national 
significance of the study area and determine the feasibility of 
designating the study area as a unit of the national park system. 
Therefore, we support this legislation.
  I thank the majority and the gentleman from Illinois for bringing 
this up, and urge all of my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 930, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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