[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 61 (Monday, April 28, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H3218-H3219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PRISON SHIP MARTYRS' MONUMENT PRESERVATION ACT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 1501) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
study the suitability and feasibility of designating the Prison Ship 
Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park, in the New York City borough of 
Brooklyn, as a unit of the National Park System, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1501

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

     SECTION 1. PRISON SHIP MARTYRS' MONUMENT STUDY; REPORT.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Prison 
     Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act''.
       (b) Study.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     complete a study to determine the suitability and feasibility 
     of designating the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort 
     Greene Park, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, as a 
     unit of the National Park System.
       (2) Applicable law.--The study required under this 
     subsection shall be conducted in accordance with section 8(c) 
     of the National Park System General Authorities Act (16 
     U.S.C. 1a-5(c)).
       (3) Content of study.--The study shall include--
       (A) an analysis of operational issues that should be 
     considered if the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument were to be 
     designated as a unit of the National Park System;
       (B) an analysis of the feasibility of administering the 
     Prison Ships Martyrs' Monument, considering its size, 
     configuration, and other factors, including an annual cost 
     estimate;
       (C) an analysis of the economic, educational, and other 
     impacts of the designation of the Prison Ship Martyrs' 
     Monument as a unit of the National Park System;
       (D) an analysis of the effect of the designation of the 
     Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument as a unit of the National Park 
     System on--
       (i) existing commercial and recreational activities, and on 
     the authorization, construction, operation, maintenance, or 
     improvement of energy production and transmission 
     infrastructure; and
       (ii) the authority of State and local governments to manage 
     those activities; and
       (E) an identification of any authorities, including 
     condemnation, that will compel or permit the Secretary of the 
     Interior to influence or participate in local land use 
     decisions (such as zoning) or place restrictions on non-
     Federal lands if the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument is 
     designated as a unit of the National Park System.
       (c) Notification of Private Property Owners.--Upon 
     commencement of the study, owners of private property in or 
     adjacent to the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument shall be 
     notified of the study's commencement and scope.
       (d) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     transmit 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 the conclusions 
     of the study required by subsection (b).

  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 to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous materials 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, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1501 authorizes the National Park Service to 
conduct a study of the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Brooklyn, New 
York, to determine its eligibility to become a unit in the National 
Park Service.
  The Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park is a memorial 
to the more than 11,500 American prisoners of war who died in captivity 
aboard 16 British prison ships during the American Revolutionary War.
  The study authorized by this legislation will determine if the site 
meets the test of national significance and provide different Federal, 
local, and nongovernmental management proposals. The study is 
informational. Congress would still have to act on separate legislation 
to designate the monument as a park.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us brought by the gentleman from 
New York has tremendous merit. This is a chapter of history that many 
of us have forgotten or didn't learn in school, but the 11,500 lives 
that were lost aboard British prison ships while our country fought for 
its independence during the Revolutionary War is certainly a very, very 
important national and nationally significant site.

                              {time}  1745

  The site has been managed by the New York Department of Parks and 
Recreation, but the gentleman from New York has rightly pointed out in 
his advocacy that this should actually be a site that has national 
significance. He therefore has authored--and hopefully today we will 
successfully see passed--H.R. 1501, which would direct the Secretary of 
the Interior to complete a study within 1 year on the feasibility of 
designating the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park in 
Brooklyn, New York, as a unit of the National Park System. I would hope 
that this legislation would be broadly supported.
  With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Jeffries).
  Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Oregon for 
yielding, for his support, and for his leadership, as well as to Mr. 
Young.
  Mr. Speaker, the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument pays homage to 
American Revolutionary War heroes and patriots who lost their lives 
while fighting for our Nation's independence.

[[Page H3219]]

  This structure was first erected in 1908 to memorialize and contain 
the remains of 11,500 patriots from the Revolutionary War who died 
while in British custody on ships anchored in the East River, 
immediately adjacent to Brooklyn, New York. The British maintained 
approximately 16 prison ships during the war, which became necessary 
after the limited land-based prison space reached capacity shortly 
after New York City fell to the British in August of 1776. These 
prisoners of war were housed in inhumane conditions; disease was 
rampant; and food and water were scarce. Each ship typically contained 
more than 1,000 men and boys.
  More Americans died in British captivity than in all of the battles 
of the Revolutionary War combined. Many perished on these prison ships. 
The deceased represent patriots from all Thirteen Colonies and of more 
than a dozen nationalities. Accordingly, this is one of the only 
international war monuments in the world. The individuals housed on the 
prison ships could have obtained their freedom had they acceded to 
requests to join the British forces. However, very few opted to save 
their own lives, instead believing in the promise of America.
  According to a written newspaper account of the situation:

       American prisoners suffered so egregiously, in part, 
     because the British refused to recognize them as enemy 
     soldiers, which would have, of course, amounted to 
     legitimizing the colonial government, and therefore denied 
     them the basic rights ordinarily accorded to prisoners of 
     war.

  It was not until 1908 that their remains were properly memorialized 
in a 149-foot-tall Doric column atop a 95-foot hill in Fort Greene, 
Brooklyn, beneath which is the crypt.
  During the Great Depression, the monument as a whole fell into 
disrepair due to a shortage of funds, neglect, and a lack of public 
interest. The monument originally had four bronze eagles mounted to the 
corner granite posts. After repeatedly being vandalized, these eagles 
were removed, never to be returned to the park again. This is 
emblematic of the overall treatment of the monument, treatment that 
continued for much of the previous century.
  In 2005, as part of a $3 million reconstruction project, which took 
18 months, the condition of the monument improved somewhat. However, it 
is still under great threat as vandals continue to deface the property. 
This monument should be a place to memorialize forgotten martyrs and 
Revolutionary War heroes. Instead, it is now more frequently used as a 
skate park and as a casual recreation space.
  To that end, the potential designation of the crypt and the monument 
as a unit of the NPS should be studied given its national significance 
and the ability of the NPS to protect our national treasures. The story 
of these brave heroes--with the atrocities they suffered--has been 
described as one of the least known accounts of the American 
Revolution. I respectfully urge my colleagues in the House to support 
H.R. 1501. Preserve the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument, and help 
illuminate the sacrifices made by these forgotten patriots and American 
Revolutionary War heroes.
  Again, let me thank the distinguished gentleman, the ranking member, 
for his support and for his leadership as well as that of Mr. Young's.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, 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. 1501, 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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