[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 131 (Monday, September 15, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7495-H7497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1930
WEST HUNTER STREET BAPTIST CHURCH STUDY ACT
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 4119) to direct the Secretary of the Interior
to conduct a special resource study of the West Hunter Street Baptist
Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4119
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 ``West Hunter Street Baptist
Church Study Act''.
SEC. 2. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a
special resource study of the historic West Hunter Street
Baptist Church, located at 775 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,
SW., Atlanta, Georgia and the block on which the church is
located.
(b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall--
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(1) evaluate the national significance of the site;
(2) determine the suitability and feasibility of
designating the area as a unit of the National Park System;
(3) consider other alternatives for preservation,
protection, and interpretation of the site by Federal, State,
or local governmental entities, or private and nonprofit
organizations;
(4) consult with interested Federal, State, or local
governmental entities, private and nonprofit organizations or
any other interested individuals;
(5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition,
development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance
associated with the alternatives;
(6) consider 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, and
recreational shooting, and on the authorization,
construction, operation, maintenance, or improvement of
energy production and transmission infrastructure; and
(B) the authority of State and local governments to manage
those activities.
(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 non-Federal lands if the study area is
designated a unit of the National Park System.
(c) Notification of Private Property Owners.--Upon
commencement of the study, owners of private property
adjacent to the area will be notified of the study's
commencement and scope.
(d) Applicable Law.--The study required under subsection
(a) shall be conducted in accordance with the National Park
System General Authorities Act (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)).
(e) 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 the results of the study and any conclusions and
recommendations of the Secretary.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
General Leave
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. 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 Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, during the civil rights movement, the West Hunter Street
Baptist Church became a center for the movement. It was the site of
many civil rights gatherings, strategy sessions, and nonviolent
resolution trainings. The church was also the site of leadership
meetings and doubled as a school for nonviolent protest during
initiatives such as the Voter Education Project and the Freedom Summer
of 1964.
H.R. 4119 directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special
resource study of the West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta,
Georgia, to determine whether it meets the National Park Service's
criteria for inclusion in the National Park System.
I urge its passage, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4119 will authorize the National Park Service to study the
feasibility of including the West Hunter Street Baptist Church as a
unit of the National Park Service.
The West Hunter Street Baptist Church served as an important
gathering center and site, an organizing, training, and strategy place
where leaders met, and a leadership development area, all during the
civil rights movement, and it became a place where many of the most
important initiatives during the fight for equality, such as the Voter
Education Project and the Freedom Summer of 1964, were born.
I want to applaud my colleague from Georgia, Congressman Johnson, for
his efforts to preserve this iconic building and hope the feasibility
study is the first step in permanently preserving a landmark for future
generations of Americans.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott), the cosponsor of the
legislation.
Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I, along with my colleague
from Georgia, Mr. Johnson, am pleased to offer H.R. 4119, the West
Hunter Street Baptist Church Study Act.
During the civil rights movement, the church served as a headquarters
for many workers and a meeting ground for leaders.
The West Hunter Street Baptist Church served as a spiritual refuge
for countless men and women, like our colleague, John Lewis, who
devoted their lives to the civil rights movement.
I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson), my friend and cosponsor of
the legislation.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, tonight, I rise to urge the
House to adopt H.R. 4119, the West Hunter Street Baptist Church Study
Act.
Mr. Speaker, this is a noncontroversial and bipartisan piece of
legislation. I was proud to introduce this bill in partnership with my
colleague and fellow Georgian, Congressman Austin Scott.
My bill has the support of both of Georgia's Republican U.S. Senators
and 77 bipartisan Members of the House of Representatives.
This is an important piece of legislation for the people of Georgia's
Fourth Congressional District, whom I represent, but also for the
thousands of heroes who fought tirelessly during the civil rights
movement for equality in the South and throughout the country.
The West Hunter Street Baptist Church Study Act authorizes the
Department of the Interior to conduct a study of the West Hunter Street
Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine if it meets the
requirements to become part of our Nation's park system. According to
the National Park Service, the site may be considered for designation
as a national park if it is associated with significant events and
people in our Nation's history and contributes to the understanding of
these historic events and figures.
During the civil rights movement, the West Hunter Street Baptist
Church served as the headquarters for many civil rights workers and
organizers. It was the site of many important leadership meetings and
doubled as a school for nonviolent protests during initiatives such as
the Voter Education Project and the Freedom Summer of 1964. It was also
a spiritual refuge for the countless men and women who devoted their
lives to the cause.
Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, Sr., the church's pastor, was the
best friend and a partner of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He helped lead
the bus boycotts after Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat.
Rev. Dr. Abernathy, Sr. assumed his position at the church at Dr.
King's urging following the success of the Freedom Rides. He was the
pastor at West Hunter Street Baptist Church until his death in 1990.
Passage of this bill will allow the Department of Interior to assess
how to more fully preserve and honor the contributions of all who
played significant roles in advancing freedom and human rights,
including the Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, Sr.
I urge the House to remember the pivotal nature of the civil rights
movement. When considering this bill, think of what the movement meant
to our Nation and to the world. As Dr. King said, the struggle for
civil rights ``lifted our Nation from the quicksands of racial
injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.''
In addition to broad bipartisan support in the House, this bill
enjoys the support of a number of prominent organizations, including
the Coalition for the People's Agenda, the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference, and the National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People.
I would like to thank Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member DeFazio
and Subcommittee Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their
support of this bill, and I thank them for moving this bill through the
Natural Resources Committee.
Again, I want to thank my colleague and homeboy, Austin Scott, for
his work on this.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.
[[Page H7497]]
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I advise my friend from
Arizona I have no more requests for time, so I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4119, 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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