[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 15 (Monday, January 30, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H712-H713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         FORT ONTARIO STUDY ACT

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 46) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
special resource study of Fort Ontario in the State of New York.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 46

       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 ``Fort Ontario Study Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) From 1755 until 1814, Fort Ontario and three previous 
     fortifications built on the site of the Fort in Oswego, New 
     York, on the shore of Lake Ontario were used as military 
     installations during the French and Indian War, the 
     Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.
       (2) The original fort, erected by the British in 1755, was 
     destroyed by French forces in 1756. The fort was rebuilt and 
     subsequently destroyed during both the American Revolution 
     and the War of 1812. The star-shaped fort was constructed on 
     the site of the original fortifications in the 1840s, with 
     improvements made from 1863 through 1872.
       (3) The United States Armed Forces began expanding Fort 
     Ontario in the early 20th century and by 1941, approximately 
     125 buildings stood at the fort.
       (4) On June 9, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     announced that Fort Ontario would serve as the Nation's only 
     Emergency Refugee Camp during World War II. From August of 
     1944 until February 1946, nearly 1,000 refugees were 
     sheltered at Fort Ontario.
       (5) Fort Ontario was conveyed from the Federal Government 
     to the State of New York in 1946; it was used to house World 
     War II veterans and their families and then converted to a 
     State historic site in 1953.
       (6) A post cemetery containing the graves of 77 officers, 
     soldiers, women, and children who served at Fort Ontario in 
     war and peace is situated on the grounds of the fort.
       (7) In 1970, Fort Ontario was placed on the National 
     Register of Historic Places.

     SEC. 3. FORT ONTARIO SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in 
     this section as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct a special 
     resource study of Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York.
       (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall--
       (1) evaluate the national significance of the site;
       (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
     designating the site as a unit of the National Park System;
       (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 
     protection, and interpretation of the lands 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) determine the effect of the designation of the site as 
     a unit of the National Park System on existing commercial and 
     recreational uses and the effect on State and local 
     governments to manage those activities;
       (6) identify any authorities, including condemnation, that 
     may compel or allow the Secretary to influence or participate 
     in local land use decisions (such as zoning) or place 
     restrictions on non-Federal land if the site is designated a 
     unit of the National Park System; and
       (7) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, 
     development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance 
     associated with the alternatives.
       (c) Applicable Law.--The study authorized under subsection 
     (a) shall be conducted in accordance with section 100507 of 
     title 54, United States Code.
       (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 that 
     describes--
       (1) the findings of the study; and
       (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana 
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Congressman John Katko of New York brings us H.R. 46, 
which authorizes the National Park Service to conduct a special 
resource study of Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York, to evaluate the 
site's national significance and determine the suitability of its 
designation as a unit of the National Park system.

                              {time}  1645

  Fort Ontario was first established in 1755 to defend Americans during 
the French and Indian Wars. You might say it was the first time our 
Nation has dealt with organized terrorism. It played a role in the 
American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 and served our country 
as a hospital, training facility, and a refugee center in the First and 
Second World Wars.
  In 1946, after nearly 200 years of active military use, Fort Ontario 
was transferred to the State of New York, which has operated and 
maintained it ever since. The House passed a nearly identical version 
of this legislation in the 114th Congress.
  I urge adoption of the measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This bill authorizes the National Park Service to conduct a special 
resource study of Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York. Fort Ontario was a 
military installation used during the French and Indian Wars, which was 
later used to house refugees fleeing the Nazi Holocaust during World 
War II.
  Many Americans remember our Nation's role in World War II through 
events like the Invasion of Normandy or the Battle of Iwo Jima, closer 
to my district, which have been re-imagined in film and memorialized in 
stone, but the story of Fort Ontario is an equally important component 
of our historical legacy. Providing physical refuge from persecution 
says as much about our national character as the bravery and sacrifice 
of the millions of Americans who were deployed overseas.
  The site has been managed as a New York State historic site since 
1949 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places 
since 1970. The study authorized by this bill will look into the best 
available options for the continued preservation and management of Fort 
Ontario, including the possibility of turning it into a unit of the 
National Park System.
  Fort Ontario has had many uses throughout our Nation's history, and 
it has had a particularly relevant place in the story of Jewish 
Americans. As we work to ensure that our public lands tell the story of 
all Americans, Fort Ontario and its unique story could be a fitting 
addition.
  This bill passed the House last September but was, unfortunately, not 
acted upon by the Senate.
  I would like to thank Representative Katko, the sponsor of this bill, 
for his continued efforts to ensure the Nation knows about the story of 
Fort Ontario.
  This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko), the author of this measure.
  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
thank both gentlemen for their kind words about this truly unique 
historical fort in my district.

[[Page H713]]

  Fort Ontario stood on the shores of Lake Ontario for over 260 years 
and now stands as a testament to the great history of central New York 
and the important role the region has played in our Nation's history. 
The Fort has been involved in nearly every major American war, from the 
French and Indian Wars to World War II.
  From 1944 to 1946, Fort Ontario served as our Nation's only emergency 
refugee camp, providing shelter to over 980 refugees during World War 
II. In recognition of the Fort's use as a refugee shelter, primarily 
for Jewish people fleeing Hitler's Europe, the site also hosts the Safe 
Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum. It is a truly unique fort in 
our country.
  Following World War II, the fort was transferred to the State of New 
York to house war veterans and their families until 1953. This 
unparalleled history would make Fort Ontario a unique asset to our 
National Park System.
  I am honored to have introduced this legislation, which takes the 
first steps toward ensuring Fort Ontario receives the national 
recognition it richly deserves. The Fort Ontario Study Act would 
commission a special resource study of Fort Ontario to evaluate the 
site's national significance and determine the suitability of its 
designation as a part of the National Park System.
  Fort Ontario, now a national historic site in New York and listed on 
the National Register of Historic Places, draws residents of New York, 
visitors across the Nation, and, indeed, across the globe to experience 
the rich history of the fort and the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee 
Shelter Museum. Designating the fort as a national park will not only 
preserve the unique history of the site, but also have the potential to 
grow tourism and strengthen our economy.
  I am proud to be a champion of this effort, and I credit this success 
to the countless individuals and organizations in Oswego, New York, and 
throughout the 24th District who have spent years working to preserve 
the history of Fort Ontario. These groups and individuals include the 
Friends of Fort Ontario, Paul Lear with New York State Parks, the Board 
of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum, and the many 
volunteers that give so much of their time to this cause.
  Reflecting the importance of the fort to the entire region, I 
introduced this bill with Congresswoman Tenney and Congresswoman 
Slaughter. I would like to thank them both for their support, as well 
as Chairman Bishop for working toward moving this legislation forward.
  I ask all of my colleagues to support H.R. 46, and I urge my 
colleagues in the Senate to take quick action on this important 
legislation.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption and support of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, this is an important part of American 
history. It belongs in the National Park System. I urge adoption of the 
bill.
  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 California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 46.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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