[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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