[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 34 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H1332-H1334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1700
COLTSVILLE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK DONATION SITE AMENDMENT
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 863) to facilitate the addition of park administration at
the Coltsville National Historical Park, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 863
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT TO COLTSVILLE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
DONATION SITE.
Section 3032(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 113-291 (16 U.S.C.
410qqq) is amended by striking ``East Armory'' and inserting
``Colt Armory Complex''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs.
Torres) each will control 20 minutes.
[[Page H1333]]
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include any extraneous material 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, H.R. 863 was introduced by Representative John Larson of
Connecticut. Originally, the National Park Service was required to
acquire 10,000 square feet of space in East Armory of Coltsville. This
measure would allow the National Park Service to acquire that space
within any part of the Colt Armory Complex in Hartford, Connecticut.
Coltsville was the home of Samuel Colt's industrial enterprise,
Colt's Manufacturing Company. In Hartford, Samuel Colt developed the
use of the assembly line and highly mechanized techniques. Colt's
Manufacturing Company not only transformed the firearms industry, but
it was a major contributor to the industrial revolution by pioneering
the use of interchangeable parts and precision manufacturing.
Colt's success brought him fame and wealth. He became one of the 10
wealthiest businessmen in the United States, a pillar of the Hartford
community, and was given the honorary title of colonel by the Governor
of Connecticut.
This small modification to current law would provide the Park Service
flexibility in selecting a location for park administrative offices and
visitor services at the Coltsville site. A nearly identical bill passed
the House last Congress by voice vote.
I commend Representative Larson for his work on this legislation. I
urge passage of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), the bill's sponsor.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative
Torres, Representative McClintock, Chairman Bishop, and Ranking Member
Grijalva for all of their hard work on this.
As the chairman indicated, this bill did pass on a voice vote last
year. Unfortunately, our colleagues in the Senate did not take it up
last year. This year they have, and I am glad that it is before us
again. This is truly a collaborative effort.
Especially from a small State like Connecticut, I want to thank the
larger States. We just heard two Members from Oregon talking about
Mount Hood. In most of the national parks in the West, you could fit
the entire State of Connecticut.
I especially thank the committee for understanding the historic
significance of Coltsville itself, and also the work not only of Samuel
Colt, who gets most of the credit for a gun that was aptly named the
gun that won the West, but of who it actually was brought to market by,
Elizabeth Colt.
Samuel Colt died in 1862 at the beginning of the Civil War. Of
course, that gun and those weapons that they produced also played a
critical role in the North's victory.
Elizabeth Colt, however, continued the company. While she could not
vote, she was part of what back then would have been a top 10
manufacturing company in the entire Nation. They ended up being the
first American manufacturer to establish a plant abroad because their
production scheme was that great.
She also established the concept of firewalls, which was important to
a then-budding insurance industry in the State of Connecticut.
She also came up with the concept of housing workers. A large number
of immigrants who poured into the country, who were skilled workers
from all around the globe, but mostly from Europe, who came to Hartford
at that time, were able to settle in housing.
The Park Service has been magnificent in setting up and reviewing
this. I thank James Woolsey, who is the park's superintendent, but also
the people in the area: Larry Dooley of Colt Gateway; the Church of the
Good Shepherd; the Sheldon Charter Oak neighborhood groups; and, of
course, the current mayor, Mayor Bronin; and Governor Malloy. Three
other mayors have come before Congress and before the committee to
testify on this bill, its importance, its significance, and its
heritage. We are extraordinarily proud of this.
I would be remiss if I didn't point out the extra effort that
Chairman Bishop put into this, especially his understanding in
grappling with a very small State like Connecticut and what one would
consider, by National Park Service standards, a very small piece of
history with an enormous impact.
Henry Ford came there to take a look at the assembly line techniques
that were developed there. Pratt and Whitney were both interns there,
which led to, in my hometown of East Hartford, the most incredible
aerospace engines, the arsenal for democracy in the State of
Connecticut, a company that went on to produce 70 percent of all the
engines utilized in the Second World War.
All this from Samuel Colt and, of course, Elizabeth Colt, who took
over and became such an incredible philanthropist.
Hartford, at that time--because of all the manufacturing, including
typewriters, bicycles, and even the automobile--got its start there. It
also led this incredible sage from Missouri to locate there, write, and
publish books, named Mark Twain.
So there is quite a story that comes, and it just demonstrates the
value of manufacturing. We all know here and we talk frequently about
value added, a four-to-one enterprise today.
Beyond that, everything else--the ideas that it spun, the innovation
that it spun, and the creativity--is something that is very much worth
celebrating and remembering. I thank the committee in general for all
of their hard work. I am thrilled with this.
I know, having worked with Speaker Ryan on a number of important
issues, that he would be happy to know that AmeriCorps is also involved
in the area as well.
I thank the committee for sticking with this. It took over 14 years
to get this passed. Now, with the passage of this legislation, it will
officially open this spring.
I hope the committee will come out, and we will plan a great
celebration and welcome you there as well.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, certainly
none that could match the detailed knowledge and eloquence of the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Congress established the Coltsville National Historical Park at the
end of 2014. The law that established the park also authorized the
National Park Service to utilize a 10,000-square-foot building, known
as the East Armory for the purpose of park administration.
However, during the planning phase for establishing this new park,
local stakeholders and the Park Service have determined that the Colt
Armory Complex is better suited for this purpose. This bill simply
makes that change and authorizes use of the Colt Armory Complex.
I support this simple fix to the enabling legislation that responds
to the on-the-ground dynamics of this particular park. I want to thank
the majority and my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee for
expediting review of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) for
his hard work on moving this bill forward. I urge my colleagues to vote
in favor of H.R. 863.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure and look
forward to taking Representative Larson up on his kind invitation for
the great opening.
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. 863.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
[[Page H1334]]
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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