[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H5414-H5415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SAINT FRANCIS DAM DISASTER NATIONAL MEMORIAL ACT

  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2156) to provide for the establishment of a national 
memorial and national monument to commemorate those killed by the 
collapse of the Saint Francis Dam on March 12, 1928, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2156

       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 ``Saint Francis Dam Disaster 
     National Memorial Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) On March 12, 1928, the Saint Francis Dam located in the 
     northern portion of Los Angeles County, California, breached, 
     resulting in a devastating flood that caused the death of 
     approximately 425 individuals.
       (2) The residents of Santa Clarita Valley, San Francisquito 
     Canyon, Castaic Junction, Santa Clara River Valley, Piru, 
     Fillmore, Bardsdale, Saticoy, and Santa Paula were directly 
     impacted and suffered greatly from the worst flood in the 
     history of the State of California.
       (3) The disaster resulted in a tremendous loss of human 
     life, property, and the livelihood of local residents, and 
     was surpassed in the level of destruction in the 20th century 
     only by the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
       (4) The collapse of the dam may represent America's worst 
     civil engineering failure in the 20th century.
       (5) The site of the disaster is subject to the theft of 
     historic artifacts, graffiti, and other vandalism.
       (6) It is right to pay homage to the citizens who were 
     killed, injured, or dislocated due to the flood, and to 
     educate the public about this important historical event.
       (7) It is appropriate that the site of the Saint Francis 
     Dam and surrounding areas be specially designated and 
     protected to commemorate this tragic event.

     SEC. 3. SAINT FRANCIS DAM DISASTER NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary is authorized to 
     establish a memorial at the Saint Francis Dam site in the 
     County of Los Angeles, California, for the purpose of 
     honoring the victims of the Saint Francis Dam disaster of 
     March 12, 1928.
       (b) Requirements.--The Memorial shall be--
       (1) known as the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National 
     Memorial; and
       (2) managed by the Forest Service.
       (c) Donations.--The Secretary is authorized to accept, 
     hold, administer, invest, and spend any gift, devise, or 
     bequest of real or personal property made to the Secretary 
     for purposes of developing, designing, constructing, and 
     managing the Memorial.

     SEC. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEMORIAL.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress recommendations regarding--
       (1) the planning, design, construction, and long-term 
     management of the Memorial;
       (2) the proposed boundaries of the Memorial;
       (3) a visitor center and educational facilities at the 
     Memorial; and
       (4) ensuring public access to the Memorial.
       (b) Consultation.--In preparing the recommendations 
     required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult 
     with--
       (1) appropriate Federal agencies;
       (2) State, tribal, and local governments, including the 
     Santa Clarita City Council; and
       (3) the public.

     SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF SAINT FRANCIS DAM DISASTER NATIONAL 
                   MONUMENT.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established as a national 
     monument in the State, certain National Forest System land 
     administered by the Secretary in the County of Los Angeles 
     comprising approximately 440 acres, as generally depicted on 
     the map entitled ``Proposed Saint Francis Dam Disaster 
     National Monument'', created on June 14, 2016, to be known as 
     the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Monument is to conserve 
     and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of the public the 
     cultural, archaeological, historical, watershed, educational, 
     and recreational resources and values of the Monument.

     SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY WITH RESPECT TO MONUMENT.

       (a) Management Plan.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a 
     management plan for the Monument.
       (2) Consultation.--The management plan shall be developed 
     in consultation with--
       (A) appropriate Federal agencies;
       (B) State, tribal, and local governments; and
       (C) the public.
       (3) Considerations.--In developing and implementing the 
     management plan, the Secretary shall, with respect to methods 
     of protecting and providing access to the Monument, consider 
     the recommendations of the Saint Francis Disaster National 
     Memorial Foundation, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical 
     Society, and the Community Hiking Club of Santa Clarita.
       (b) Management.--The Secretary shall manage the Monument--
       (1) in a manner that conserves and enhances the cultural 
     and historic resources of the Monument; and
       (2) in accordance with--
       (A) the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning 
     Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.) and the laws generally 
     applicable to the National Forest System;
       (B) this Act; and
       (C) any other applicable laws.
       (c) Uses.--
       (1) Use of motorized vehicles.--The use of motorized 
     vehicles within the Monument may be permitted only--
       (A) on roads designated for use by motorized vehicles in 
     the management plan required under subsection (a);
       (B) for administrative purposes; or
       (C) for emergency responses.
       (2) Grazing.--The Secretary shall permit grazing within the 
     Monument, where established before the date of the enactment 
     of this Act--

[[Page H5415]]

       (A) subject to all applicable laws (including regulations 
     and Executive orders); and
       (B) consistent with the purpose described in section 5(b).

     SEC. 7. CLARIFICATION ON FUNDING.

       No additional funds are authorized to carry out the 
     requirements of this Act. Such requirements shall be carried 
     out using amounts otherwise authorized.

     SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Memorial.--The term ``Memorial'' means the Saint 
     Frances Dam Disaster National Memorial authorized under 
     section 3(a).
       (2) Monument.--The term ``Monument'' means the Saint 
     Francis Dam Disaster National Monument established under 
     section 5(a).
       (3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of 
     California.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. LaHood) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LaHOOD. 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 currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The Saint Francis Dam disaster is considered one of the worst civil 
engineering catastrophes in the 20th century.
  H.R. 2156, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Knight), 
my good friend, recognizes the incident's devastation and subsequent 
impacts on the residents of northern Los Angeles County by establishing 
a national memorial and monument to preserve the area for future 
generations.
  The bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the 
memorial using donations from the community, working in consultation 
with the Santa Clarita City Council and the public. No taxpayer funds 
are authorized for the construction of the memorial.
  The bill also authorizes the creation of a 440-acre monument that 
will encompass the Saint Francis Dam memorial. The boundaries of the 
monument were designated in consultation with the local community, and 
the bill includes provisions to ensure motorized access within the 
monument and continued grazing on any land where it is already 
permitted.
  The memorial and the monument created by this legislation are a 
fitting tribute to the 400 people who lost their lives tragically and 
thousands more whose lives were forever changed by the Saint Francis 
Dam disaster.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill introduced by Mr. Knight, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  In one of the worst civil engineering failures of the 20th century, 
the breach of the Saint Francis Dam, on March 12, 1928, tragically took 
the lives of over 400 Americans. To honor the memory of those who lost 
their lives on that fateful day, H.R. 2156 establishes a national 
memorial at the disaster site in California's Santa Clarita Valley. The 
memorial will provide a permanent place of remembrance and a place for 
healing.
  In addition to the memorial, H.R. 2156 establishes the Saint Francis 
Dam National Monument on 440 acres of public land managed by the Forest 
Service. The national monument designation authorizes the U.S. Forest 
Service, in consultation with a range of stakeholders, to develop 
educational programs and improve the health of regional watersheds.
  I want to thank Congresswoman Julia Brownley, as well as Congressman 
Knight, along with the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, for 
bringing the legacy of the Saint Francis Dam disaster to the attention 
of Congress. As we have all heard: ``Those who cannot remember the past 
are doomed to repeat it.''
  This bill received strong support last Congress and was voted out of 
the House. This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support its 
adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Knight), the author of the legislation.
  Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. Speaker, this is something that is near and dear to 
my heart. This is something that has affected our community. It 
happened less than 20 miles from my house, almost 100 years ago, and 
today I rise in remembrance of the Saint Francis Dam and the bill I 
sponsored, which would establish a national memorial to honor those in 
this terrible tragedy.
  The Saint Francis Dam failed on March 12, 1928, in the San 
Francisquito Canyon. Nearly 13 billion gallons of water crashed down 
upon the surrounding areas and, ultimately, traveled 54 miles down to 
the Pacific Ocean. The brute force of this floodwater claimed 437 
lives, leaving in its wake unspeakable heartbreak and catastrophically 
impacted communities.
  The Saint Francis Dam disaster was America's worst civil engineering 
failure of the 20th century. While the failure ultimately informed 
future dam construction and the development of new safety standards, 
these lessons were learned at a steep price. Many of the dams that were 
built after this were built because of the Saint Francis Dam issues, 
and they were built at a much different level.
  This bill takes a small but significant step in memorializing the 
men, women, and children who lost their lives in this tragedy. Those 
individuals represent a solemn part of current-day Santa Clarita 
Valley's heritage, and I am humbled by this honor to commemorate their 
memory.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his support of this bill, and I 
urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2156.
  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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