[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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