[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 22 (Monday, February 5, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H750-H752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       STE. GENEVIEVE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ESTABLISHMENT ACT

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2888) to establish the Ste. Genevieve National Historic Site in 
the State of Missouri, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2888

       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 ``Ste. Genevieve National 
     Historical Park Establishment Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Historic district.--The term ``Historic District'' 
     means the Ste. Genevieve Historic District National Historic 
     Landmark, as generally depicted on the Map.
       (2) Historical park.--The term ``Historical Park'' means 
     the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park established by 
     section 3(a).
       (3) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled ``Ste. 
     Genevieve National Historical Park Proposed Boundary'', 
     numbered 571/132,626, and dated May 2016.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (5) Special resource study.--The term ``special resource 
     study'' means the study entitled ``Ste. Genevieve Final 
     Special Resources Study and Environmental Assessment, 
     Missouri'' and dated May 2016.
       (6) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Missouri.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STE. GENEVIEVE NATIONAL 
                   HISTORICAL PARK.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), there is 
     established the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park in 
     the State as a unit of the National Park System to preserve, 
     protect, and interpret for the benefit of present and future 
     generations the themes of French settlement, vernacular 
     architecture, and community form and farming on the frontier 
     associated with Ste. Genevieve.
       (2) Conditions for establishment.--The Historical Park 
     shall not be established until the date on which the 
     Secretary determines that--
       (A) sufficient land has been acquired for the Historical 
     Park to constitute a manageable unit; and

[[Page H751]]

       (B) the Secretary has entered into a written agreement 
     providing that land owned by the State, the City of Ste. 
     Genevieve, or other entity within the Historic District shall 
     be managed consistent with the purposes of this Act.
       (b) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the Historical Park 
     shall be the boundaries generally depicted on the Map.
       (c) Availability of Map.--The Map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of 
     the National Park Service.
       (d) Acquisition Authority.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may acquire any land or 
     interest in land located within the boundary of the 
     Historical Park or any nationally significant property 
     identified in the special resource study within the Historic 
     District by--
       (A) donation;
       (B) purchase with donated or appropriated funds; or
       (C) exchange.
       (2) Boundary revision.--On the acquisition of any property 
     within the Historic District under paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary shall revise the boundary of the Historical Park to 
     include the property.
       (e) Administration.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer the 
     Historical Park in accordance with--
       (A) this Act; and
       (B) the laws generally applicable to units of the National 
     Park System, including--
       (i) section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 
     100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United 
     States Code; and
       (ii) chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code.
       (2) Management plan.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date on 
     which funds are made available to prepare a general 
     management plan for the Historical Park, the Secretary shall 
     prepare the general management plan in accordance with 
     section 100502 of title 54, United States Code.
       (B) Submission to congress.--On completion of the general 
     management plan under subparagraph (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 the general management plan.
       (3) Related sites.--The Secretary may provide 
     interpretative tours and educational programs at related 
     historic and cultural sites within the Historic District 
     associated with the purposes for which the Historical Park is 
     established.
       (f) Cooperative Agreements.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may provide technical 
     assistance and enter into cooperative agreements with the 
     owner of a nationally significant property within the 
     Historical Park or the Historic District, to identify, mark, 
     interpret, improve, and restore the property.
       (2) Right of access.--A cooperative agreement entered into 
     under paragraph (1) shall provide that the Secretary, acting 
     through the Director of the National Park Service, shall have 
     the right of access at all reasonable times to all public 
     portions of the property covered by the agreement for the 
     purposes of--
       (A) conducting visitors through the property; and
       (B) interpreting the property for the public.
       (3) Cost-sharing requirement.--
       (A) Federal share.--The Federal share of the total cost of 
     any activity carried out under a cooperative agreement 
     entered into under this subsection shall be not more than 50 
     percent.
       (B) Form of non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of an 
     activity carried out under a cooperative agreement entered 
     into under this subsection may be in the form of donated 
     property, goods, or services fairly valued.
       (4) Changes or alterations.--No changes or alterations 
     shall be made to any property or project covered by a 
     cooperative agreement entered into under paragraph (1) unless 
     the Secretary and the other party to the agreement agree to 
     the changes or alterations.
       (5) Conversion, use, or disposal.--Any payment by the 
     Secretary under this subsection shall be subject to an 
     agreement that the conversion, use, or disposal of a property 
     or project for purposes contrary to the purposes of this 
     section, as determined by the Secretary, shall entitle the 
     United States to reimbursement in any amount equal to the 
     greater of--
       (A) the amounts made available to the property or project 
     by the United States; or
       (B) the portion of the increased value of the property or 
     project attributable to the amounts made available under this 
     subsection, as determined at the time of the conversion, use, 
     or disposal.
       (g) Limited Role of the Secretary.--Nothing in this Act 
     authorizes the Secretary to assume overall financial 
     responsibility for the operation, maintenance, or management 
     of the Historic District.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Gosar) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2888, the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park 
Establishment Act, sponsored by Representative Jason Smith from 
Missouri, would establish the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park 
in the city of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. It would also authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to acquire land for the park by donation, 
purchase, or exchange.
  Founded around 1750 by French Canadian settlers, Ste. Genevieve was 
Missouri's first settlement. Settlers from present-day Illinois crossed 
the Mississippi River attracted to the rich soil in the area. After 
severe floods in 1785, the town was moved 3 miles inland, where it 
still exists today, retaining many of its historic buildings, 
landscapes, and community characteristics.
  Ste. Genevieve is one of the oldest National Historic Landmark 
districts in the country, with a portion of the landmark designated in 
1960. It is famous for the use of French vertical log architecture.
  In 2009, Congress authorized a National Park Service study of the 
area, which concluded that the Ste. Genevieve historic district is 
nationally significant and suitable for direct National Park Service 
management.
  There is widespread local support for the establishment of a 
historical park, including the city, county commission, and Chamber of 
Commerce.
  Ste. Genevieve is an important part of our Nation's expansion and 
agricultural history and merits becoming a unit of the National Park 
System.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2888 establishes the Ste. Genevieve National 
Historical Park in the State of Missouri.
  Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, is a small town on the banks of the 
Mississippi River that was established by French settlers in the mid-
eighteenth century.
  Due to its unique collection of French vertical log architecture, the 
town was designated as one of the Nation's first National Historic 
Landmarks in 1960.
  In 2016, the National Park Service completed the special resource 
study and determined that the area exemplifies an important aspect of 
American history not adequately represented and protected elsewhere, 
therefore, meeting the suitability criteria for inclusion in the 
National Park System.
  This site went through the process and has fulfilled all the criteria 
for becoming a new unit of the National Park System.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Smith), the original sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to 
speak on behalf of this bill, the Ste. Genevieve National Historical 
Park Establishment Act, and on the behalf of the community of Ste. 
Genevieve.
  Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, is home to one of the largest collections 
of French colonial architecture in the United States and is one of the 
oldest colonial settlements west of the Mississippi River dating back 
to the early 1700s.
  For years, the community of Ste. Genevieve has celebrated its history 
and unique culture through numerous festivals and annual events. Over 
time, the Federal Government has begun to catch on. One of the town's 
historic homes is a National Historic Landmark, several other homes are 
on the National Register of Historic Places, and a large area of the 
town itself is designated as a National Historic Landmark district, one 
of the oldest in the country.
  In May of 2016, the National Park Service concluded and released a 
Final Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment for Ste. 
Genevieve. This study was the result of legislation

[[Page H752]]

passed over 10 years previously, which tasked the Park Service with 
determining whether or not the resources at Ste. Genevieve met the 
criteria for inclusion in the National Park System. Happily, the Park 
Service study concluded what the people of Ste. Genevieve already knew: 
that Ste. Genevieve's large and unique collection of vertical log 
houses rises to national significance. The study determined that 
certain areas are suitable for direct Park Service management.
  My bill is very straightforward: it establishes the Ste. Genevieve 
National Historical Park as a unit of the National Park System; it sets 
the boundaries of the park as depicted on the map laid out by the Park 
Service; and it gives the Secretary of the Interior certain authorities 
within the boundaries of the Historical Park or any nationally 
significant property identified in the special resource study.
  In order for the resources of Ste. Genevieve to be properly 
preserved, Park Service management is necessary. The work of local 
nonprofits, the city of Ste. Genevieve, and the State of Missouri to 
manage, preserve, and showcase these historic structures cannot be 
understated. However, there are still unmet needs for resource 
protection and interpretation, and the community looks forward to 
working with the Park Service to increase tourism in the area as well 
as properly preserve and study the town's resources.
  Once again, I want to highlight and thank the community of Ste. 
Genevieve for their strong support of this bill.

  Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to swiftly pass my bill and move it one 
step closer to the President's desk.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out something that we do not 
normally see in the Public Lands and Environmental Regulation 
Subcommittee of Natural Resources, and that is the people of Ste. 
Genevieve feel so strongly in what they do that they actually came to 
support those testifying in time-sensitive dress. As we looked at the 
various photographs of what they do to preserve their town, they were 
there before us in those same costumes. This is how serious the people 
of Ste. Genevieve are of the preservation of their site.
  Mr. Speaker, for those reasons, I urge my colleagues to please 
support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that Ste. Genevieve is an 
important part of our Nation's expansion and agriculture history and 
merits becoming a unit of the National Park.
  Mr. Speaker, I recommend that all vote for it, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bacon). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2888.
  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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