[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6630-H6631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           QUINDARO TOWNSITE NATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE SITE ACT

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5613) to designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, 
Kansas, as a National Historic Landmark, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5613

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. QUINDARO TOWNSITE NATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE SITE ACT.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Quindaro 
     Townsite National Commemorative Site Act''.
       (b) Definition.--In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means 
     the Secretary of the Interior.
       (c) Designation.--The Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, 
     Kansas, as listed on the National Register of Historic 
     Places, is hereby designated as the Quindaro Townsite 
     National Commemorative Site. The Site shall not be considered 
     a unit of the National Park System.
       (d) Administration.--Nothing in this section shall affect 
     the administration of the Quindaro Townsite by Kansas City or 
     the State of Kansas.
       (e) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary, in consultation 
     with the State of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas, and affected 
     subdivisions, may enter into cooperative agreements with 
     appropriate public or private entities, for the purposes of 
     protecting historic resources at Quindaro Townsite and 
     providing educational and interpretive programs for the 
     public.
       (f) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide 
     technical assistance to any entity with which the Secretary 
     has entered into a cooperative agreement under subsection 
     (e).
       (g) Effect on Private Property, Local Land Use, and Land 
     Acquisition Authority.--Nothing in this Act authorizes the 
     Secretary to--
       (1) interfere with private property rights, or any local 
     zoning ordinance or land use plan of the State or any 
     political subdivision of the State; or
       (2) acquire land or interests in land through condemnation 
     or otherwise.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. 
Bordallo) 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 in which 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City preserves an 
important piece of our past whose history should be known by all. The 
site preserves the ruins of a frontier town on the Missouri River, 
founded in 1857 as a free-state port of entry during the Kansas 
Territory's fight over the question of slavery. The town's diverse 
inhabitants were antislavery and included Americans of European and 
African American descent, as well as members of the Wyandot Tribe.
  The Quindaro area was the location of an African American refugee 
settlement that began during the Civil War and grew into a prominent 
African American community. It was also the site of the Freedman's 
University and its successor institution, Western University, the first 
Black university in Kansas.
  The Quindaro Townsite is on the National Register of Historic Places 
and, importantly, has been designated as part of the National 
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Quindaro's early residents 
assisted fugitive slaves escaping across the Missouri River to freedom.
  Supporters of Quindaro have long sought elevated status and 
recognition for the site. H.R. 5613 designates Quindaro Townsite as a 
national commemorative site. This establishes the townsite as an 
affiliated area of the National Park System and authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior to offer technical assistance and support to 
Quindaro.
  I want to compliment my colleague, Mr. Yoder, for bringing this 
matter to the attention of the Congress and for the work he has done to 
ensure that this site receives national recognition.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill, as amended, would designate the Quindaro 
Townsite in Kansas city, Kansas, as a national commemorative site, an 
honorary designation under the National Park System.
  The town of Quindaro was founded in 1857 and was a key site during 
the Bleeding Kansas conflict, serving as a safe port of entry into 
Kansas on the Missouri River for those opposed to slavery. In addition, 
the town aided runaway slaves as they escaped to freedom in Kansas 
through the Underground Railroad.
  Local government, private entities, and individual stakeholders in 
the area have been working to elevate the status of the Quindaro 
Townsite for years, and I am glad we were able to recognize its 
important cultural legacy with this bill.
  I want to congratulate Congressman Yoder on his hard work, and I want 
to commend my colleagues from across the aisle for coming up with an 
appropriate designation for this site. Designation of Quindaro Townsite 
as a national commemorative site is a fitting tribute that ensures the 
sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of its early residents will never 
be forgotten.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H6631]]

  

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Yoder), the author of this bill.
  Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate the comments of the 
gentleman from California, as well as the gentlewoman from Guam. To 
hear my community talked about so positively here on the floor of the 
House is a source of pride for me and the many who have worked so many 
years to have this moment come to fruition.
  Today, the House of Representatives has the opportunity to grant long 
overdue recognition to a historical site in Kansas City, Kansas, that 
has its roots in our Nation's struggle for freedom and equality.
  H.R. 5613, the Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site Act, is 
my bill to confer an important new designation to a historic site that 
has been, unfortunately, overlooked on the Federal level for too long. 
By passing this legislation, we can take an important step toward 
preserving our heritage and learning from our past.
  The story of Quindaro is rooted in the same ideals and principles 
that helped build our Nation and make it great today. At one time, 
Quindaro was a boomtown, a central location in the Bleeding Kansas 
conflict, a stop on the Underground Railroad, and a shining example of 
integrated society in our country.
  At its height in the years leading up to the Civil War, Quindaro was 
a beacon of hope on the border between Kansas and Missouri, directly on 
the front lines of the fight against slavery. The town was founded by 
Free Soilers for the stated purpose of shepherding antislavery 
activists and escaped slaves into Kansas. For many, Quindaro was a 
gateway that led from oppression into freedom.
  In 1861, the question of slavery in Kansas was finally decided, and 
our great State was accepted into the Union as a free State. With its 
purpose having been served, the town of Quindaro soon faded away. 
However, families of freed slaves settled in the area, establishing the 
roots of a community that continues to this very day.
  This confluence of history, with Bleeding Kansas, the Underground 
Railroad, and an enduring African American community, is a unique 
combination that is rare in our country.
  In spite of Quindaro's notable history, today, the ruins of the town 
sit largely overlooked by those outside of the nearby community. The 
first mention of an effort to preserve this historic site is found in a 
local newspaper more than 90 years ago. Unfortunately, nine decades 
have passed without much significant investment in the site.
  Local stakeholders have worked hard to protect the site and preserve 
its stories. I thank those who worked to elevate Quindaro. There are 
many who deserve recognition for that work, but I would especially like 
to thank Marvin Robinson, the Allen Chapel AME Church, the Western 
University Association, the Wyandotte County Unified Government, and 
the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area, as well as Taylor Huhn 
in my office for his work to bring this bill to fruition.
  I thank them for their years of dedication, for raising the historic 
site to my attention, and for educating me on its importance to 
community, State, and the Nation.
  Today, we have an opportunity to bring meaningful Federal support to 
the folks who have dedicated their lives to Quindaro. The national 
commemorative site designation will be a crucial step toward spreading 
the story of Quindaro beyond the city limits of Kansas City to people 
around the Nation and will hopefully lead to their goal of becoming a 
national historic landmark.
  Quindaro's legacy of people who were willing to lay down their lives 
in the name of freedom is the legacy of America. By preserving what 
remains of this town, we take a small but meaningful step toward 
preserving every good and noble thing that our great Nation stands for.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting our national heritage 
and pass this valuable legislation.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I wish to mention that I have enjoyed 
working with Mr. McClintock of California on these Natural Resources 
bills. It was a joy to have bipartisanship.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her kind 
comments.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Kansas (Mr. Estes).
  Mr. ESTES of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
5613, to designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, a 
national commemorative site.
  Quindaro was founded in 1857 to provide a safe haven for antislavery 
activists moving into Kansas during the struggle to help make the 
territory a free State. Located on the banks of the Missouri River, the 
site quickly became a vital port and a stop on the Underground 
Railroad. Although the town dwindled after Kansas became a State, 
Quindaro's short but rich history is an important reminder of Kansas' 
role in our Nation's history.
  Currently, the site sits on the National Register of Historic Places. 
However, designating Quindaro a national commemorative site would 
qualify the downtown for additional Federal assistance as Quindaro 
pursues the ultimate goal of being a national historic landmark.
  H.R. 5613 is a great step forward in that process and will help 
preserve an important piece of Kansas and American history. I am proud 
to cosponsor this bill, and I thank Representative Kevin Yoder for 
bringing it forward. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I would again like to say what a great 
pleasure it has been for me to work with Ms. Bordallo and the members 
of the Natural Resources Committee. It truly does work in a bipartisan 
manner, most of the time. And it is no coincidence that, most of the 
time, it is productive work.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and 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. 5613, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, as a National 
Commemorative Site.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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