[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 194 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9777-H9778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        AMERICAN WORLD WAR II HERITAGE CITY ANNUAL DESIGNATIONS

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 6118) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
annually designate at least one city in the United States as an 
``American World War II Heritage City'', and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6118

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

     SECTION 1. AMERICAN WORLD WAR II HERITAGE CITIES.

       (a) Designation.--In order to recognize and ensure the 
     continued preservation and importance of the history of the 
     United States involvement in World War II, each calendar year 
     the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as 
     the ``Secretary'') may designate not less than one city 
     located in one of the several States or a territory of the 
     United States as an ``American World War II Heritage City''. 
     Not more than one city in each State or territory may be 
     designated under this section.
       (b) Application for Designation.--The Secretary shall--
       (1) establish and publicize the process by which a city may 
     apply for designation as an American World War II Heritage 
     City based on the criteria in subsection (c); and
       (2) encourage cities to apply for designation as an 
     American World War II Heritage City.
       (c) Criteria for Designation.--The Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of the Smithsonian 
     Institution or the President of the National Trust for 
     Historic Preservation, shall make each designation under 
     subsection (a) based on the following criteria:
       (1) Contributions by a city and its environs to the World 
     War II home-front war effort, including contributions related 
     to--
       (A) defense manufacturing, such as ships, aircraft, 
     uniforms, and equipment;
       (B) production of foodstuffs and consumer items for Armed 
     Forces and home consumption;
       (C) war bond drives;
       (D) adaptations to wartime survival;
       (E) volunteer participation;
       (F) civil defense preparedness;
       (G) personnel serving in the Armed Forces, their 
     achievements, and facilities for their rest and recreation; 
     or
       (H) the presence of Armed Forces camps, bases, airfields, 
     harbors, repair facilities, and other installations within or 
     in its environs.
       (2) Achievements by a city and its environs to preserve the 
     heritage and legacy of the city's contributions to the war 
     effort and to preserve World War II history, including--
       (A) the identification, preservation, restoration, and 
     interpretation of World War II-related structures, facilities 
     and sites;
       (B) establishment of museums, parks, and markers;
       (C) establishment of memorials to area men who lost their 
     lives in service;

[[Page H9778]]

       (D) organizing groups of veterans and home-front workers 
     and their recognition;
       (E) presentation of cultural events such as dances, plays, 
     and lectures;
       (F) public relations outreach through the print and 
     electronic media, and books; and
       (G) recognition and ceremonies remembering wartime event 
     anniversaries.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days 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 Utah?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume 
to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer), the sponsor of this 
piece of legislation.
  Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, our country has been and continues to be the 
greatest force for good known to mankind. The men and women of our 
military have played a central role in this virtuous effort. There was 
no greater time of difficulty and challenge that tested this notion 
more than during World War II.
  H.R. 6118 provides a way to honor the major contributions made by our 
cities during World War II by granting the Secretary of the Interior 
the ability to designate one city each year as a World War II heritage 
city, provided that city meets the criteria for recognition outlined in 
the legislation.
  As many from the Greatest Generation know, World War II required a 
nationwide effort to assist with the many components of war production. 
Yet, there are many all across this great land who do not know that 
cities from across the Nation stepped up in a major way to assist with 
defense manufacturing and the production of food, clothing, and other 
necessary goods.
  No one can attest to these efforts better than Captain Wilbur D. 
Jones of Wilmington, North Carolina. Captain Jones is retired from the 
U.S. Navy, a distinguished author, an active veteran, and a war 
historian who has worked to preserve our States' World War II history 
for the past two decades.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Captain Jones for his hard work and 
steadfast dedication to this cause. Without his leadership, the idea, 
introduction, and passage of this bill never would have come to 
fruition.
  This legislation will provide every city that contributed to the many 
heroic World War II efforts an incentive to preserve that history, a 
great and noble undertaking so that all citizens will have a better 
understanding of our history and even more pride in our great heritage.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member of the 
committee for their help with and accommodation of this bill. I would 
also like to thank our State Legislature for their very active support 
and endorsement, the Wilmington City Council, and Mayor Bill Saffo. I 
also should mention the great work of Senator Burr and Senator Tillis 
on the other side of the Capitol for their help in getting this 
legislation passed so that, hopefully, it will be signed into law by 
the President in the next couple of weeks.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 
honor the contributions and war efforts made by American cities during 
World War II, including the work by these cities to preserve this 
history.
  This bill honors the history of our Nation and enshrines the efforts 
made by American cities that were integral to our success in World War 
II.
  For example, Wilmington, North Carolina, constructed 243 cargo 
vessels, served as a base for all five military branches, hosted German 
prisoners of war, and dispatched thousands of soldiers to fight.
  Current efforts to preserve this history include landmarks such as 
the Battleship North Carolina and the Hannah Block Historic USO 
Building. This will give the Secretary the authority to validate these 
contributions, along with those of countless other cities that 
contributed to the war effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Rouzer for his work on this bill, 
and I am happy to voice my support of it.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, during World War II, our cities built armaments; they 
had war bond drives; and they grew victory gardens. They did what they 
could to support our troops who were fighting abroad in a two-front 
war.
  It is significant and important that we recognize the efforts that 
went into that part of our history and also that we reward, in some 
way, the efforts to protect that history so that we will always 
remember the sacrifices that were made by the Greatest Generation and 
recognize their efforts on the field of battle, as well as back home, 
to preserve that and support that.
  The past will not be forgotten. This part of our American history 
will be remembered going forward.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a wonderful effort to do that, to actually 
provide, once again, for the history of this country, for the symbols 
of this country, for the future of this country, to remember how we got 
to the position in which we are.
  This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to designate at 
least one city a year, each year, as an American World War II Heritage 
City. It is appropriate that we go forward on this.
  Mr. Speaker, I fully support its efforts, and I urge the adoption of 
this bill by my colleagues.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 6118, 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 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to annually designate at least 
one city in the United States as an `American World War II Heritage 
City', and for other purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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