[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 6, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1374-H1377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 66) to establish the Route 66 Centennial Commission, to
direct the Secretary of Transportation to prepare a plan on the
preservation needs of Route 66, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 66
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 ``Route 66 Centennial
Commission Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Route 66 was the Nation's first all-paved highway under
the U.S. Highway System connecting the Midwest to California
and has played a major role in the history of the United
States.
(2) Route 66 was the symbol of opportunity to hundreds of
thousands of people seeking escape from the Dust Bowl in the
1930s, serving as a ``road to opportunity'' in the West and
providing employment during the Great Depression, as
thousands were put to work on road crews to pave the road.
(3) Route 66 was invaluable in transporting troops,
equipment, and supplies across the country to the West, where
the government established multiple industries and armed
force bases during World War II. Upon the conclusion of the
war in 1945, Route 66 was a key route taken by thousands of
troops as they returned home.
(4) Route 66 symbolized the Nation's positive outlook
during the postwar economic recovery in the 1950s and 1960s,
serving as an icon of free-spirited independence and linking
people across the United States. During this period, the
tourist industry along Route 66 grew tremendously, giving
rise to countless tourist courts, motels, service stations,
garages, and diners.
(5) Since June 27, 1985, when Route 66 was decommissioned
as a Federal highway, the popularity and mythical stature of
Route 66 has grown domestically and internationally, as the
road has experienced a rebirth of interest and support.
(6) The year 2026 will be the centennial anniversary of
Route 66, and a commission should be established to study and
recommend to Congress activities that are fitting and proper
to celebrate that anniversary in a manner that appropriately
honors America's Mother Road.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the Route
66 Centennial Commission (referred to in this Act as the
``Commission'').
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
The Commission shall have the following duties:
(1) To study activities that may be carried out by the
Federal Government to determine whether the activities are
fitting and proper to honor Route 66 on the occasion of its
centennial anniversary, including any of the activities
described under section 8(b)(2)(B).
(2) To recommend to Congress the activities the Commission
considers most fitting and proper to honor Route 66 on such
occasion, to be carried out by the Department of
Transportation and any other entity or entities within the
Federal Government that the Commission considers most
appropriate to carry out such activities.
(3) To plan and host, in cooperation with such partners, a
conference on the U.S. Numbered Highway System, and assist in
the activities of such a conference.
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be
composed of 19 members appointed as follows:
(1) Three members, each of whom shall be a qualified
citizen described in subsection (b), appointed by the
President.
(2) Two members, each of whom shall be a qualified citizen
described in subsection (b), appointed by the President on
the recommendation of the Secretary of Transportation.
(3) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of Illinois.
(4) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of Missouri.
(5) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of Kansas.
(6) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of Oklahoma.
(7) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of Texas.
(8) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of New Mexico.
(9) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of Arizona.
(10) One member, who shall be a qualified citizen described
in subsection (b), appointed by the President on the
recommendation of the Governor of California.
(11) Three members, each of whom shall be a qualified
citizen described in subsection (b), appointed by the
President on the recommendation of the Speaker of the House
of Representatives, in consultation with the minority leader
of the House of Representatives.
(12) Three members, each of whom shall be a qualified
citizen described in subsection (b), appointed by the
President on the recommendation of the majority leader of the
Senate, in consultation with the minority leader of the
Senate.
(b) Qualified Citizen.--A qualified citizen described in
this subsection is a private citizen of the United States
with--
(1) a demonstrated dedication to educating others about the
importance of historical figures and events; and
(2) substantial knowledge and appreciation of Route 66.
(c) Time of Appointment.--Each initial appointment of a
member of the Commission shall be made before the expiration
of the 120-day period beginning on the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(d) Continuation of Membership.--If a member of the
Commission was appointed to the Commission as a Member of
Congress, and ceases to be a Member of Congress, that member
may continue to serve on the Commission for not longer than
the 30-day period beginning on the date that member ceases to
be a Member of Congress.
(e) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of
the Commission.
(f) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall not
affect the powers of the Commission but shall be filled in
the manner in which the original appointment was made.
(g) Basic Pay.--Members shall serve on the Commission
without pay.
(h) Travel Expenses.--Each member shall receive travel
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in
accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United
States Code.
(i) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
(j) Chair.--The President, in consultation with the
Secretary of Transportation, shall designate one member of
the Commission as Chair.
(k) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the
Chair.
SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF.
(a) Director.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay
of a Director and such additional personnel as the Commission
considers to be appropriate.
(b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--
(1) Director.--The Director of the Commission may be
appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United
States Code, governing appointments in the competitive
service, and may be paid without regard to the provisions of
chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(2) Staff.--The staff of the Commission shall be appointed
subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service, and shall
be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to
classification and General Schedule pay rates.
SEC. 7. POWERS.
(a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the
purpose of carrying out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and
act at
[[Page H1375]]
such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such
evidence as the Commission considers to be appropriate.
(b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of
the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any
action that the Commission is authorized to take by this Act.
(c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure
directly from any department or agency of the United States
information necessary to enable the Commission to carry out
this Act. Upon request of the Chair of the Commission, the
head of that department or agency shall furnish that
information to the Commission.
(d) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other
departments and agencies of the United States.
(e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of
the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall
provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the
administrative support services necessary for the Commission
to carry out its responsibilities under this Act.
SEC. 8. REPORTS.
(a) Interim Reports.--The Commission may submit to Congress
such interim reports as the Commission considers to be
appropriate.
(b) Comprehensive Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the
President and Congress a report incorporating specific
recommendations for the commemoration of the centennial of
Route 66 and related events.
(2) Contents of report.--The report under paragraph (1)--
(A) shall include recommendations for the allocation of
financial and administrative responsibility among the public
and private authorities and organizations recommended for
participation by the Commission; and
(B) may recommend activities such as--
(i) the production, publication, and distribution of books,
pamphlets, films, electronic publications, and other
educational materials focusing on the history and impact of
Route 66 on the United States and the world;
(ii) bibliographical and documentary projects,
publications, and electronic resources;
(iii) conferences, convocations, lectures, seminars, and
other programs;
(iv) the development of programs by and for libraries,
museums, parks, and historic sites, including national
traveling exhibitions;
(v) ceremonies and celebrations commemorating specific
events;
(vi) the production, distribution, and performance of
artistic works, and of programs and activities, focusing on
the national and international significance of Route 66; and
(vii) the issuance of commemorative coins, medals,
certificates of recognition, and postage stamps.
(c) Final Report.--The Commission shall submit to the
President and Congress a final report not later than 90 days
before the termination of the Commission provided in section
10.
SEC. 9. PLAN ON PRESERVATION NEEDS OF ROUTE 66.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation, in
consultation with the Governors referred to in section 5(a),
shall prepare a plan on the preservation needs of Route 66.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Environment and
Public Works of the Senate, and the President a report
containing the plan prepared under subsection (a).
SEC. 10. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate not later than June 30,
2027.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Rodney Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
General Leave
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on H.R. 66.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
There was no objection.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 66. This bill
establishes a Route 66 Centennial Commission to develop and plan a
fitting celebration of the 100th anniversary of America's Mother Road,
as it is called.
U.S. Route 66 was established November 11, 1926. The 2,448-mile
highway originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles,
California, and passed through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New
Mexico, and Arizona in between.
A precursor of the interstate system, this route was born out of the
need for greater connectivity in our Nation after the rise of
automobile ownership. Disparate segments of roads and paths were woven
into a cohesive highway that offered Americans unparalleled ease of
mobility.
The historic route has carried Americans of all stripes, from
migrants during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s to curious road trippers
following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac.
While Route 66 became largely obsolete after completion of the
interstate system, it holds a unique place in our Nation's surface
transportation history. The story of Route 66 serves as an important
reminder as to why our interconnected system of roads is vital and why
we can never devolve to a piecemeal approach to surface transportation
policy.
This bipartisan bill is led by Representative Davis, the ranking
member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, and has bipartisan
cosponsorship among Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
members, including Representatives Napolitano and Lipinski, and I am
proud to be a cosponsor as well. I support H.R. 66 and urge my
colleagues join me in passing this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I am honored to be here today.
I recognize the chairperson of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee
and thank her for her support, Ms. Holmes Norton. I appreciate her
support on this issue. As her ranking member on the committee, I look
forward to working with her in a very bipartisan way to make sure that
we put infrastructure first when it comes to the United States of
America, and I congratulate her on her chairmanship.
I thank my colleague who has joined us on the floor, my partner in
getting this bill passed in the last Congress, too, Grace Napolitano.
We kind of sit on both sides of Route 66: I in central Illinois, and
Mrs. Napolitano on the far west side with a lot more ocean air than in
the middle of Illinois in her district near Santa Monica, California.
As you know, Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 66.
I thank the Speaker of the House for giving us this designation of
H.R. 66 because it is very important for the historical context of this
bill that creates the Route 66 Centennial Commission.
I am proud to have Route 66 run right through the middle of my
district. As you know, in 1926, Route 66 became our Nation's first all-
paved highway under the U.S. highway system, connecting Chicago,
Illinois, which is about 3 hours north of me. Right through the middle
of the 13th District in Illinois runs this road.
Early on, this road, of course, ended in Santa Monica, California,
but it was used by hundreds of thousands of Americans, as Ms. Norton
said, seeking escape from the Dust Bowl. It provided critical
employment opportunities for road crews and infrastructure investment
during our Great Depression.
During World War II, our highway transported troops, equipment,
supplies to military bases across our country, and it was used after
the war by thousands of troops coming home to see their families.
By the 1950s, Route 66 began to see a rise in tourism and became the
true symbol of American freedom and independence that we know today.
In April of 2017, my colleague from central Illinois, Darin LaHood,
and I went on an extended tour along with numerous State legislators in
Illinois, like my good friend Representative Tim Butler and my State
representative, Avery Bourne, and we toured the stretches of Route 66
that we share.
I had the opportunity to personally witness the economic impact of
the Mother Road throughout my district and throughout Congressman
LaHood's district. It supports many jobs and key economic activity in
many of our smaller rural communities that we are blessed enough to
represent. This keeps many of those communities alive, economically.
Now travelers along Route 66 in my district can see a giant pink
elephant. It is a big statue. You can't miss it
[[Page H1376]]
even when you are traveling on Interstate 55. But what you also can see
there on a Sunday afternoon, because of the tourists and tourism
opportunities along Route 66, the parking lot at the Pink Elephant
Antique Mall and the diner attached to it in the small town of
Livingston, Illinois, is packed. I took my family there to eat lunch
not too long ago, and you could barely find a parking spot on a Sunday
afternoon.
You can also stop in Edwardsville, Illinois, at the Wildey Theatre,
and you can experience the same theater experience that many in the
1950s experienced right in Edwardsville, Illinois. That theater opened
in 1909, and it has been redone.
I got to stop by Jungle Jim's breakfast in Springfield, too. I got
some good food, got some good pancakes; just don't eat too many of
them.
These are just a few of the thousands of local businesses along Route
66, which is why this bill is so important. This is a system of not
just roadways and trail paths.
I want to make sure that we give this route what it deserves in our
Nation's history. That is what this bill will do. That is why I am so
supportive. I am glad to be an original author of this bill.
I thank, again, my colleague, Mrs. Napolitano, and I look forward to
her remarks.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), my good friend, who
is a Democratic cosponsor of this bill.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I thank Ms. Norton for that great
introduction.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 66, the Route 66
Centennial Commission Act, and I thank Mr. Davis for being so kind as
to begin the sponsorship of this bill because it is something that we
all share, and we are proud of it.
{time} 1300
I also want to thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for
their support in moving this bill quickly in this Congress. Last
Congress, we put it through--we almost got it through. But here we are
again, and we hope this time it will go through.
Route 66 runs east to west through my whole district as Foothill
Boulevard and Huntington Drive in the cities of La Verne, San Dimas,
Azusa, Duarte, and Monrovia.
My district's restaurants include great food, tacos, Mexican food,
Asian food, and great meals. And I challenge my friend to come and
visit us, so we can take him through the whole area.
The shops and businesses, like so many others dotting the interstate,
from the heartland to the West Coast, provide rest breaks for
travelers, allowing them to sample local flavors of the communities
that are proud to be connected with this iconic road.
The city of Duarte, home to the fabulous City of Hope, a cancer
treatment center, also celebrates Route 66 every September with a
parade of classic cars, equestrian groups, marching bands, and the
whole gamut. In fact, Route 66 signs have been a part of these
communities for many years.
The theme of the Los Angeles County Fair last year was Route 66, with
memorabilia and Route 66-themed movie nights. They also have indicated
strong support for again, next year, highlighting Route 66, so that
more people can be made aware of how important this route is.
States and local governments across the country are reinvesting in
Route 66 as an icon of American history and culture. The Federal
Government should be involved in this effort as well.
H.R. 66 creates a national commission to recommend activities to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in the year 2026. It will
also direct the Department of Transportation to develop a plan on the
preservation of Route 66. The Department is required to consult with
the eight States through which it travels, which include California,
Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois.
Madam Speaker, Route 66 is a significant part of America's past, but
it also continues to provide transportation, economic, and community
benefits to our societies today. We must continue to improve this
historic road so that many more generations can, in the words of Chuck
Berry, get their kicks on Route 66.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 66, not only
because it is the right thing to do, but it is a preservation of an
iconic portion of our history in the United States.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much
time I have remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois has 15\1/2\
minutes remaining.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. 15\1/2\ minutes. Awesome. Madam
Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, look, we can't say much more about this bill. This is
another true example of bipartisanship. This is what we do together in
this institution to ensure that historical areas like Route 66 that
span this great Nation are given the recognition that they deserve.
This road, from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, that I have yet
to take up--my colleague, Mrs. Napolitano, has offered to drive the
entire distance on Route 66. Maybe we will have to do this during the
100-year anniversary that this bill allows us to plan for.
Let's give Route 66 its due. Let's think of the small-town
communities that rely upon the mother road to survive. Let's continue
to work together, like we are today, to put good bills through the
House to the Senate. And let's get the President to sign them into law.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I certainly associate myself with my colleague's
remarks on this bill.
Madam Speaker, I am accustomed to historic places in the District of
Columbia, because I represent the Nation's Capital. But I love the
notion of a historic road, to understand how we built our country.
I particularly think it is appropriate for us to be considering this
bill this year when we have to consider a new transportation bill. As
we consider the movement from east to west, this bill reminds us of how
we got there, and we can't let such historic places--in this case, a
road--just float from our memory. We have to do all we can to keep a
road like Route 66 alive, as we do here in the District of Columbia, to
keep the monuments a part of American history.
I certainly appreciate the opening remarks, as well, of our new
ranking member, Mr. Rodney Davis. Our Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee has been the most bipartisan committee in the entire
Congress, and with Mr. Davis as ranking member of the subcommittee, I
anticipate that it will continue to be.
Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers on my side, so I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. WATKINS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 66, which
would establish the Route 66 Centennial Commission.
The historic Route 66, The Main Street of America, travels through
Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs, Kansas in my district.
While the 13 miles of Route 66 in Kansas may be the shortest stretch,
it certainly has its fair share of history and beauty.
From inspiring the animated movie character ``Tow Mater'' in Cars, to
being the very definition of `the open road'.
Route 66 is a staple of hometown America--and there is no better
representation of hometown America than in these three Southeast Kansas
communities.
Route 66 is not only an economic driver, it is part of the identity
of the community.
I am thrilled to see Congress is taking proactive steps towards the
revitalization and preservation of Route 66 and I urge my colleagues to
join me in support of this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 66.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
[[Page H1377]]
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________