[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 26, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S1487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        GRAND CANYON CENTENNIAL

  Ms. McSALLY. Madam President, in January 1908, President Theodore 
Roosevelt famously declared, ``Let this great wonder of nature remain 
as it is now. You cannot improve on it.'' He said these words while 
designating the Grand Canyon as a national monument. Eleven years 
later, it became a National Park, and today marks the centennial of 
that designation.
  Known as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand 
Canyon is more than history to Arizona, it is a part of who we are. 
Millions of visitors come to see this magnificent national park, from 
its archeological sites to its one-of-a-kind trails; and for centuries, 
this vast array of canyons and mountains has served as a home to many 
different peoples, including many Native American tribes.
  It was in 1869 that geologist John Wesley Powell first led an 
expedition down the hazardous Colorado River, during which he noted the 
ancient clues he found hidden in the layers of rock that told the story 
of its creation. His expedition led to future explorations further 
chartering and mapping the great canyon. By the time it officially 
became a National Park in 1919, the Grand Canyon attracted some 44,000 
visitors. Today, Arizona hosts more than 6 million visitors each year, 
and with a total economic impact of almost $1 billion a year, it is the 
greatest attraction in our State.
  All Americans, but especially Arizonans, are truly blessed to have 
such a natural wonder to visit like the Grand Canyon. I share in Teddy 
Roosevelt's amazement, passion, and wonderment of the Grand Canyon, and 
I will continue to advocate for this park so that it may last for many 
more generations to come.

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