[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 186 (Wednesday, November 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H9087-H9088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HOMESTEAD NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1472) to rename the Homestead National Monument of America 
near Beatrice, Nebraska, as the Homestead National Historical Park.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1472

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

     SECTION 1. HOMESTEAD NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.

       (a) In General.--The first section of the Act of March 19, 
     1936 (16 U.S.C. 450u), is amended by striking ``designated'' 
     and all that follows through the end and inserting 
     ``designated the `Homestead National Historical Park'.''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     unit of the National Park System known as ``The Homestead 
     National Monument of America'' shall be considered to be a 
     reference to the ``Homestead National Historical Park''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Huffman) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
McClintock) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman).


                             General Leave

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 
legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1472, introduced by my friend Representative Smith 
from Nebraska, would rename the Homestead National Monument of America 
near Beatrice, Nebraska, to the Homestead National Historical Park.
  In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, and this enabled 
citizens to own a portion of the vast public lands across the Western 
United States.
  To commemorate the first claim under the Homestead Act, Congress 
established the Homestead National Monument of America in 1936; serving 
as a lasting memorial to the over 1.6 million claims that built the 
American West.
  Today, the Homestead National Monument of America consists of the 
first site successfully claimed under the Homestead Act, the Freeman 
School, a heritage museum, hiking trails, and 100 acres of restored 
tall grass prairie. Redesignating this important monument as a national 
historical park would provide a more accurate and appropriate 
description of the scope and complexity of the site's resources and 
would conform the park's designation to Park Service standards.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleague Representative Smith for 
introducing this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1472. I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1472, offered by our colleague, Congressman Smith 
of Nebraska, would redesignate the Homestead National Monument of 
America to simply the Homestead National Historical Park.
  Congress authorized this commemoration in 1936 after acquiring the 
site of the Daniel Freeman homestead. It was set aside as a lasting 
memorial to the settlers who built the American West as a result of the 
Homestead Act of 1862 and its successors.
  In total, 207 million, or 10 percent, of all land in the United 
States was settled under the Homestead Act. The name of the monument 
with the redundant qualifier ``of America'' has made it an anomaly 
within the National Park system. This bill simply removes that 
redundancy and conforms more clearly with the naming customs of the 
National Park Service.
  Redesignating the unit as a national historical park will further 
clarify the unit's characteristics in keeping with the modern 
designations that the Park Service maintains.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Smith), the author of the measure who brings it to the 
floor today.
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate my 
colleagues and their support of our effort to change the name from 
Homestead National Monument of America to the Homestead National 
Historical Park. Obviously, some of the reasons have been outlined.
  I appreciate the chairman and ranking member for bringing this 
legislation to the floor. It is supported by the entire Nebraska 
delegation, and even more importantly, by local stakeholders.
  And as was mentioned, the Homestead Act of 1862 was signed by 
President Lincoln, and it absolutely helped shaped the American West. 
It allowed U.S. citizens to earn ownership of a portion of the vast 
public lands owned by the Federal Government across the Western U.S.
  Ultimately, the Federal Government granted title to 10 percent of the 
land in the U.S. through this program. It gave millions a chance to 
build a new life for themselves, their families and for future 
generations.
  In order to claim a 160-acre parcel of land under the Homestead Act, 
a homesteader was required to be at least 21 years of age or the head 
of a household, build a home on the land, improve and farm the land for 
5 years, and pay an $18 filing fee.

                              {time}  1515

  The Homestead Act remained in place through 1976, with provisions 
allowing for homesteading in Alaska through 1986.
  President Ronald Reagan said the Homestead Act ``ensured that the 
great western prairies of America would be the realm of independent, 
property-owning citizens--a mightier guarantee of freedom is difficult 
to imagine.''
  We are very proud that the very first claim under the Homestead Act 
was made by a man named Daniel Freeman, near Beatrice, Nebraska, in 
Nebraska's Third District. To memorialize this milestone, as well as 
the 1.6 million other claims which built the American West, the 
Homestead National Monument of America was established, also near 
Beatrice.
  Unfortunately, referring to this site as a monument brings images of 
a single, static monument, such as a statue, an obelisk, or even a 
natural feature like the Scotts Bluff National Monument near my 
hometown of Gering, Nebraska, not of an extensive park that celebrates 
the pioneering homesteaders of many years ago.
  Homestead National Monument consists of a heritage museum, the 
Freeman School mentioned earlier, as well

[[Page H9088]]

as the tallgrass prairie, hiking trails, a forest, farming 
demonstrations, and much more.
  Referring to this site as a historical park instead of a monument 
would far more clearly describe the opportunities to take in this 
living-history site. In fact, according to the Friends of Homestead, 89 
percent of first-time visitors to the facility were confused by the 
name.
  On behalf of the people of Nebraska and, particularly, the citizens 
of Beatrice and Gage County, Nebraska, I appreciate this opportunity to 
advocate in support of this proposal today.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
other gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank two of my good 
friends, Ranking Member McClintock and Chairman Huffman, for the 
cordial and elevated discussion today about something that might appear 
small in the big scheme of things, particularly with what is going on 
in Congress, but, nonetheless, is a good, working part of functioning 
government on this House floor.
  This is important to us in Nebraska, and it is important to the rest 
of America. I am pleased that my good friend, Congressman Adrian Smith, 
has been working on this effort to rename the Homestead National 
Monument of America to the Homestead National Historical Park to clear 
up some confusion. This small but important change will more accurately 
reflect the nature and mission of this unique National Park Service 
unit.
  The Homestead Act of 1862, as we have heard, really did forever 
change the direction of our Nation. Let me take us through a few facts 
that have already been mentioned but I think worthwhile emphasizing.
  In exchange for the $18 filing fee and just a commitment to improve 
the land, any U.S. citizen could farm 160 acres and own it outright 
after 5 years. Almost inconceivable to us today, but that is how this 
began.
  The National Park Service unit dedicated to telling the extraordinary 
story of these incredible pioneers is located in Beatrice, Nebraska.
  And I thank Chairman Huffman for clarifying how it is appropriately 
pronounced: Beatrice, Nebraska.
  Before redistricting earlier, I used to represent this area. It is 
only about 50 minutes from my home in Lincoln, so it is a part of the 
broad neighborhood of the First and Third Congressional Districts.
  Homestead is located on the site of one of the first homestead claims 
in the United States, and it commemorates the lives and accomplishments 
of these early homesteaders. It also celebrates those hardy individuals 
who, through harsh storms, brutal drought, wind, snow, and isolation, 
actually helped grow this country.
  This minor name change will clear up any confusion about this 
important site because the word ``monument'' generally applies to a 
single individual or a unique topographical feature. Homestead is so 
much more. It is a unique piece of open prairie, as we have heard. It 
houses the historical records of so many settlers, and many visitors 
come looking to learn a little bit more about their ancestors.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to particularly recognize one individual, 
Mr. Mark Engler, who is Homestead's superintendent and a friend of the 
Nebraska delegation who sees us quite a lot, along with everyone else 
in the Beatrice community who have helped to maintain Homestead as a 
gem of the Midwest and a treasure for all Americans.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. The community of 
Beatrice--I just had to say it one more time because I like that 
pronunciation--is fortunate to be home to what will hopefully soon be 
America's newest historical park, the Homestead National Historical 
Park, and is also fortunate to have been represented over the years by 
these two fine gentlemen from Nebraska.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote on this bipartisan bill, 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. Huffman) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1472.
  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.

                          ____________________