[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 163 (Monday, September 21, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4558-H4559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REPUBLIC OF TEXAS LEGATION MEMORIAL ACT

  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3349) to authorize the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to 
establish the Republic of Texas Legation Memorial as a commemorative 
work in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3349

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK.

       (a) In General.--The Daughters of the Republic of Texas may 
     establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the 
     District of Columbia and its environs to commemorate and 
     honor those who, as representatives of the Republic of Texas, 
     served in the District of Columbia as diplomats to the United 
     States and made possible the annexation of Texas as the 
     twenty-eighth State of the United States.
       (b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The 
     establishment of the commemorative work under this section 
     shall be in accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United 
     States Code (commonly known as the ``Commemorative Works 
     Act'').
       (c) Prohibition on the Use of Federal Funds.--
       (1) In general.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any 
     expense of the establishment of the commemorative work under 
     this section.
       (2) Responsibility of the daughters of the republic of 
     texas.--The Daughters of the Republic of Texas shall be 
     solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and 
     payment of the expenses of, the establishment of the 
     commemorative work under this section.
       (d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--
       (1) In general.--If upon payment of all expenses for the 
     establishment of the memorial (including the maintenance and 
     preservation amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of title 
     40, United States Code), there remains a balance of funds 
     received for the establishment of the commemorative work, the 
     Daughters of the Republic of Texas shall transmit the amount 
     of the balance to the Secretary of the Interior for deposit 
     in the account provided for in section 8906(b)(3) of title 
     40, United States Code.
       (2) On expiration of authority.--If upon expiration of the 
     authority for the commemorative work under section 8903(e) of 
     title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of 
     funds received for the establishment of the commemorative 
     work, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas shall transmit 
     the balance to a separate account with the National Park 
     Foundation for memorials, to be available to the Secretary of 
     the Interior or the Administrator (as appropriate) following 
     the process provided in section 8906(b)(4) of title 40, 
     United States Code, for accounts established under section 
     8906(b)(2) or (3) of title 40, United States Code.

     SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New Mexico (Ms. Haaland) and the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Cheney) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.


                             General Leave

  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may 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 
gentlewoman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3349, the Republic of Texas 
Legation Memorial Act, introduced by Representative Lloyd Doggett.
  This bill would authorize the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to 
establish a commemorative work to honor the representatives of the 
Republic of Texas who served here in the District of Columbia as 
diplomats to the United States.
  Shortly after Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836, 
the Republic of Texas sent diplomats to several countries to represent 
the Republic's interests. Among other things, these diplomats advocated 
for protection from Mexico, financial assistance, and annexation by the 
United States.
  London and Paris have each erected commemorative works to recognize 
the role their Texas legations played in their countries, and it seems 
only fitting to install one here in the capital of the country proud to 
claim Texas as its own.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Representative Doggett for his 
efforts to elevate this unique and often untold story of our Nation's 
history, and urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H4559]]

  

  Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. H.R. 3349 would 
authorize the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to establish the 
Republic of Texas Legation Memorial on Federal land in the District of 
Columbia, commemorating those who, as representatives of the Republic 
of Texas, served in Washington, D.C., as diplomats to the United 
States, and made possible the annexation of Texas as the 28th State.
  Texas legation sites in Paris and London have been recognized with 
historical markers for many years, but never here in Washington, D.C. 
The Texas diplomatic ministers who came to Washington worked out of the 
boarding houses in which they lived. Eight boarding houses have been 
identified with varying degrees of supporting evidence. This bill would 
allow the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to place memorial plaques 
in honor of these diplomats.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the adoption of this measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).
  Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which I 
authored, to authorize the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to 
establish this commemorative work here in the District of Columbia 
honoring the Republic of Texas Legation.
  This is a bipartisan effort supported by a number of my colleagues 
from Texas, as well as Representative Holmes Norton, who represents the 
area where the memorial will reside. And it has the approval, 
initially, of the subcommittee which my colleague, Ms. Haaland, chairs.
  The history of the Texas Legation and its significance to American 
history is as broad as the pride held by present-day Texans over a time 
when we were once an independent Republic. The district that I now 
represent includes the historic Alamo in San Antonio. With the battle 
cries of ``Remember the Alamo,'' and ``Remember Goliad,'' Texas won its 
independence on March 2, 1836. And as most Texans are aware, for almost 
a decade thereafter, Texas was a whole other country, an independent 
Nation with the same independent spirit that pervades our State today.
  What are frequently less discussed are the diplomatic efforts 
stretching over almost a decade by this young new Nation, sending 
emissaries to Europe and to Washington. At multiple times from 1836 to 
1845, the Texas Legation negotiated the terms by which Texas would 
become a part of the United States.
  While everything is still bigger in Texas, the territory of the 
Republic of Texas, as a sovereign independent Nation, was much more 
than the current State of Texas. Indeed, it included parts of New 
Mexico, including Albuquerque, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and even 
Wyoming. How different America would be today had not this huge part of 
the center of our country been incorporated into the United States.
  The young Republic of Texas had many debts and many challenges from 
abroad. My own home in East Austin is only a few blocks away from the 
historic French Legation, this is the place that the diplomats from 
France used to establish their formal diplomatic relations with the 
Nation of Texas. Texans in turn established legations abroad to 
negotiate terms of trade and recognition with multiple European 
countries. Most importantly, the Texas delegation came here on the very 
difficult journey to Washington.
  Today, we find the plaques about the work of the Texas Legation in 
London and Paris, but not yet here in Washington, where the Legation's 
effort had its most profound effect.

  Here in this area the Legation operated from a number of houses, 
boarding houses, some near the present-day National Archives and the 
Navy Memorial, which is appropriate since one of the diplomats 
involved, Mr. Memucan Hunt, who also served as secretary of the 
fledgling Republic of Texas Navy.
  In Washington, the diplomats left their most significant legacy by 
negotiating the terms of annexation in 1845 when Texas became the 28th 
State to join the Union. That is why this bill approves a commemoration 
here.
  Most appropriately, this commemoration is spearheaded by the 
Daughters of the Republic of Texas, our State's oldest patriotic 
women's organization committed to the preservation of Texas heritage 
and historic sites. They will work together with our National Park 
Service to develop and design a location here that is appropriate 
within Washington D.C.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to extend a special thanks to Kitty 
Hoeck, she has led the way as the historian of the Elisabet Ney 
Chapter, that includes the Daughters in the District, Virginia, and 
Maryland, for her commitment to this effort. I ask that she be 
particularly recognized in connection with this work, along with other 
representatives of the Daughters.
  The history of the Texas Legation did not end with the annexation of 
Texas in 1845. Today, it lives on in the strength of multicultural and 
multilingual communities across the Lone Star State. They have made our 
State so dynamic.
  With this commemoration, those who visit our capital will have the 
opportunity to learn about a turning point in the history of Texas and 
in the history of the United States, and reflect on the sacrifices by 
the diplomats who made this possible.
  Madam Speaker, I urge approval of the resolution, and thank both of 
my colleagues for their support.

                              {time}  1230

  Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Haaland) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3349, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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