[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 15, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H3720-H3722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        BOUNDARY OF PALO ALTO BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 268) to provide for the boundary of the Palo Alto 
Battlefield National Historic Park to be adjusted, to authorize the 
donation of land to the United States for addition to that historic 
park, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 268

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

     SECTION 1. BOUNDARY; LEGAL DESCRIPTION.

       (a) Boundary.--Section 3(b)(2) of the Palo Alto Battlefield 
     National Historic Site Act of 1991 (16 U.S.C. 410nnn-1(b)(2)) 
     is amended--
       (1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
       ``(A) In general.--
       ``(i) In addition to the land described in paragraph (1), 
     the historical park shall consist of--

       ``(I) the approximately 34 acres of land, as generally 
     depicted on the map entitled `Palo Alto Battlefield NHS 
     Proposed Boundary Expansion', numbered 469/80,012, and dated 
     May 21, 2008; and
       ``(II) on the date that such land is donated to the United 
     States, the approximately 166.44 acres of land generally 
     depicted on the map entitled `PALO ALTO BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL 
     HISTORICAL PARK Proposed Boundary Addition, Fort Brown Unit', 
     numbered 469/143,589, and dated April 2018.

       ``(ii) Before accepting any donated land described in this 
     subparagraph, the Secretary shall complete a boundary study 
     analyzing the feasibility of adding the land to the national 
     historical park.
       ``(iii) If a boundary study completed under clause (ii) 
     finds that acceptance of the donated land is feasible and 
     appropriate, the Secretary may accept such land and 
     administer the land as part of the historical park after 
     providing notice of such finding to Congress.''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (B)--
       (A) in the heading, by striking ``map'' and inserting 
     ``maps''; and
       (B) by striking ``map'' and inserting ``maps''.
       (b) Legal Description.--Section 3(b)(3) of the Palo Alto 
     Battlefield National Historic Site Act of 1991 (16 U.S.C. 
     410nnn-1(b)(3)) is amended by striking ``after'' and all that 
     follows through ``Secretary of the Interior'' and inserting 
     ``after the addition of lands to the historic park boundary, 
     the Secretary of the Interior''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. 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 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 268, the Palo Alto Battlefield 
National Historic Park Boundary Adjustment Act, introduced by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Vela).
  H.R. 268 expands the boundary of Palo Alto Battlefield National 
Historic Park to include approximately 166 acres of land that is to be 
donated to the Department of the Interior.
  The donated land was the site of Fort Brown, a crucial outpost during 
the Mexican-American War, which remains the last standing physical 
structure associated with that war.
  During its life, Fort Brown transformed from a site designed for a 
confrontation into a post that served to protect the growing Mexican-
American population of the region.
  Palo Alto Battlefield was designated as a national historic landmark 
in 1960, as a national historic site in 1978, and a national historic 
park in 2009. Today, the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park 
is the only unit of the National Park Service focused on the Mexican-
American War.
  I congratulate Representative Vela for championing this bill, and I 
urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) will control the time for the minority.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 268 authorizes the transfer of approximately 166 acres, by 
donation, from the International Boundary and Water Commission to the 
National Park Service for inclusion in the Palo Alto Battlefield 
National Historic Park in Texas.
  Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park is the site of the first 
major battle of the Mexican-American War and has the distinction of 
being the only National Park Service unit to interpret the Mexican-
American War.
  The land authorized to be transferred through this bill includes the 
historic Fort Brown site in Brownsville, Texas, which served as a 
critical military outpost during the Mexican-American War.
  I thank Chair Grijalva for accommodating our request at markup to 
require the Secretary of the Interior to complete a boundary study 
analyzing the feasibility of adding this land to the park prior to it 
being acquired and incorporated into the boundary. The study 
requirement will ensure that the land to be donated is feasible for the 
National Park Service to manage as an addition to the park.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation will help preserve an important piece 
of American history, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Vela), the sponsor of the legislation.
  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 268, 
legislation to add the Fort Brown earthworks to the Palo Alto 
Battlefield National Historic Park, and I urge my colleagues to vote in 
favor of this bill.
  I introduced this legislation to preserve a piece of history that is 
not only

[[Page H3721]]

central to south Texas, but to our great Nation. Adding this piece of 
Fort Brown is critical to interpreting the Mexican-American War and the 
changes made to our international boundary. It is a record of our 
Nation's border expansion extending to the Pacific Ocean.
  In hopes of establishing the Rio Grande River as the southern border 
of the United States, General Taylor ordered the construction of Fort 
Texas in March of 1846.
  On May 3, 1846, Mexican General Mariano Arista attacked Fort Texas. 
Under the command of General Zachary Taylor, U.S. forces, including 
Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant, fought at the Battle of Palo Alto and the 
Battle of Resaca de la Palma, two decisive victories that would force 
the Mexican retreat across the Rio Grande.
  While the siege produced limited damage to the fort, Major Jacob 
Brown, who had command of the post, was mortally wounded in its 
defense. Afterward, General Taylor named the site Fort Brown, and the 
surrounding area became the town of Brownsville, Texas.
  The Fort Brown earthworks is the only standing architecture in the 
United States associated with the Mexican-American War. Bringing the 
earthworks into the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park 
helps tell our Nation's story and protects this important symbol of the 
transformation of the country resulting from the 19th century westward 
expansion.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this 
legislation so we can protect an essential piece of our history that 
will help us to tell the story of our Nation long into the future. I 
thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support in this 
legislation.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am ready to close when the gentleman 
from Arizona is. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I have one additional request to address 
the legislation.
  I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Vicente Gonzalez).
  Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support 
of Congressman Filemon Vela's bill, H.R. 268, which would add Fort 
Brown to the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park located in 
Brownsville, Texas.

  By including this fort, we are creating a national monument for the 
only standing architecture in the United States associated with the 
Mexican-American War.
  In 1845, after the annexation of Texas, President James Polk sent 
soldiers to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, to proclaim the boundary of 
the United States at the Rio Grande River.
  In 1846, General Zachary Taylor ordered the construction of the fort, 
which consisted of a six-sided earthwork. Once finished, General Taylor 
left to procure supplies and gave command of the fort to Major Jacob 
Brown.
  On May 3, 1846, Mexico sought to capitalize on the depleted resources 
and bombarded the fort for 6 straight days. Major Jacob Brown and the 
American troops fought valiantly, forcing Mexico to retreat. American 
forces only lost two soldiers, one of which was Major Brown himself.
  Today, the city of Brownsville and Fort Brown serve as a testament to 
Major Brown's valor, patriotism, and sacrifice. By passing H.R. 268, we 
as a Nation will honor Major Brown and the Americans who stood their 
ground at Fort Brown.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join Congressman 
Vela and I in preserving this important part of south Texas' and our 
entire country's history.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I join with the ranking member to urge 
adoption of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
268, which will preserve The Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic 
Park. The preservation and expansion of the Palo Alto Battlefield will 
continue to provide access, and encourage public understanding of this 
historically important site.
  I support this legislation because the Palo Alto Battlefield National 
Historic Park marks the 1846 clash of Mexican and U.S. troops, 
preserves the battle site, and includes history tours. The park 
preserves the site and informs visitors about its national and 
international importance. The Mexican-American war of 1846-1848 gained 
the great state of Texas its independence. This bill will authorize the 
donation of the park and grant the authority to the United States to 
implement a boundary to preserve in perpetuity of the history of a key 
notable battle that changed the map of North America.
  Specifically, H.R. 268 adjusts the boundary of the Palo Alto 
Battlefield National Historical Park in Texas by including 
approximately 166 acres of land donated to the U.S. that will be 
identified on the map titled Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical 
Park, Proposed Boundary Addition, Fort Brown Unit (2018), when the land 
is donated to the United States.
  Finally, the bill authorizes the transfer of property from the 
International Boundary and Water Commission to the National Park 
Service (NPS) to be part of the Palo Alto Battlefield National 
Historical Park. The identified land was the site of Fort Brown, a 
crucial outpost during the conflict and which remains the last standing 
physical structure associated with the Mexican-American War.
  Palo Alto Battlefield was designated as a National Historic Landmark 
in 1960, a National Historic Site in 1978, and a National Historical 
Park in 2009. Today, the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park 
is the only unit of the NPS focused on the Mexican-American War.
  President James K. Polk, in his December 1845 message to Congress, 
characterized the recent annexation of Texas by the United States, with 
a boundary along the Rio Grande. He had campaigned for the presidency 
with a pledge to extend the United States to the Pacific Ocean, and the 
addition of the Republic of Texas as the 28th state represented a major 
step toward that goal.
  Mexico, however, challenged annexation. Although Texas had severed 
ties with Mexico in 1836, many Mexican leaders refused to recognize its 
independence and denounced the U.S. move as an attack on Mexico. The 
Rio Grande River formed the boundary of the new state. Mexico had 
always mapped Texas as a much smaller region--bounded in part by the 
Nueces River. Polk's call for a Rio Grande border placed a huge expanse 
of territory in dispute.
  President Polk attempted to force a settlement of the boundary 
issues. In the summer of 1845, he sent an envoy to Mexico City to 
negotiate an agreement. The tactic failed. In Mexico, hardline Gen. 
Mariano Paredes y Arrillaga marched to the capital, seized control of 
the government, and announced that he would discuss nothing but the 
return of Texas. Clear battle lines had been drawn.
  When Mexican and United States troops clashed on the Palo Alto 
Battlefield, cannon blasts and musket fire were not the only dangers. 
In the field's harsh environment, they also encountered poisonous 
snakes and insects, and prickly plants. These natural hazards remain 
today.
  On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the coastal 
prairie of Palo Alto, where the Rio Grande empties into the Gulf of 
Mexico. The ensuing two-year conflict changed the map of North America. 
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park preserves and interprets 
the site and memory of that battle, vividly described in dozens of 
letters and diaries written by soldiers.
  The Palo Alto Battlefield includes 3,400 acres of prairie and dense 
chaparral. The battlefield is being restored to its 1846 condition 
landscape and its trails, facilities, and visitor services are under 
development. The battlefield is located at 7200 Paredes Line Rd. (FM 
1847) in Brownsville, TX, just north of the FM 511 intersection.
  The Resaca de la Palma and Fort Brown sites, both National Historic 
Landmarks, will also be preserved. Today the Resaca de la Palma 
Battlefield lies on Paredes Line Rd. in the heart of Brownsville, which 
has swallowed up much of the original scene. But 38 acres of the 
battlefield survive. In 2011 it became a second unit of Palo Alto 
Battlefield National Historical Park.
  Fort Brown has suffered over time from the effects of erosion and 
levee construction on the Rio Grande. A few earthen mounds near the 
Fort Brown Golf Course are all that remain. Palo Alto Battlefield 
National Historical Park is cooperating with private and public 
partners to preserve Fort Brown for public enjoyment and education.
  I ask all members to join me in voting for H.R. 268, to support the 
authorization of the donation of the land to the United States to 
continue the preservation and expansion of the Palo Alto Battlefield 
National Historic Park.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 268, as amended.

[[Page H3722]]

  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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