[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 15, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H3722-H3723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                KA'ENA POINT NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA ACT

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1908) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 
a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating 
certain land as the Ka'ena Point National Heritage Area, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1908

       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 ``Ka`ena Point National 
     Heritage Area Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Heritage area.--The term ``Heritage Area'' means the 
     Ka`ena Point National Heritage Area.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Hawai`i.
       (4) Study area.--The term ``study area'' means Honolulu 
     County on the island of O`ahu.

     SEC. 3. STUDY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with State 
     and local historic preservation officers, State and local 
     historical societies, State and local tourism offices, and 
     other appropriate organizations and governmental agencies, 
     shall conduct a study to assess the suitability and 
     feasibility of designating the study area as a National 
     Heritage Area, to be known as the ``Ka`ena Point National 
     Heritage Area''.
       (b) Requirements.--The study shall include analysis, 
     documentation, and determinations on whether the study area--
       (1) has an assemblage of natural, historic, and cultural 
     resources that--
       (A) represents distinctive aspects of the heritage of the 
     United States;
       (B) is worthy of recognition, conservation, interpretation, 
     and continuing use; and
       (C) would be best managed--
       (i) through partnerships among public and private entities; 
     and
       (ii) by linking diverse and sometimes noncontiguous 
     resources and active communities;
       (2) reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife 
     that are a valuable part of the story of the United States;
       (3) provides outstanding opportunities--
       (A) to conserve natural, historic, cultural, or scenic 
     features; and
       (B) for recreation and education;
       (4) contains resources that--
       (A) are important to any identified themes of the study 
     area; and
       (B) retain a degree of integrity capable of supporting 
     interpretation;
       (5) includes residents, business interests, nonprofit 
     organizations, and State and local governments that--
       (A) are involved in the planning of the Heritage Area;
       (B) have developed a conceptual financial plan that 
     outlines the roles of all participants in the Heritage Area, 
     including the Federal Government; and
       (C) have demonstrated support for the designation of the 
     Heritage Area;
       (6) has a potential management entity to work in 
     partnership with the individuals and entities described in 
     paragraph (5) to develop the Heritage Area while encouraging 
     State and local economic activity; and
       (7) has a conceptual boundary map that is supported by the 
     public.

     SEC. 4. REPORT.

       Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are 
     first made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary 
     shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources of the Senate a report that describes--
       (1) the findings of the study under section 3; and
       (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) 
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. 1908, the Ka'ena Point 
National Heritage Area Act, introduced by the gentleman from Hawaii 
(Mr. Case), my Natural Resources Committee colleague.
  This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study 
to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating Ka'ena Point 
National Heritage Area in the State of Hawaii.
  The study focuses on the undeveloped area of the point on the west 
end of the island of Oahu and home to some of the richest and most 
well-preserved cultural aspects of Hawaii's history along with 
invaluable and unique environmental and natural resources.

                              {time}  1445

  This area is the site of the last intact sand dune ecosystem in 
Hawaii and an important cultural site that, according to some Hawaiian 
tradition, is where the souls of the deceased leapt into the next plane 
of existence.
  Rich with wildlife and thriving biodiversity, the area is home to 
various protected species, including laysan albatrosses, the wedge-
tailed shearwaters, monk seals, and fragile native plants.
  I congratulate my colleague, Representative Case, for championing 
this bill on behalf of his constituents. I urge my colleagues to 
support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1908, offered by Congressman Case of Hawaii, requires the 
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability 
and feasibility of designating Ka'ena Point National Heritage Area.
  The study authorized by this bill focuses on an undeveloped area on 
the west end of O'ahu that is home to the last intact sand dune species 
in Hawaii.
  As the chairman pointed out, this point is also inhabited by various 
protected species, the wedge-tailed shearwaters, monk seals, and rare 
native plants.
  The feasibility study that this bill authorizes will be conducted in 
consultation with State and local historic preservation officers, 
historical societies, and tourism offices.
  Some day I hope to be able to visit this Ka'ena Point with 
Congressman Case. I urge adoption of the bill, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), the sponsor of the legislation.
  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1908, 
the Ka'ena Point National Heritage Area Act. I wish first to recognize 
and say ``mahalo,'' or thank you, to my partner in our Hawaii 
congressional delegation, Representative Kaiali'i Kahele, who co-
introduced this bill with me.
  Our bill directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to study whether 
Ka'ena Point, a treasured wilderness area on the western tip of the 
island of O'ahu, should be designated as a national heritage area, or 
NHA. The 3-year study would evaluate whether Ka'ena Point holds 
invaluable resources that reflect our country's heritage and are worthy 
of conservation and special recognition nationally. Such a designation 
would also offer critical support to our local community in Hawaii to 
conserve the area for present and future use.
  I am certain that Ka'ena Point is a perfect candidate for NHA 
designation. It houses a rich cultural and environmental history. It is 
the location of one of Hawaii's most sacred places, a leina a ka 
`uhane, a leaping place of souls where, according to native Hawaiian 
tradition, the spirits of the recently deceased leap from this realm to 
the next.
  As one of the last few remaining and easily accessible wilderness 
areas on O'ahu, the sand dunes of Ka'ena Point are home to a number of 
endemic and endangered species, such as the Hawaiian monk seal, laysan 
albatross, and the ohai flower.
  Our bill will ensure the full collaboration of the local community in 
preserving the traditions and pristine nature of Ka'ena Point. The 
community, our local organizations, fishers, hikers, and neighborhood 
groups, will be fully

[[Page H3723]]

engaged throughout the study process and, if the area is eventually 
designated as an NHA, will be integral partners in the area's 
management.
  Finally, I also thank the chairs and ranking members of my full 
Committee on Natural Resources and Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Forests and Public Lands, and our staffs for your understanding and 
support of our proposal.
  And yes, to the ranking member, I look forward to showing you Ka'ena 
Point as soon as you can come out.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on the 
legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I again urge adoption of the bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, we all know Hawaii is a beautiful State. 
The bill will help protect and conserve that rich environmental and 
cultural heritage. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
  And I urge Representative Case to invite all of us to Hawaii when it 
is time to see the site.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
1908; the ``Ka'ena Point National Heritage Area Act'' which authorizes 
the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the 
suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Ka'ena 
Point National Heritage Area.
  Different from national parks, national heritage areas are community-
based efforts that preserve and share stories about a region's history 
and character. Heritage areas contain a mixture of public and private 
property, including towns, historic sites, parks, trails, commercial 
districts, and even working farms.
  National Heritage Areas are a grassroots, community-driven approach 
to heritage conservation and economic development. Through public-
private partnerships, NHA entities support historic preservation, 
natural resource conservation, recreation, heritage tourism, and 
educational projects. Leveraging funds and long-term support for 
projects, NHA partnerships foster pride of place and an enduring 
stewardship ethic.
  When an area is designated as an NHA, its inhabitants don't have to 
leave. An important aspect of NHAs is that they are intended as a 
celebration of a living environment, and they improve the local economy 
around them.
  The National Parks Service estimates NHAs average $5.50 for every 
$1.00 of federal investment, bolstering the local economies through 
their unique ``heritage tourism.''
  Not only are NHAs economically friendly, but they are also climate 
friendly. Many NHAs improve water and air quality in their regions 
through restoration projects and encourage people to enjoy natural and 
cultural sites by providing new recreational opportunities.
  This modern approach to conservation taken by NHAs should influence 
the NPS' approach, extending the appreciation for the nexus between the 
people and land.
  John Muir was a greatly revered conservationist who some consider 
partly responsible for the establishment of our National Parks System. 
He and former President Theodore Roosevelt went on a camping trip to 
Yosemite, and after the trip was done, President Roosevelt was inspired 
by his conservationist ideas and thus established the National Parks 
System.
  As a result of that camping trip, we now have 423 national parks. 
While their grandeur and contributions to employment, quality of life, 
and national beauty are not to be overlooked, much of the lands these 
parks lie on were stolen from indigenous tribes.
  For example, Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone National Park was 
created when President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the Yellowstone 
Act of 1872, which created America's first landscape to be ``reserved 
and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale . . . and dedicated 
and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and 
enjoyment of the people.''
  Because of this order, the Crow, Blackfeet, Bannock, Nez Perce, and 
Shoshone tribes were all removed from Yellowstone, lands they had 
inhabited for generations. Recent studies have found additional tribal 
claims to the land numbering as high as 27, yet despite this 
information there is no redress in sight.
  It is worth noting that the NPS has graciously set up programs for 
Native students and has increased tribal consultation to exchange 
information about park projects and ethnographic resources. The tribes 
have requested to participate in resource management and decision-
making, to conduct ceremonies and other events in the park, and to 
collect plants and minerals for traditional uses.
  This is a step in the right direction, but it is a far cry from 
justice which has been long denied and overdue for native peoples.
  Land sovereignty has always been a false promise the U.S. Government 
has offered to its indigenous peoples, which is even more relevant in 
the case of indigenous Hawaiians.
  Since the illegal overthrow of their government and subsequent 
colonization of Hawaii in 1898, indigenous Hawaiians' struggle has not 
ended. From the Mauna Kea protests spanning the last few years 
concerning an observatory to be placed on sacred land to the Kalama 
Valley Protests surrounding evictions of farmers from their lands to 
build a resort in the 1970s, indigenous Hawaiians have endlessly fought 
for self-preservation and self-determination as they were promised, and 
the fight will continue.
  Their fight will be aided by the passage of the Ka'ena Point National 
Heritage Area Act. I am grateful that Representatives Case and Kahele 
have committed to fully involving all engaged communities, including 
native Hawaiians.
  It is for that reason, Mr. Speaker, that I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 1908, the Ka'ena Point National Heritage Area Act and urge my 
colleagues support for the Act.
  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. 1908.
  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.

                          ____________________