[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.
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