[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 200 (Thursday, December 22, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H10010-H10011]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      BUTTERFIELD OVERLAND NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL DESIGNATION ACT

  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 3519) to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the 
Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3519

       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 ``Butterfield Overland 
     National Historic Trail Designation Act''.

     SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF THE BUTTERFIELD OVERLAND NATIONAL 
                   HISTORIC TRAIL.

       Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1244(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(31) Butterfield overland national historic trail.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Butterfield Overland National 
     Historic Trail, a trail of approximately 3,292 miles 
     following the route operated by the Butterfield Overland Mail 
     Company, known as the `Ox-Bow Route', to transport mail and 
     passengers between the eastern termini of St. Louis, 
     Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee, and extending westward 
     through the States of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, 
     and Arizona, to the western terminus of San Francisco, 
     California, as generally depicted on the maps numbered 1 
     through 15, entitled `Study Route Maps', and contained in the 
     report prepared by the National Park Service entitled 
     `Butterfield Overland Trail National Historical Trail Special 
     Resource Study' and dated May 2018.
       ``(B) Maps.--The maps described in subparagraph (A) shall 
     be on file and available for public inspection in the 
     appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
       ``(C) Administration.--The trail established by 
     subparagraph (A) shall be administered by the Secretary of 
     the Interior.
       ``(D) Land acquisition.--The United States shall not 
     acquire for the trail established by subparagraph (A) any 
     land or interest in land outside of the exterior boundary of 
     any federally administered area without the consent of the 
     owner of the land or interest in land.
       ``(E) No buffer zone created.--
       ``(i) In general.--Nothing in this paragraph, the 
     acquisition of land or an interest in land authorized by this 
     paragraph, or any management plan for the Butterfield 
     Overland National Historic Trail creates a buffer zone 
     outside of the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail.
       ``(ii) Outside activities.--The fact that an activity or 
     use on land outside the Butterfield Overland National 
     Historic Trail can be seen, heard, or detected from land or 
     an interest in land acquired for the

[[Page H10011]]

     Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail shall not 
     preclude, limit, control, regulate, or determine the conduct 
     or management of the activity or use.
       ``(F) Effect on energy development, production, or 
     transmission.--Nothing in this paragraph, the acquisition of 
     land or an interest in land authorized by this paragraph, or 
     any management plan for the Butterfield Overland National 
     Historic Trail shall prohibit, hinder, or disrupt the 
     development, production, or transmission of energy.
       ``(G) No eminent domain or condemnation.--In carrying out 
     this paragraph, the Secretary of the Interior may not use 
     eminent domain or condemnation.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Tonko) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TONKO. 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 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3519, the Butterfield Overland 
National Historic Trail Designation Act, introduced by Senator Boozman 
of Arkansas. This bill passed the Senate unanimously earlier this week.
  This bill amends the National Trails Systems Act to designate the 
Butterfield National Historic Trail stretching from St. Louis, 
Missouri, to San Francisco, California.
  Known as the Oxbow Trail, the Butterfield Overland Trail was an 
important 19th century postal route that the National Park Service 
studied and deemed to be nationally significant and feasible, suitable, 
and desirable for addition to the national trails system as a national 
historic trail.
  I congratulate the Arkansas delegation and supporters of this bill, 
as this will be a great addition to a growing network of national 
historic trails. However, I would like to note the bill includes novel 
language regarding energy development that has never been included in 
the National Trails Act. Simply, it states that nothing in the bill 
shall prohibit or hinder the development, production, or transmission 
of energy.
  While this is an important concern, historic trails designations like 
the one envisioned by this bill have not been an impediment to energy 
development. So while this is a worthy trail designation--and I support 
the adoption of this particular bill--I think we should be mindful of 
the need to include similar language in future designations.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3519, offered by 
my colleague and good friend from Arkansas, Senator John Boozman, which 
would designate the Butterfield Overland Trail as a national historic 
trail.
  This historic trail commemorates the route pioneered by the 
Butterfield Overland Mail Company as they transported mail and people 
along the Oxbow Route between 1858 and 1861. Starting in Missouri and 
Tennessee and ending in California, this route was pivotal to westward 
expansion prior to the Civil War and plays an important role in 
Arkansas' history.
  In fact, four segments of the route have been designated on the 
National Register of Historic Places in Arkansas and the Potts Home in 
Pope County as the most intact stagecoach station in this country. This 
station has been well-maintained by the Pope County Historical 
Foundation as the Potts Inn Museum.
  In 2018, the National Park Service completed a special resource study 
of the trail and found that the Butterfield Overland Trail meets the 
criteria for national significance and is feasible, suitable, and 
desirable for designation as a national historic trail.
  I concur that this trail is well-suited for designation, and I hope 
that this new national historic trail will help bring renewed attention 
to the important role Arkansas played in shaping our Nation.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Senator Boozman for his steadfast leadership 
on this bill, an issue that he has championed since 2007. I would also 
like to thank him for ensuring that important provisions protecting 
energy development and private property rights were added to the 
legislation. These are commonsense provisions that will ensure the 
historic trail will not interfere with any energy development, 
production, or transmission.
  On a personal note, during the summers when I was in college and I 
was having to carry out a long-distance relationship with my college 
sweetheart back before iPhones and the internet, my late father-in-law 
actually retired from the Postal Service, and I think it was very 
fitting that their address was 1208 Butterfield Trail. I sent many 
letters to that address during those long summers. Butterfield Trail 
holds a special place in my heart.
  Madam Speaker, I support this bipartisan bill. I urge its adoption, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I enjoyed hearing that bit of nostalgia. I 
have no further requests for time. I have no other speakers. I urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 3519.
  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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