[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 158 (Friday, September 26, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ERIE CANAL AND THE 2025 WORLD 
                           CANALS CONFERENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TIMOTHY M. KENNEDY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2025

  Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 2025 
World Canals Conference, being held in Buffalo, New York, where the 
opening of the Erie Canal changed the world. This is an event where 
experts and enthusiasts from all over the globe share innovative 
practices related to economic and community development, waterway 
management, tourism, and historic preservation along inland waterways.
  For decades, the World Canals Conference has brought together the 
brightest minds working on inland waterways to share ideas and 
inspiration for the future of their field of work. Established in 1990, 
the World Canals Conference plays an important role in highlighting how 
canals and inland waterways contribute to cultural and historical 
preservation, and environmental revitalization.
  Hosted this year in the City of Buffalo, this unique conference will 
see community members and visitors gather at the Erie Canal, the first 
all-water link between the Atlantic Ocean and the upper Great Lakes. 
The Erie Canal serves as a testament to the vision of the Empire State 
and those who imagined a narrow ribbon of waterway, carved through 
nearly four hundred miles of forests and wetlands that transformed our 
state and nation, carrying food and materials from the heart of North 
America to the global market.
  This week, we celebrate the World Canals Conference and its steadfast 
commitment to commerce and water management across the globe. May this 
week continue to inspire future generations to uphold historical 
preservation and remind us to work together for a stronger, more 
connected world.

                          ____________________