[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20836]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      EL CAMINO REAL DE TIERRA ADENTRO NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 3, 2000

  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be the sponsor of the House 
bill of S. 366, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic 
Trail Act.
  This trail has a great deal of importance to the Southwest. El Camino 
Real de Tierra Adentro (the Royal Road of the Interior), served as the 
primary route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and 
the Spanish provincial capitals at San Juan de Los Caballeros (1598-
1600), San Gabriel (1600-1609) and then Santa Fe (1610-1821). The 
portion of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro that resided in what is now 
the United States extended between El Paso, Texas and present San Juan 
Pueblo, New Mexico, a distance of 404 miles. El Camino Real is a symbol 
of the cultural interaction between nations and ethnic groups and of 
the commercial exchange that made possible the development and growth 
of the borderland. American Indian groups dating back into prehistoric 
times, especially the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande river valley, 
use the area and trail along the Rio Grande long before Europeans 
arrived.
  In 1598, Don Juan de Onate led a Spanish military expedition along 
those trails to establish the northern portion of El Camino Real, and 
during the Mexican National Period and part of the U.S. Territorial 
Period, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro facilitated the emigration of 
people to New Mexico and other areas that would become the United 
States.
  This trail is important to the history of the borderlands as it was 
central to the exploration, conquest, colonization, settlement, 
religious conversion, and military occupation of the Southwest. Many 
people used the trail including American Indians, European emigrants, 
miners, ranchers, soldiers, and missionaries. These travelers promoted 
cultural interaction among Spaniards, other Europeans, American 
Indians, Mexicans, and Americans. El Camino Real fostered the spread of 
Catholicism, mining, an extensive network of commerce, and ethnic and 
cultural traditions including music, folklore, medicine, foods, 
architecture, language, place names, irrigation systems, and Spanish 
law. This trail is important to the cultural history and rich heritage 
of the Southwest.
  S. 366 amends the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino 
Real de Tierra Adentro as a National Historic Trail. This non-
controversial legislation prohibits the acquisition of any lands or 
interests outside the exterior boundaries of any federally administered 
area for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro except with the consent of 
the owner. The bill has already passed in the House in a similar form. 
I am pleased that this bill, which is identical to the House bill which 
I originally introduced, has again made it to the floor.
  I would like to thank Chairman Young and Ranking Member Miller. I 
would also like to thank Congressman Hansen and my colleague Mr. Skeen 
for allowing this clean bill to come to the House floor. I know that 
the designation of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, as a part of the 
National Historic Trails System, will benefit a great many people.
  I hope my colleagues will support me in the passage of this 
legislation.

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