[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3098-3099]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    WRIGHT BROTHERS-DUNBAR NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK DESIGNATION ACT

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4191) to redesignate Dayton Aviation Heritage National 
Historic Park in the State of Ohio as ``Wright Brothers-Dunbar National 
Historical Park'', and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4191

       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 ``Wright Brothers-Dunbar 
     National Historical Park Designation Act''.

     SEC. 2. REDESIGNATION OF DAYTON AVIATION HERITAGE NATIONAL 
                   HISTORICAL PARK.

       (a) Redesignation.--The Act titled ``An Act to establish 
     the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in the 
     State of Ohio, and for other purposes'', approved October 16, 
     1992 (106 Stat. 2141), is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Dayton Aviation Heritage National 
     Historical Park'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park'';
       (2) by redesignating subsection (b) of section 108 as 
     subsection (c); and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (a) of section 108 the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(b) Grant Assistance.--The Secretary is authorized to 
     make grants to the parks' partners, including the Aviation 
     Trail, Inc., the Ohio Historical Society, and Dayton History, 
     for projects not requiring Federal involvement other than 
     providing financial assistance, subject to the availability 
     of appropriations in advance identifying the specific partner 
     grantee and the specific project. Projects funded through 
     these grants shall be limited to construction and development 
     on non-Federal property within the boundaries of the park. 
     Any project funded by such a grant shall support the purposes 
     of the park, shall be consistent with the park's general 
     management plan, and shall enhance public use and enjoyment 
     of the park.''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in any law (other than this 
     Act), map, regulation, document, record, or other official 
     paper of the United States to the ``Dayton Aviation Heritage 
     National Historical Park'' shall be considered to be a 
     reference to the ``Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical 
     Park''.

     SEC. 3. NATIONAL AVIATION HERITAGE AREA.

       Title V of division J of the Consolidated Appropriations 
     Act, 2005 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 108-447), is 
     amended--
       (1) in section 503(3), by striking ``104'' and inserting 
     ``504'';
       (2) in section 503(4), by striking ``106'' and inserting 
     ``506'';
       (3) in section 504, by striking subsection (b)(2) and by 
     redesignating subsection (b)(3) as subsection (b)(2); and
       (4) in section 505(b)(1), by striking ``106'' and inserting 
     ``506''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RAHALL. 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 resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from West Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4191, introduced by our colleague 
Representative Michael Turner of Ohio, would change the Name of Dayton 
Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in Ohio to the Wright 
Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park. The bill also sets conditions 
under which the Secretary of Interior may make grants to the park's 
partners.
  A contemporary of the Wright brothers in Dayton was poet Paul 
Laurence Dunbar. The house that Dunbar purchased for his mother is part 
of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. The Wright 
brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar are each featured prominently at this 
park, and this redesignation of the park as the Wright Brothers-Dunbar 
National Historical Park will provide equal weight to both of these 
important stories.
  I support passage of H.R. 4191 and urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 4191, and 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This does change the name of the Dayton Aviation National Park to 
reflect more accurately the individuals being commemorated at this site 
and the role they played in the history of aviation in this country. 
Additionally, this new name describes the park's purpose.
  I thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Turner) for bringing this bill to 
us. It is an excellent bill, and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Turner), the sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank National Parks, Forests, and 
Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop, 
as well as Natural Resources full committee Chairman Rahall and Ranking 
Member Young, for their support in bringing this bill to the floor 
today.
  H.R. 4191, the Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park 
Designation Act, is identical to H.R. 4612 from the 109th Congress 
which passed the House Committee on Resources by unanimous consent on 
June 21, 2006. It renames the Dayton Aviation National Historic Park as 
the Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park.
  In 2002, Chairman and Federal Judge Walter Rice of the Dayton 
Aviation Heritage Commission appointed a committee made up of 
commission members to make recommendations regarding the name of the 
Dayton Aviation National Historic Park.
  The committee held several hearings and solicited comments from 
businesses, government, stakeholders, neighborhood and citizens groups 
on the name change. Based on the public comments, the committee 
recommended to the commission that the name of the park, Dayton 
Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, be changed to the Wright 
Brothers-Dunbar National Historical Park.
  Following input from the community, that committee recommended to the 
commission that the name of the park be changed to the Wright Brothers-
Dunbar National Historical Park, which was approved by the full 
commission and the National Park Service in 2003.
  The commission recognized a number of reasons for the name change. 
The new name establishes a clear connection to the universally 
recognized Wright brothers, the inventors of the airplane, and the new 
name also creates a better link between the park and the primary park 
assets. All four of the park sites, a majority of interpretive exhibits 
and media at the park sites describe the accomplishments of the Wright 
brothers and the first recognized African American Poet Laureate, Paul 
Laurence Dunbar.
  Finally, the new name also establishes a better distinction between 
the park and the new National Aviation Heritage Area.
  The new name of this park will truly be a reflection of Dayton's 
heritage, that of innovation and creativity. The Wright brothers' 
airplane and Dunbar's famous poems are two historic assets which make 
Dayton a great place to call home. It is fitting that the new park name 
pays homage to Dayton's hometown heroes, Paul Laurence Dunbar and 
Orville and Wilbur Wright.
  It is also important to note that the National Heritage Park in 
Dayton is unique in that it is a scattered site national park and it 
works with regional partners to advance the park's mission. The Park 
Service partners with ``Dayton History'' at Carillon Park and Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base to provide maintenance and program assistance 
for park assets.
  Both entities contain different parts of the national park. The 
Wright Flyer

[[Page 3099]]

III, the world's first practical airplane, is located at Carillon Park, 
and the Huffman Prairie Flying Field, where the Wright brothers 
perfected flight, is located on the grounds of Wright-Patterson Air 
Force Base. This bill authorizes grant funding to these partner 
organizations to ensure their continued cooperation with the Park 
Service in fulfilling the mission of the park.
  Mr. Speaker, today's bill is the result of a community process which 
has resulted in an improved and more appropriate name to a regional 
asset, a name which reflects Dayton's true heritage. While Ohio is the 
birthplace of aviation, Dayton is the birthplace of the first airplane 
and the birthplace of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where 1 million 
people every year visit the National Museum of the United States Air 
Force.
  Dayton's future is bright, with over 1,000 jobs headed to Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base as a result of 2005 BRAC process, and it will 
continue to be a leader in American innovation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Wright brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar would be 
proud of the accomplishments in their hometown, and I am proud today to 
speak for this bill, which will honor their legacies.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, once again I encourage adoption of 
this excellent bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4191.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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