[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14643-14644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK COMMISSION 
                             EXTENSION ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (S. 476) to amend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 
Development Act to extend to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National 
Historical Park Commission.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 476

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK 
                   COMMISSION.

       The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park 
     Commission (referred to in this Act as the ``Commission'') is 
     authorized in accordance with the provisions of section 6 of 
     the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Development Act (16 U.S.C. 
     410y-4), except that the Commission shall terminate 10 years 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 476 would extend the authorization of the Chesapeake 
and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Commission for another 10 
years. The Commission advises the Secretary of the Interior on matters 
related to the park which stretches 185 miles through three States and 
the District of Columbia.
  The Commission is intended to provide the diverse governmental 
jurisdictions a seat at the table on topics involving the canal.
  I urge passage, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 476 will amend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 
Development Act to extend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National 
Historical Park Commission.
  Extension of the authorization date will allow the continued 
involvement of the park advisory commission in the decisions that 
affect this National Historical Park. The advisory commission is now 
more than 40 years old and serves as an important link between the 
adjacent communities and the National Park Service.
  S. 476 is the companion bill to H.R. 2255 introduced by 
Representative Van Hollen and is supported by a bipartisan group of 
Members. Representative Van Hollen is to be commended for his 
leadership and dedication in seeing this bill through.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. With that, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Maryland, Representative Van Hollen, the sponsor of 
the legislation,
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Grijalva, for his 
assistance on this bill and his leadership on so many other important 
issues.
  Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in rising in strong support of S. 
476, a bill to restore the authority of the C&O Canal National 
Historical Park Commission.
  I joined with Congressman Frank Wolf and Congressman John Delaney to 
introduce companion legislation to this bill in the House and 
appreciate the work of my friend Senator Cardin in the Senate and 
Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member DeFazio of the Natural Resources 
Committee in bringing this bill to the floor of the House today.
  The C&O Canal National Historical Park begins just a few miles from 
this Capitol and follows the old C&O Canal and towpath for about 185 
miles to reach Cumberland, Maryland.
  Along the way, as Congressman Hastings says, it passes through three 
States, and it passes through the District of Columbia and many cities 
and towns in rural areas. It is a treasure of the National Park System, 
providing a place for visitors to learn about the history of the canal 
and enjoy the scenic views from the towpath.
  The C&O Canal National Historical Park Commission was established 
along with the park in 1971, an idea of my former boss, Senator Mac 
Mathias of Maryland, and former Congressman Gilbert Gude of Maryland.
  They believed that a park spanning so many diverse communities should 
have a formal channel through which park management could seek advice 
and input on park policy from its many neighbors. For years, this model 
worked well, and then the authority for the Commission expired in 2011.
  Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us today would reestablish the 
Commission, allowing it to resume its critical service. While the 
Commission would have no authority to make binding park policy, it 
would serve an important advisory role and strengthen the relationship 
between the park and its neighbors.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation today 
and thank the Natural Resources Committee for bringing this to the 
floor in a bipartisan basis.

[[Page 14644]]


  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the 
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 Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 476.
  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. HASTINGS of Washington. 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, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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