[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14341-14342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE EXPANSION ACT

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1289) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 
approximately 44 acres of land in Martinez, California, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1289

       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 ``John Muir National Historic 
     Site Expansion Act''.

     SEC. 2. JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE LAND ACQUISITION.

       (a) Acquisition.--The Secretary of the Interior may acquire 
     by donation the approximately 44 acres of land, and interests 
     in such land, that are identified on the map entitled ``John 
     Muir National Historic Site Proposed Boundary Expansion'', 
     numbered 426/127150, and dated November, 2014.
       (b) Boundary.--Upon the acquisition of the land authorized 
     by subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall adjust 
     the boundaries of the John Muir Historic Site in Martinez, 
     California, to include the land identified on the map 
     referred to in subsection (a).
       (c) Administration.--The land and interests in land 
     acquired under subsection (a) shall be administered as part 
     of the John Muir National Historic Site established by the 
     Act of August 31, 1964 (Public Law 88-547; 78 Stat. 753; 16 
     U.S.C. 461 note).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. 
Dingell) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1289 would expand the John Muir National Historic Site by 
approximately 44 acres. This expansion may only occur by donation of 
the land.
  Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, in Martinez, California, this 
site preserves the 14-room Italianate Victorian mansion where John Muir 
lived, as well as a 325-acre tract of native oak woodlands and 
grasslands owned by the Muir family.
  The additional proposed acreage in this bill is directly adjacent to 
the current site and will allow for better public access to trails in 
the area. This acreage has been donated to the National Park Service 
and will not be acquired with any Federal dollars.
  This bill passed out of committee by unanimous consent, and a 
previous version passed the House during the 113th Congress. I urge my 
colleagues to vote in favor of the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 1289 will authorize the National Park Service to expand the 
boundary of the John Muir National Historic Site and acquire, by 
donation, 44 acres of land from the Muir Heritage Land Trust. The 
donation will expand the site and help carry on Muir's important legacy 
of conservation and environmental stewardship.
  John Muir is one of our Nation's most respected and revered 
ecologists. His writings have inspired millions, and his activism and 
advocacy led to the establishment of some of our first and most iconic 
national parks.
  From the moment he set foot in Yosemite Valley, John Muir was 
consumed with its natural wonder and beauty. He became Yosemite's most 
vocal champion, but he didn't spend his whole life there.
  From 1890 until his death in 1914, Muir lived on a farm not far from 
San Francisco. It was from this corner of the Bay Area that Muir 
cofounded the Sierra Club and helped lay the groundwork for a century 
of conservation.
  Muir's tireless advocacy led to the creation of the Yosemite and 
Sequoia National Parks, and his spirit and enduring legacy led to the 
protection of much more.
  Since he is known by some as the father of our national parks, I know 
he would be proud of all of our national parks today, especially as we 
are approaching the 100th anniversary of the National Park System.
  My home State of Michigan has several beautiful national parks, 
including the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Isle Royale, and 
the River Raisin National Battlefield.
  The passage of H.R. 1289 will contribute to John Muir's legacy, and 
it will help to protect and conserve the place where he found solace 
and inspiration in his later years.
  I want to thank the bill's sponsor, my good friend Representative 
Mark DeSaulnier from California, for his leadership.
  I urge the swift passage of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier).
  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding and for her kind comments.
  What a pleasure it is to be here on the House floor to continue to 
honor and respect a great American and a great Californian, his adopted 
State.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1289, the John Muir 
National Historic Site Expansion Act.
  This bipartisan legislation will expand the Martinez, California, 
historic site in my district as it celebrates the life and legacy of 
John Muir.
  Muir was a lifelong conservationist and leading advocate of the 
National Park Service and a cofounder of the Sierra Club. He worked to 
establish and protect national parks, including Yosemite, Sequoia, the 
Grand Canyon, and Mt. Rainier.
  The John Muir National Historic Site, which includes the home where 
he lived, covers 330 acres in Contra Costa County, where Muir 
championed the revolutionary idea that wild spaces should be set aside 
for all Americans to enjoy.
  This bill would add 44 acres of donated land from a nonprofit trust, 
improving access to the park and its scenic trails, including those on 
Mount Wanda, named after Muir's eldest daughter.
  The trail systems are accessible for hikers and bikers, including 
critical connections to the 550-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail.
  As Muir once said:
  Every American needs beauty as well as bread, places to live in . . . 
where nature may heal and cheer and give enough strength to body and 
soul alike.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my predecessor, Congressman George Miller, who 
has been a champion of this bill and who introduced it in an earlier 
session.
  I would also like to thank Natural Resources Committee Chairman 
Bishop, Ranking Member Grijalva, as well as Subcommittee Chairman 
McClintock and Ranking Member Tsongas, for their leadership in bringing 
H.R. 1289 to the floor today.
  I am also grateful for the support of 31 of my colleagues from both 
sides of the aisle who cosponsored the bill as well as Senators Boxer 
and Feinstein for sponsoring this legislation in the Senate.
  I would also like to thank the John Muir Land Trust for its hard work 
and dedication to preserving and protecting this valuable parkland and 
shoreline in the Bay Area for future generations.
  As our Nation prepares to celebrate the centennial of the National 
Park Service, this legislation will help preserve the trails and lands 
that surround the long-time home of the man

[[Page 14342]]

known as the father of the National Park Service.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bipartisan legislation, 
the John Muir National Historic Site Expansion Act.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge all Members to support 
the bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, my district comprises the 
Sierra Nevada, and we are daily reminded of the foresight of pioneers 
like John Muir who worked to set aside these natural assets for, in the 
words of the original Yosemite Charter, ``the public's use, resort, and 
recreation for all time.''
  Keeping their memory fresh is an important objective, and I urge the 
adoption of the legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong support of 
H.R. 1289, the John Muir National Historic Site Expansion Act.
  This bipartisan legislation will expand the Martinez, California 
historic site in my district that celebrates the life and legacy of 
John Muir. Muir was a lifelong conservationist, leading advocate of the 
National Park Service and a co-founder of the Sierra Club. He worked to 
establish and protect national parks including Yosemite, Sequoia, the 
Grand Canyon and Mt. Rainier.
  The John Muir National Historic Site, which includes the home where 
he lived, covers 330 acres of Contra Costa County where Muir championed 
the revolutionary idea that wild spaces should be set aside for all to 
enjoy. This bill would add 44 acres of donated land from a non-profit 
trust, improving access to the park and its scenic trails, including 
those on Mount Wanda, named for Muir's eldest daughter. The trail 
systems are accessible for hikers, bikers and equestrians, including 
critical connections to the 550-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail and to nearby 
protected lands along the Franklin Ridge corridor.
  As John Muir said, ``everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places 
to play in . . . where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to 
body and soul alike.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my predecessor Congressman George Miller 
who has been a champion of this bill. I appreciate Natural Resource 
Committee Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva, Subcommittee 
Chairman McClintock, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Tsongas for their 
leadership in bringing H.R. 1289 to the floor today.
  I am grateful for the support of 31 of my colleagues from both sides 
of the aisle who cosponsored this bill and to Senators Boxer and 
Feinstein for sponsoring this legislation in the U.S. Senate. I would 
also like to thank the John Muir Land Trust for its hard work and 
dedication preserving and protecting this valuable parkland and 
shoreline in Contra Costa County for future generations.
  As our Nation prepares to celebrate the Centennial of the National 
Park Service, this legislation will help preserve the trails and lands 
that surround the longtime home of the man known as the Father of the 
National Park Service. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this 
bipartisan legislation--The John Muir National Historic Site Expansion 
Act.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1289, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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