[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16041-16042]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     CHICANO PARK PRESERVATION ACT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3711) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
conduct a special resource study of Chicano Park, located in San Diego, 
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. 3711

       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 ``Chicano Park Preservation 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a 
     special resource study of Chicano Park and its murals located 
     in San Diego, California.
       (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall--
       (1) evaluate the national significance of the site;
       (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
     designating the site as a National Historic Landmark or 
     Affiliated Area of the National Park System;
       (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 
     protection, and interpretation of Chicano Park and its murals 
     by Federal, State, or local governmental entities, or private 
     and nonprofit organizations;
       (4) consult with interested Federal, State, or local 
     governmental entities, private and nonprofit organizations or 
     any other interested individuals; and
       (5) identify cost estimates for any development, 
     interpretation, operation, and maintenance associated with 
     the alternatives.
       (c) Applicable Law.--The study required under subsection 
     (a) shall be conducted in accordance with section 100507 of 
     title 54, United States Code, except that the study shall not 
     consider any options that involve Federal acquisition of 
     lands, interests in lands, or any other property related to 
     the Chicano Park and its murals.
       (d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date on 
     which funds are first made available for the study under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
     on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
     report containing the results of the study and any 
     conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands 
(Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.


                             General Leave

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. 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 Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, located in the Barrio Logan community of San Diego, 
Chicano Park is a 7.4-acre parcel known for its display of nearly 50 
vibrant murals depicting the history, culture, and its civil rights 
movement.

                              {time}  1315

  Residents secured the creation of the park in 1970 by protesting the 
construction of a parking lot on the vacant land the city previously 
promised for the development of the community park. After successfully 
taking over the land, artists painted dozens of vibrant murals on the 
pillars and ramps of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge located in the 
park, creating the largest concentration of these murals in the world.
  H.R. 3711 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to evaluate the 
national significance of the park, determine the suitability and 
feasibility of designating it as a national historic landmark or 
affiliated area of the National Park Service through a special resource 
study. The bill prohibits the Secretary from considering any options 
that result in the Federal acquisition of the park.
  I urge adoption of this bill, H.R. 3711.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Vargas).
  Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues for their 
support of H.R. 3711, the Chicano Park Preservation Act. Again, I thank 
the chairman for those kind words about the park. I appreciate it very 
much.
  Ranking member, thank you again for allowing me to be here to support 
moving this legislation forward.
  Chicano Park is a historic park under the San Diego-Coronado Bridge 
that embodies the spirit of the Hispanic culture in San Diego.
  As was said, in the spring of 1970, the Barrio Logan community in San 
Diego united to advocate for the community park and, with the support 
of the city and State officials, the park was born. Since then, the 
park has been transformed by world-renowned muralists who have adorned 
the freeway pillars with breathtaking murals, sculptures, and 
architectural pieces that tell the story of the Hispanic community in 
San Diego.
  Chicano Park is home to the largest collection of outdoor murals, 89 
of them, in the country, in addition to various sculptures, earthworks, 
and an architectural piece dedicated to the cultural heritage of the 
community. The murals are recognized at the local, State, and national 
levels as historical, cultural, and public art.
  This legislation, as was said, authorizes a special resource study of 
Chicano Park and its murals to evaluate the feasibility of the park 
becoming a national historic landmark or an Affiliated Area of the 
National Park Service.
  It is also interesting that now the community has taken it on as a 
community park. Unfortunately, the area has very few parks, and this is 
one of the places where the community now, since 1970, has been coming 
and having picnics there with their families, their children, and it 
has become really a wonderful opportunity for the people that live in 
the community.
  Even more than that, if you go there on a Saturday, you will find 
artists and different people from throughout the State, and Arizona, 
and other places

[[Page 16042]]

coming to look at the murals and to look at the art. It is quite a 
vibrant area. If you take a look at some of the things that are sold in 
the area, you will see T-shirts and you will see lots of cultural food. 
It has become a wonderful place for everyone to come together.
  So I appreciate very much the opportunity here, and I thank the 
ranking member, and especially the chairman, for this opportunity. 
Again, I encourage them to come to the park. It is not quite as grand 
as some of the things in Alaska, and I look to going to Alaska some day 
because I have only seen them in the pictures. Again, I thank you for 
your kind words about the park.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers on 
this legislation. I do urge the passage of the legislation as a classic 
example of where people are working together to have a place to rest 
and save some great art. I congratulate the gentleman for introducing 
the legislation. So I urge the passage of the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill will permit the National Park Service to study 
and evaluate the Chicano Park for inclusion on the National Register of 
Historic Places and possibly to become an affiliated site of the 
agency.
  Chicano Park has come to represent not only the civil rights 
struggles and victories for the residents of the Barrio Logan 
community, but has become a center for discussions around civil rights 
movements for all Mexican Americans today.
  Today, this space has become a vibrant expression of the history and 
concerns of the community and, because of their efforts, I know it will 
continue to remain a relevant site for generations to come. I am glad 
to see that this community will receive the national recognition it 
deserves.
  I thank my colleague, Congressman Vargas, for introducing this bill, 
and I am very pleased to see that we are able to move this through the 
House expeditiously.
  I would also like to, one day, visit Alaska, but at this point in 
time I urge adoption of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I would assure both gentlemen, 
Alaska will welcome you on a visit. I hope to visit both of their 
communities in the future. The only way we can get things done around 
here is if we understand your locations, your people, and what you will 
treasure, as I do in my State of Alaska.
  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 Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3711, 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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