[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11188]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             COMMEMORATING 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF ERIE CANAL

  (Ms. TENNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 200th 
anniversary of the Erie Canal. Construction first began in 1817 in 
Rome, New York, with the first completed portion connecting two cities 
in the 22nd Congressional District, Rome and Utica.
  The Erie Canal was transformative in establishing New York as the 
Empire State. The canal opened the interior of our Nation, allowing 
westward expansion and the free flow of goods. With a drastic 90 
percent reduction in shipping costs, the canal established our region 
as a hub of economic activity in the early 20th century and made New 
York the busiest port in the entire Nation.
  In addition to the vast economic impact, the Erie Canal had an 
important cultural effect. Nearly 80 percent of upstate New York's 
population lives within 25 miles of the canal. From Albany to Buffalo, 
today, the Erie Canal is designated as a National Heritage Area, 
continuing its rich legacy.
  This Saturday, a first dig celebration in Rome, New York, will 
recognize this historic and monumental achievement in both New York's 
and our Nation's history.
  In the words of the famous Erie Canal song: ``You'll always know your 
neighbor, and you'll always know your pal, if you've ever navigated on 
the Erie Canal.''

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