congressional_record: CREC-2017-10-02-pt1-PgH7642
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| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
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| CREC-2017-10-02-pt1-PgH7642 | 2017-10-02 | 115 | 1 | SAINT-GAUDENS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK REDESIGNATION ACT | HOUSE | HOUSE | ALLOTHER | H7642 | H7643 | [{"name": "Glenn Thompson", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "A. Donald McEachin", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "Ann M. Kuster", "role": "speaking"}] | [{"congress": "115", "type": "HR", "number": "965"}, {"congress": "115", "type": "HR", "number": "965"}, {"congress": "115", "type": "HR", "number": "965"}] | 163 Cong. Rec. H7642 | Congressional Record, Volume 163 Issue 157 (Monday, October 2, 2017) [Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 157 (Monday, October 2, 2017)] [House] [Pages H7642-H7643] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1715 SAINT-GAUDENS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK REDESIGNATION ACT Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 965) to redesignate the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site as the ``Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park'', and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 965 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 ``Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act''. SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF SAINT-GAUDENS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK. (a) In General.--The Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site shall be known and designated as the ``Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park''. (b) Amendments to Public Law 88-543.--Public Law 88-543 (78 Stat.749) is amended-- (1) by striking ``National Historic Site'' each place it appears and inserting ``National Historical Park''; (2) in section 2(a), by striking ``historic site'' and inserting ``Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park''; (3) in section 3, by-- (A) striking ``national historical site'' and inserting ``Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park''; and (B) striking ``part of the site'' and inserting ``part of the park''; and (4) in section 4(b), by striking ``traditional to the site'' and inserting ``traditional to the park''. (c) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, document, record, map, or other paper of the United States to the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site shall be considered to be a reference to the ``Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. McEachin) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania. General Leave Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania? There was no objection. Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Augustus Saint-Gaudens is one of the most prolific sculptors in our Nation's history. His work includes Boston's Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, Chicago's Standing Lincoln, and New York's William Tecumseh Sherman Memorial. Most notably, Saint-Gaudens designed a $20 double eagle gold piece for the U.S. Mint, considered one of the greatest American coins ever issued. The Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site is a 190-acre historic site in Sullivan County, New Hampshire. The site encompasses the summer home and studio of this renowned American artist, whose annual presence in Sullivan County helped spawn the Cornish Artist Colony in nearby Cornish, New Hampshire. This colony, which was [[Page H7643]] comprised of painters, sculptors, and musicians, helped drive a period of American artistic resurgence called the American Renaissance in the years following the Civil War. The main house and surrounding gardens were initially designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1962, which was converted to a National Historic Site in 1964, when the grounds were donated to the National Park Service. The current property contains 21 buildings, a number of Saint-Gaudens' sculptures, and miles of hiking trails. This bill simply changes the designation of Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site to a National Historical Park, allowing the National Park Service to better relay the impact and legacy of this historic American artist. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McEACHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 965, introduced by Representative Kuster of New Hampshire, redesignates a site in her State as the Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, a critical name change that recognizes the cultural and historical importance of that landscape. Augustus Saint-Gaudens was a keystone figure in the 19th century American Renaissance of art and architecture. Since 1977, the home, studio, gardens, and artwork of this American icon have been managed and preserved by the National Park Service as part of the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire. One of Saint-Gaudens' most well-known creations is the Shaw Memorial in Boston. This sculpture memorializes the bravery of Robert Gould Shaw, who led the first regiment of African-American soldiers recruited from the North during the Civil War. However, this is just one of the many public monuments credited to Saint-Gaudens, many of which are preserved and managed by the National Park Service at the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. In 2010, however, the National Park Service acquired the adjacent Blow-Me-Down Farm, an important meeting place for the Cornish Art Colony led by Saint-Gaudens. The acquisition of the farm allows the site to fulfill its vision as a national park for the arts. The expanded physical size and historical scope is better defined as a National Historic Park rather than a National Historical Site, which is usually reserved for a single building or other stand-alone structure. Importantly, this redesignation will not change any laws or policies affecting the site and will only require changes in signage, maps, and handouts. Therefore, redesignating this area as Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park conforms to naming standards used by the National Park Service and further honors the legacy of Augustus Saint-Gaudens. In addition to preserving Saint-Gaudens' legacy, the site also protects a variety of important ecosystems. The site is bordered by two streams that feed into the Connecticut River, and it contains a large forest and pond where visitors can observe wildlife. Representative Kuster introduced H.R. 965 with the support of the entire New Hampshire delegation, and I would like to thank her for her dedication to protecting the historic areas important to her State and our national story. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), the author of this fine piece of legislation. Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman McEachin for yielding this time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of H.R. 965, the Saint- Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act. Named after the great American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, this historic site, located in Cornish, New Hampshire, has preserved his home and working studios since it was established in 1965. Augustus Saint-Gaudens was born in Dublin, Ireland, and immigrated to America with his parents when he was just 6 months old. It was at a young age when Augustus developed a strong interest in sculpting, which set him on a path to Paris and Rome, where he studied art and architecture and worked on his very first commission. In 1876, Saint-Gaudens was tapped for his first of several prominent Civil War-related commissions, which include the Standing Lincoln statue of our 16th President. At over 12 feet tall, this historic landmark stands prominently in Chicago's Lincoln Park. After working on the statue for close to a decade, the towering piece was unveiled in 1887 to a crowd of over 10,000 people, including President Lincoln's only living grandson. His most famous work was commissioned soon after: the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, a bronze bas-relief which took Saint-Gaudens 14 years to complete. Located in Boston Common, this iconic sculpture depicts Colonel Shaw and the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, which was the first African-American regiment organized by the Union in the Civil War. As one of the foremost American sculptors of the 19th century, Saint- Gaudens left a lasting legacy on our country's artistic heritage, which continues to be cherished at our historic site in Cornish. Since its authorization by Congress in 1964 and establishment a year later, the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site has blossomed into a popular tourist attraction and location for local artists and musicians to share their talents. However, the present name, which designates this location as a historic site, is no longer the most appropriate or useful to accurately portray the complexity of this site. Whereas, National Historic Sites are typically designated for single buildings or sites that only encompass a few acres in size, the Saint- Gaudens National Historic Site is 190 acres in size and includes multiple buildings, a vast collection of American art, and a small trail network that allows visitors to explore the grounds. My legislation would simply redesignate Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site to Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, which would more accurately illustrate all that the park has to offer. In partnership with the Saint-Gaudens Memorial, a private nonprofit that operated the site until it donated the land to the National Park Service in 1965, this historic site offers rotating contemporary and historical exhibitions, concerts, hands-on workshops, lectures, and many other educational opportunities for our visitors. The array of recreational activities offered to visitors makes this park much more than a historic site. It is a living remembrance to the great American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and the artistic legacy that he has left behind. It is my hope that this proposed name change will help attract more interest in the park, boost annual visitation, and help drive our local economy. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass this legislation. Mr. McEACHIN. Mr. Speaker, having no one else to speak on this issue, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I encourage support for this piece of legislation and thank the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster) for putting this forward, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 965, as amended. 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. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. 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. ____________________ |