Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member and their staffs on the Committee for assisting in moving this legislation forward. H.R. 3606 is a straightforward, non-controversial…
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member and their staffs on the Committee for assisting in moving this legislation forward.
H.R. 3606 is a straightforward, non-controversial bill that would allow the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society to implement the new Human Use/Natural Resource Management Plan for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Chippewa County, Michigan.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes.
Since 1992, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has operated the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum to educate the public about shipwrecks in the region.
The Museum provides exhibits on several shipwrecks in the area, including an in-depth exhibit on the Edmund Fitzgerald, which was lost with her entire crew of 29 men near Whitefish Point, Michigan on November 10, 1975. Among the items on display is the 200 pound bronze bell recovered from the wreckage in 1995, as a memorial to her lost crew.
In 2002, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the local chapter of the Audubon Society, and the local community, finalized a new management plan for the Museum to improve the experience at the Museum.
The new management plan developed by these groups will allow the Historical Society to enhance the visitor's experience by expanding the Museum's exhibits and improving parking and access to surrounding wildlife opportunities.
The new management plan represents a consensus of all associated parties, and will improve the enjoyment of the historical and ecological resources in Chippewa County, Michigan.
However, because the original land grant patent references the previous management plan, legislation to amend the patent is necessary before the new management plan can be implemented.
In response, I introduced H.R. 3606, which would amend the land grant patent to allow the new plan to be implemented. This legislation would simply change the land grant patent to include the new management plan, which has been agreed upon by all of the necessary stakeholders.
Congressman Camp has joined me in cosponsoring this legislation, recognizing the importance of increasing visitors to our state and its economy. I thank him for his support of this legislation.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has continuously improved the experience at the Museum since it was established in 1992. With the approval of H.R. 3606, Congress will allow additional developments at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, improving this cultural and historical resource.
I encourage my colleagues to support this simple legislation, which will improve the opportunities available to visitors of Chippewa County, Michigan and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.
