Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, but, more importantly, for moving this bill through committee and allowing it to be brought up for a vote today on the floor.

I rise today as the lead sponsor of H.R. 2991, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act. I am glad the House is taking up this important bill with bipartisan support from the Pennsylvania delegation.

The concept of the bill is simple. It would make two counties in Pennsylvania, Lancaster and York Counties, both located in south central Pennsylvania, a national heritage area.

National heritage areas are a congressional designation where ``natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources form a cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from human activity shaped by geography,'' which describes this area very well. According to the National Park Service, there are currently 49 national heritage areas in 32 States.

I am very proud of the natural beauty that we find in our Pennsylvania communities, particularly in these two counties. We want to ensure we maintain that safe and clean environment into the future for residents and visitors.

The Susquehanna River and its surrounding landscape have played a starring role in American history. Our region's heritage reflects events and causes that exemplify the American experience, many flowing from the central historical role of the river.

Along the Susquehanna, a tradition of public and private collaboration has

helped our region prosper from heritage and outdoor tourism, and this national heritage area designation will attract more visitors, stimulate our local economy, and preserve natural resources and historical landmarks.

I want to thank the countless local officials and Members of Congress who have worked on this legislation for many years. Without their tireless work and the sustained input and support from the residents of York and Lancaster Counties, we would not be here right now. This was a bottom-up effort led by grassroots support from these communities.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the dozens of local organizations that support this legislation.

The following local organizations support the Susquehanna

National Heritage Area Act:

Amishview Inn & Suites/Miller's Smorgasbord/Plain & Fancy

Farm; Borough of Columbia; Bube's Brewery; Colony Packaging &

Machine; Downtown Inc.; Discover Lancaster; Farm & Natural

Lands Trust of York County; Historic Preservation Trust of

Lancaster County; Historic York, Inc.; Lancaster Chamber of

Commerce & Industry; Lancaster County Board of Commissioners;

Lancaster County Conservancy; Lancaster County Parks &

Recreation; Lancaster County Planning Commission; Lancaster

Farmland Trust; Landis Valley Museum.

LancasterHistory.org; Long Level Marina; Northern York

County Historical & Preservation Society; PPL Corporation;

Pennsylvania State Grange; Preservation Pennsylvania;

Rivertownes PA USA; Shank's Mare Outfitters; Susquehanna

Glass; Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce; York County

Board of Commissioners; York County Convention & Visitors

Bureau; York County Department of Parks & Recreation; York

County Economic Alliance; York County History Center.

Again, I urge passage of H.R. 2991.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2991) to establish the Susquehanna National Heritage Area in the State of Pennsylvania, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Smucker), the author of this particular bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am in favor of this particular bill. Heritage areas have been, for us, somewhat problematic in the past. There have been some of those who have looked simply on the Federal Government as a deep pocket to be robbed and used year after year after year. Some of them have ignored private property rights. Some of them have actually superseded legal governments' prerogatives and initiatives.

In each of these areas, Mr. Smucker has done an incredibly good job to make sure those problems will not exist. The idea of simply being a funnel for money is not necessarily a part of this particular bill, and he has specifically included the rights of property protection in this bill.

What Mr. Smucker has done here is a national heritage area done the right way for the right purpose and the right intent, and I hope, because of the way he has done that, it will not tend to be a problem in the future as heritage areas are re-looked at and renewed at some particular point. I want to commend him not only for taking up the specific issue that is important to his area, but for doing it the right way. That is why I am very happy to support this particular piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my fellow Members to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I support this bill to establish the Susquehanna National Heritage Area in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Seen as ``a new kind of national park'' that leverages public-private partnerships with a focus on regional economic development, the first national heritage area was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Since then, Congress has authorized many successful heritage areas throughout the country, and this model makes a lot of sense for certain regions. However, it has been a while since the House passed a standalone bill to establish a new national heritage area, so this is an encouraging sign.

We appreciate the renewed interest in national heritage areas, particularly since some of my fellow Democratic colleagues have introduced heritage area proposals. We are eager to bring those proposals forward as well.

That said, this is a good bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support its adoption. The communities of Lancaster and York Counties have clearly demonstrated that their region deserves recognition as a national heritage area. I would like to congratulate Representative Smucker for his leadership on this proposal and Chairman Bishop for guiding this bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I encourage support for this bill, and having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes taken Tuesday, June 5, due to it being primary election day in California. I also missed votes on Tuesday, June 12. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:

Roll Call Vote Number 231 (Passage of H.R. 5005): YES

Roll Call Vote Number 232 (Passage of H.R. 2991, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act): YES

Roll Call Vote Number 233 (Passage of H.R. 5655, the Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument Act): YES

Roll Call Vote Number 258 (Passage of H.R. 1815, the Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act): YES

Roll Call Vote Number 259 (Passage of H.R. 5041, the Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act): YES

Roll Call Vote Number 260 (Approving the Journal): NO

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to make votes that evening. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' for rollcall 231, H.R. 5005-- To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the birthplace of James Weldon Johnson in Jacksonville, Florida, as a unit of the National Park System; rollcall 232, H.R. 2991--Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act; and, rollcall 233, H.R. 5655--Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument Act.