Fort Ontario Study Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank both gentlemen for their kind words about this truly unique historical fort in my district.

Fort Ontario stood on the shores of Lake Ontario for over 260 years and now stands as a testament to the great history of central New York and the important role the region has played in our Nation's history. The Fort has been involved in nearly every major American war, from the French and Indian Wars to World War II.

From 1944 to 1946, Fort Ontario served as our Nation's only emergency refugee camp, providing shelter to over 980 refugees during World War II. In recognition of the Fort's use as a refugee shelter, primarily for Jewish people fleeing Hitler's Europe, the site also hosts the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum. It is a truly unique fort in our country.

Following World War II, the fort was transferred to the State of New York to house war veterans and their families until 1953. This unparalleled history would make Fort Ontario a unique asset to our National Park System.

I am honored to have introduced this legislation, which takes the first steps toward ensuring Fort Ontario receives the national recognition it richly deserves. The Fort Ontario Study Act would commission a special resource study of Fort Ontario to evaluate the site's national significance and determine the suitability of its designation as a part of the National Park System.

Fort Ontario, now a national historic site in New York and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, draws residents of New York, visitors across the Nation, and, indeed, across the globe to experience the rich history of the fort and the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum. Designating the fort as a national park will not only preserve the unique history of the site, but also have the potential to grow tourism and strengthen our economy.

I am proud to be a champion of this effort, and I credit this success to the countless individuals and organizations in Oswego, New York, and throughout the 24th District who have spent years working to preserve the history of Fort Ontario. These groups and individuals include the Friends of Fort Ontario, Paul Lear with New York State Parks, the Board of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum, and the many volunteers that give so much of their time to this cause.

Reflecting the importance of the fort to the entire region, I introduced this bill with Congresswoman Tenney and Congresswoman Slaughter. I would like to thank them both for their support, as well as Chairman Bishop for working toward moving this legislation forward.

I ask all of my colleagues to support H.R. 46, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take quick action on this important legislation.

At 12:02 p.m., a message from the House of Representatives, delivered by Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, announced that the House has passed the following bills, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate:

H.R. 46. An act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior

to conduct a special resource study of Fort Ontario in the

State of New York.

H.R. 339. An act to amend Public Law 94-241 with respect to

the Northern Mariana Islands.

H.R. 374. An act to remove the sunset provision of section

203 of Public Law 105-384, and for other purposes.

H.R. 381. An act to designate a mountain in the John Muir

Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest as ``Sky Point''.

H.R. 538. An act to redesignate Ocmulgee National Monument

in the State of Georgia and revise its boundary, and for

other purposes.

H.R. 558. An act to adjust the boundary of the Kennesaw

Mountain National Battlefield Park to include the Wallis

House and Harriston Hill, and for other purposes.

H.R. 560. An act to amend the Delaware Water Gap National

Recreation Area Improvement Act to provide access to certain

vehicles serving residents of municipalities adjacent to the

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and for other

purposes.

The message further announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 1928a, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Members of the House of Representatives to the United States Group of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly: Mr. Connolly of Virginia and Ms. Frankel of Florida.

The message also announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2903, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Member of the House of Representatives to the Japan-United States Friendship Commission: Mr. Takano of California.

The message further announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2761, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Member of the House of Representatives to the British- American Interparliamentary Group: Mr. Cicilline of Rhode Island.

The message also announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 3003, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Members of the House of Representatives to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Mr. Hastings of Florida and Mr. Cohen of Tennessee.

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

This bill authorizes the National Park Service to conduct a special resource study of Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York. Fort Ontario was a military installation used during the French and Indian Wars, which was later used to house refugees fleeing the Nazi Holocaust during World War II.

Many Americans remember our Nation's role in World War II through events like the Invasion of Normandy or the Battle of Iwo Jima, closer to my district, which have been re-imagined in film and memorialized in stone, but the story of Fort Ontario is an equally important component of our historical legacy. Providing physical refuge from persecution says as much about our national character as the bravery and sacrifice of the millions of Americans who were deployed overseas.

The site has been managed as a New York State historic site since 1949 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970. The study authorized by this bill will look into the best available options for the continued preservation and management of Fort Ontario, including the possibility of turning it into a unit of the National Park System.

Fort Ontario has had many uses throughout our Nation's history, and it has had a particularly relevant place in the story of Jewish Americans. As we work to ensure that our public lands tell the story of all Americans, Fort Ontario and its unique story could be a fitting addition.

This bill passed the House last September but was, unfortunately, not acted upon by the Senate.

I would like to thank Representative Katko, the sponsor of this bill, for his continued efforts to ensure the Nation knows about the story of Fort Ontario.

This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption and support of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 46) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Fort Ontario in the State of New York.

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.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman John Katko of New York brings us H.R. 46, which authorizes the National Park Service to conduct a special resource study of Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York, to evaluate the site's national significance and determine the suitability of its designation as a unit of the National Park system.

Fort Ontario was first established in 1755 to defend Americans during the French and Indian Wars. You might say it was the first time our Nation has dealt with organized terrorism. It played a role in the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 and served our country as a hospital, training facility, and a refugee center in the First and Second World Wars.

In 1946, after nearly 200 years of active military use, Fort Ontario was transferred to the State of New York, which has operated and maintained it ever since. The House passed a nearly identical version of this legislation in the 114th Congress.

I urge adoption of the measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko), the author of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important part of American history. It belongs in the National Park System. I urge adoption of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 147, H.R. 46.

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.

Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the bill.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.