Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, September 26, 2017, Wednesday, September 27, 2017, Thursday, September 28, 2017, Monday, October 2, 2017, Tuesday, October 3, 2017, and Wednesday, October 4, 2017, I was unable to vote on any legislative measures due to a foot injury. Had I been present, I would have voted the following:

(Roll no. 532) On ordering the previous question providing for consideration of H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, and H.R. 2792--Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 533) On adoption of the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, and H.R. 2792--Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 534) On approval of the journal, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 535) On agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Pascrell of New Jersey Amendment No. 2 to H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, had I been present I would have voted no.

(Roll no. 536) On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 2824-- Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, had I been present I would have voted no.

(Roll no. 537) On passage of H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 538) On ordering the previous question providing for consideration of H.R. 3823--Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 539) On adoption of the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3823--Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 540) On passage of H. Res. 311--Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast Asia, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 541) On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 3823-- Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted no.

(Roll no. 542) On passage of H.R. 3823--Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 543) On passage of H.R. 2792--Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 544) On passage of H.R. 1547--Udall Park Land Exchange Completion Act, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 545) On passage of H.R. 965--Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 546) On ordering the previous question providing for consideration of H.R. 36--Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 547) On adoption of the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 36--Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 548) On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 36-- Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, had I been present I would have voted no.

(Roll no. 549) On passage of H.R. 36--Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 550) On passage of S. 782--PROTECT Our Children Act, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 551) On ordering the previous question providing for consideration of H. Con. Res. 71--FY2018 Budget Resolution, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 552) On adoption of the rule providing for consideration of H. Con. Res. 71--FY2018 Budget Resolution, had I been present I would have voted yes.

(Roll no. 553) On agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Grijalva of Arizona Substitute Amendment No. 1 to H. Con. Res. 71--FY2018 Budget Resolution, had I been present I would have voted no.

(Roll no. 554) On agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Scott of Virginia Substitute Amendment No. 2 to H. Con. Res. 71--FY2018 Budget Resolution, had I been present I would have voted no.

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. 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.

Mr. Speaker, having no one else to speak on this issue, I yield back the balance of my time.

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.

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.

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

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. 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.

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

Mr. Speaker, on October 2nd, on rollcall votes 544 and 545, I was not present because I was tending to my community in Las Vegas, in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in United States history. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 544 and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 545.