[Page H6775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

VISITOR CENTER FOR HOME OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1104) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to transfer
administrative jurisdiction over land within the boundaries of the Home
of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site to the Archivist of the
United States for the construction of a visitor center.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 1104

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. VISITOR CENTER FOR HOME OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, HYDE PARK, NEW YORK.

(a) Transfer of Administrative Jurisdiction.--The Secretary
of the Interior may transfer to the Archivist of the United
States administrative jurisdiction over land located in the
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, for use
by the Archivist for the construction of a visitor center
facility to jointly serve the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt
National Historic Site and the Franklin D. Roosevelt
Presidential Library, located in Hyde Park, New York.
(b) Conditions of Transfer.--
(1) Protection of historic site.--The transfer authorized
in subsection (a) shall be subject to an agreement between
the Secretary and the Archivist that shall include such
provisions for the protection of the Home of Franklin D.
Roosevelt National Historic Site and the joint use of the
facility to be constructed as the Secretary and the Archivist
may consider necessary.
(2) Consideration.--A transfer made pursuant to subsection
(a) shall be made without consideration or reimbursement.
(3) Termination.--If use by the Archivist of the land
referred to in subsection (a) is terminated by the Archivist
at any time, administrative jurisdiction over the land shall
automatically revert to the Department of the Interior.
(c) Description of Land.--The land referred to in
subsection (a) shall consist of not more than 1 acre of land
as may be mutually agreed to by the Secretary and the
Archivist and more particularly described in the agreement
required under subsection (b)(1).

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton).
(Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1104 is a noncontroversial bill that would
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to transfer administrative
jurisdiction over land within the boundaries of the Home of Franklin D.
Roosevelt National Historic Site to the Archivist of the United States
for the construction of a visitor center.
The visitor center facility would jointly serve the F.D.R. Historic
Site and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, located in
Hyde Park, New York. The land transferred is authorized to be not more
than one acre.
H.R. 1104 is the result of efforts by the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Sweeney) and retired Congressman Jerry Solomon, also from New
York.
This bill is supported by the administration.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. H.R. 1104 is a
minor housekeeping measure to authorize the National Park Service to
transfer jurisdiction over approximately one acre of land to the
National Archives to enable construction of a joint visitor center
facility at the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde
Park, NY.
It is our understanding that the site in question has been mutually
agreed upon by the two agencies and that the funds have already been
appropriated to construct the joint-use facility.
Mr. Speaker, both the National Park Service and the National Archives
and Records Administration testified in favor of this legislation, and
we are unaware of any controversy and we support the legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) the author of the bill.
Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for
yielding me the time and for his support.
I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller) for his support.
Finally, I would like to thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen),
the subcommittee chair, for his support.
I am proud to rise in support of H.R. 1104, the legislation I
introduced to transfer administrative jurisdiction from the National
Park Service to the National Archives for the construction of a visitor
center at the Franklin R. Roosevelt National Historic Site.
The much anticipated visitor center will serve three area National
Historic Sites and will be a great addition to the rich history of the
Nation's Roosevelt era and that of New York's Hudson Valley.
The 105th Congress provided $8.2 million to the National Archives for
construction of the much-needed new facility on a one-acre parcel
within the historic site. However, construction is stalled due to a
legal snag; and this legislation corrects that snag.
In short, jurisdiction over this site for the visitor center must be
transferred from the National Park Service to the National Archives and
Records Administration before we can begin construction on this long-
awaited visitor center.
Mr. Speaker, Franklin D. Roosevelt, our Nation's 32nd President,
lived at his home in Hyde Park, New York, commonly referred to as
``Springwood,'' for most of his young life.
While Governor of New York and as President, Mr. Roosevelt frequented
Springwood often and entertained many dignitaries, including Winston
Churchill and King George VI.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was involved in the planning and construction
of the Presidential library at the site. The F.D.R. Library is the only
Presidential library that was used by a sitting President for official
duty.
F.D.R. was intent on preserving his papers and mementos for future
generations to cherish and study. Included in his collection are 44,000
books, photographs, Roosevelt's White House desk and chair, and his
collection of naval prints, models, and many paintings.
The F.D.R. Library became the site of the broadcast of Mr.
Roosevelt's popular fireside chats, and President Roosevelt would
regularly hold conferences with world leaders in his personal study.
This legislation enjoys widespread support of the National Park
Service, the National Archives and Records Administration, the town of
Hyde Park, the Eleanor Roosevelt Site at Val-Kill, the Franklin and
Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, Historic Hudson, and the Hudson River
Valley Greenway.
All of these organizations and communities have dedicated their time
and expertise to ensure that this visitor center becomes a reality, and
I thank them all for their support.
I look forward to seeing many Americans and all of those who would
travel and venture to Hyde Park, New York, to seeing the visitor center
finally become a reality at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site.
Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1104.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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