Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6826) to designate the visitor and education center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine as the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6826

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

(a) Designation.--The visitor and education center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, currently located at 2400 E Fort Ave, Baltimore, MD 21230, is designated as the ``Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center''.

(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other document of the United States to the visitor center designated by subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. 6826, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative Mfume's bill, H.R. 6826. This legislation will name the visitor and education center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, as the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center.

Fort McHenry is famously the site of an 1814 attack by British troops against 1,000 American soldiers, which inspired Francis Scott Key to write ``The Star-Spangled Banner.''

Paul Sarbanes honorably served the State of Maryland for 6 years in the House of Representatives and three decades in the U.S. Senate. During his tenure, Senator Sarbanes helped secure funding to construct the new visitor center at Fort McHenry, which increased its capacity and improved visitor access.

After a long life of distinguished public service, Senator Sarbanes sadly passed away in 2020.

I commend Representative Mfume for leading this effort. Naming the visitor and education center at Fort McHenry after Senator Sarbanes would honor his long history of service to Maryland and his special connection with Fort McHenry's site.

Fittingly, this legislation has drawn bipartisan support and is cosponsored by Maryland's entire congressional delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill and reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a straightforward bill that would honor the work and legacy of a devoted public servant. I urge the adoption of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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