Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions - S. 1748

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

By Mr. DEWINE (for himself, Mr. DURBIN, and Mr. VOINOVICH):

S. 1748. A bill to establish a program to award grants to improve and maintain sites honoring Presidents of the United States; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today, along with Senator Durbin and Senator Voinovich to introduce the Presidential Sites Improvement Act of 2003. This legislation would honor the great men that have served as our former Chief Executives and have influenced the development of our great Nation. This act would create a new and innovative partnership with public and private entities to preserve and maintain Presidential sites, such as birthplaces, homes, memorials, and tombs.
Preserving this heritage is vital to enabling our children and grandchildren to learn about the leadership and infinite wisdom of our past Presidents.

We often forget that the best learning tool is that which a child can touch, see, and relate. When a child boards a bus for a field trip to visit historic sites, that is truly when hands-on learning takes place. Visiting the birthplace or home of the same individuals they heard about or read about in the classroom provides a completely different atmosphere to appreciate history. This learning can continue only through the preservation of the birthplaces, homes, memorials, and tombs of our former Presidents.

Family foundations, colleges and universities, libraries, historical societies, historic preservation organizations, and other non-profit organizations own the majority of these sites. These entities often have little funding and are unable to meet the demands of maintaining such important sites. Operating costs must be met before maintenance needs, and slowly the sites deteriorate.

I have visited many of the Presidential historic sites throughout my home State of Ohio—a state that has been home to eight Presidents. During one such visit at the Ulysses S. Grant house, I found it very disturbing to see the discoloration and falling plaster due to water damage. At the home of President Warren Harding, the famous front porch where then candidate Harding gave his campaign speeches actually began to pull away from the house. Fortunately, we were able to obtain the funding to prevent these two historic treasures from deteriorating further. However, by providing Federal assistance for maintenance projects today, we can help prevent larger maintenance problems tomorrow.

These Presidential sites are far too important to let them slowly decay. My legislation would authorize grants, administered by the National Park Service, for maintenance and improvement projects on Presidential sites that are not federally owned or managed. A portion of the funds would be set aside for sites that are in need of emergency assistance. To administer this new program, this legislation would establish a five-member committee, including the Director of the National Park Service, a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and a State historic preservation officer. This committee would make grant recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior. Each grant would require that half of the funds come from non-Federal sources. Up to $5 million would be made available annually.