Grace Napolitano: “I thank Ms. Norton for that great introduction. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 66, the Route 66…”

“I thank Ms. Norton for that great introduction. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 66, the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act, and I thank Mr. Davis for being so kind as to begin the sponsorship of this bill because it is something that we all share, and we are proud of it. {time} 1300 I also want to thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for their support in moving this bill quickly in this Congress. Last Congress, we put it through--we almost got it through. But here we are again, and we hope this time it will go through. Route 66 runs east to west through my whole district as Foothill Boulevard and Huntington Drive in the cities of La Verne, San Dimas, Azusa, Duarte, and Monrovia. My district's restaurants include great food, tacos, Mexican food, Asian food, and great meals. And I challenge my friend to come and visit us, so we can take him through the whole area. The shops and businesses, like so many others dotting the interstate, from the heartland to the West Coast, provide rest breaks for travelers, allowing them to sample local flavors of the communities that are proud to be connected with this iconic road. The city of Duarte, home to the fabulous City of Hope, a cancer treatment center, also celebrates Route 66 every September with a parade of classic cars, equestrian groups, marching bands, and the whole gamut. In fact, Route 66 signs have been a part of these communities for many years.…”