Grace Napolitano: “H.R. 1521, sponsored by our colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), would expand the boundaries of the…”

“H.R. 1521, sponsored by our colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), would expand the boundaries of the Johnstown Flood National Memorial. There are several private property owners interested in selling their land for inclusion within the memorial, and this legislation is needed to facilitate these acquisitions. On the afternoon of May 31, 1889, after several days of torrential rains, the South Fork Dam on Lake Conemaugh in southwest Pennsylvania failed, sending 20 million tons of water into Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The resulting flood killed more than 2,200 people, making it one of the worst natural disasters in American history. The Johnstown Flood Memorial is a powerful tribute to the lives lost during this tragedy, and the parcels which would be added under H.R. 1521 would be important additions to the memorial. I expressly want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) for his diligence in moving this legislation through the House, and I urge all our House colleagues to support H.R. 1521.”