Sam Gibbons: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1446, as amended, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement with…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1446, as amended, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement with the California Missions Foundation to support their effort to resolve and repair the California missions and to preserve the artworks and artifacts associated with the California missions. Currently, the 21 California missions of the El Camino Real, or Royal Highway, have had to rely on nominal entrance fees, sales from gift shops, donations and special events to cover their operating expenses. Unfortunately, these sources of income have not been enough to keep up with the increasing structural needs of these aging missions that date back to 1769, when Fray Junipero Serra founded Alta, California, the first Spanish mission in California. Today, over 5 million people annually visit the mission system, and it is obvious to many that outside financial help is needed. The California Missions Foundation, a charitable corporation established in California in 1998, is dedicated to raising funds for the ongoing preservation, restoration and maintenance needs of the California missions to ensure that their historical legacy is kept alive for future generations.”