John Hansen: “H.R. 1635, as amended, is a bill introduced by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), my colleague. Mr. Stokes and the…”

“H.R. 1635, as amended, is a bill introduced by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), my colleague. Mr. Stokes and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) are to be congratulated on working very hard on this bill which would establish the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program within the National Park Service. This program facilitates partnerships among the Federal, State and local governments and the private sector to assist in interpreting and commemorating the network of buildings, museums and routes that portray the movement to resist slavery in the United States in the decades prior to the Civil War. H.R. 1635 does not create any new units of the National Park system and caps appropriation at 500,000 per year to staff and to coordinate this program. Commemorating the Underground Railroad Network, as H.R. 165 will do, is well-deserved and will help every American understand what the Underground Railroad was and how it helped thousands of slaves to secure their freedom and their place in history. This is a completely bipartisan measure that is also supported by the administration, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1635.”