Bill Keating: “This amendment would direct the Army Corps to expedite and complete dredging in Plymouth Harbor in time for the 400th…”

“This amendment would direct the Army Corps to expedite and complete dredging in Plymouth Harbor in time for the 400th anniversary celebration of the Mayflower landing in Plymouth and Provincetown, Massachusetts. This is a huge international event that will attract people from all over the world, particularly from Britain--including Plymouth, England--and it is going to be a significant revenue producer for our Commonwealth but also for our country. The 2020 anniversary is a proud milestone for our country as we commemorate the 400th anniversary of the successful settlement of Plymouth by the Pilgrims; the essential contributions of the Aquinnah and Mashpee Wampanoag tribes; and the number of key events that followed, including the signing of the Mayflower Compact, the 50-year Plymouth Pilgrim-Wampanoag peace treaty, and of course, the first Thanksgiving. For my entire time in Congress, I have worked closely with my constituents to prepare for this Plymouth 400 event. The Plymouth Harbor dredging project has always been a cornerstone to these preparations. A centerpiece of the anniversary will be the return of the fully restored Mayflower Two, a full-scale replica of the original ship that brought the Pilgrims to Cape Cod in 1620. However, the Mayflower Two cannot return to her home in Plymouth Harbor unless much-needed dredging is completed by that time. Further, we anticipate a maritime salute to mark the return of the Mayflower Two as part of the commemoration.…”