Wayne Gilchrest: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2234, introduced by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor), would authorize the expansion of the…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2234, introduced by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor), would authorize the expansion of the boundary of the Tumacacori National Historical Park to include 310 acres of adjacent land. These lands were originally part of a chain of missions established by the Spanish from north-central Sonora, Mexico, to San Xavier del Bac near present-day Tucson. In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt set aside 9 acres immediately around the church and declared it a national monument. Since that time, boundaries have been changed to include other significant missions, and in 1990 the monument was declared a National Historical Park. The park's general management plan identifies the need to acquire these additional lands, which were all a part of the original mission. The expansion would allow the Park Service to replant the orchard and add a program with livestock and farming, while enhancing the development of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. The current landowners of the property are willing sellers and are supportive of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is supported by both the majority and the minority as well as the administration, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.”