Jon L. Christensen: “Mr. Speaker, a study authorized by the 103rd Congress found that the El Camino Real de los Tejas was eligible for…”

“Mr. Speaker, a study authorized by the 103rd Congress found that the El Camino Real de los Tejas was eligible for designation as a National Historic Trail under criteria established by the National Trails System Act, H.R. 1628, which will officially add this new route to our National Trails System. The trail would be comprised of several different and overlapping routes totaling more than 2,500 miles. Beginning on the U.S.-Mexican border between the Texas cities of Eagle Pass and Laredo, the trail would run across Texas through cities including San Antonio and Austin, and end in the town of Natchitoches, Louisiana. These routes were established around 1860 during the Spanish colonial period and remained in use through the early 1880s. During that time, these trails played a significant role in the settlement and economic development of the Texas frontier during the Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American periods. This legislation makes clear that the trail may only be established with the consent of any affected private landowners, and mandates that any land acquisition for trail purposes may be from willing sellers only. We commend our colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), and are pleased to support him for his hard work on this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1628.”