John Katko: “I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank both gentlemen for their kind words about this truly unique historical…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank both gentlemen for their kind words about this truly unique historical fort in my district. Fort Ontario stood on the shores of Lake Ontario for over 260 years and now stands as a testament to the great history of central New York and the important role the region has played in our Nation's history. The Fort has been involved in nearly every major American war, from the French and Indian Wars to World War II. From 1944 to 1946, Fort Ontario served as our Nation's only emergency refugee camp, providing shelter to over 980 refugees during World War II. In recognition of the Fort's use as a refugee shelter, primarily for Jewish people fleeing Hitler's Europe, the site also hosts the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum. It is a truly unique fort in our country. Following World War II, the fort was transferred to the State of New York to house war veterans and their families until 1953. This unparalleled history would make Fort Ontario a unique asset to our National Park System. I am honored to have introduced this legislation, which takes the first steps toward ensuring Fort Ontario receives the national recognition it richly deserves. The Fort Ontario Study Act would commission a special resource study of Fort Ontario to evaluate the site's national significance and determine the suitability of its designation as a part of the National Park System.…”