There being no objection, the Clerk read the bill, as follows:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in order to preserve in public ownership historically significant properties associated with the life of Theodore Roosevelt, the Secretary of the Interior may acquire, by donation from the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the sites and structures known as the Theodore Roosevelt House situated at Twenty-eight and Twenty-six East Twentieth Street, New York City, consisting of approximately one and one-tenth acres, and Sagamore Hill, consisting of not to exceed ninety acres, and the improvements thereon, together with the furnishings and other contents of the structures.

Sec. 2. (a) In accordance with the Act entitled "An Act to create a National Park Trust Fund Board, and for other purposes" approved July 10, 1936 (49 Stat. 477), as amended, the National Park Trust Fund Board may accept from the Theodore Roosevelt Association $500,000 and such additional amounts as the association may tender from the endowment fund under Its control, which funds, when accepted, &hall be utilized only for the purposes of the historic sites established pursuant to this Act.

(b)Nothing in this Act shall limit the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under other provisions of law to accept In the name of the United States donations of property.

Sec. 3. When lands, interests in lands, improvements, and other properties comprising the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill, as authorized for acquisition by section 1 of this Act, and a portion of the endowment fund In the amount of $500,000 have been transferred to the United States, the Secretary of the Interior shall establish the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites by publication of notice thereof in the Federal Register.

Sec. 4. The Secretary of the Interior shall administer, protect, and develop the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites in accordance with the provisions of the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; AO U.S.C. 1 and the following), as amended and supplemented.

Sec. 5. The executive committee of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, having by Its patriotic and active Interest preserved for posterity these important historical sites, buildings, and objects, shall, upon establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites, serve in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of the Interior in matters relating to their preservation.

Sec. 6. There are authorized to be appropriated such as are necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act.

With the following committee amendments:

Page 1, lines 9 and 10, strike out the words "one and one-tenth acres," and insert in lieu thereof "eleven one-hundredths of an acre,"

Page 2, line 1, strike out the word "acres," and insert in lieu thereof "acres at Cove Neck, Oyster Bay, Long Island,".

Page 2, line 9, before the words "the endowment" insert "time to time from".

Page 3, line 6, Strike out all of section 5 and Insert in lieu thereof the following:

"Sec. 5. The Theodore Roosevelt Association, having by its patriotic and active interest preserved for posterity these important historic sites, buildings, and objects shall, upon establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites be consulted by the Secretary of the Interior in the establishment of an advisory committee or committees for matters relating to the preservation, development, and management of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites.

Page 3, line 13, strike out all of section and insert in lieu thereof the following:

"Sec. 6. The Act entitled 'An Act to in corporate the Roosevelt Memorial Association' approved on May 31, 1920 (41 Stat 691) as amended by the Act approved on May 21, 1953 (67 Stat. 27), which changed the name of such corporation to the Theodore Roosevelt Association, and by the Act approved on March 29, 1956 (70 Stat. 60), which permitted such corporation to consolidate with Women's Theodore Roosevelt Association, Inc., is hereby further amended by adding to Section 3 thereof a new subdivision as follows:

"'(4) The donation of real and personal property, Including part or all of its endowment fund, to a public agency or public agencies for the purpose of preserving in public ownership historically significant

properties associated with the life of Theodore Roosevelt.'

and by deleting the word 'and, at the end of subdivision (2) of section S."

The committee amendments were agreed to.

The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

GENERAL LEAVE TO EXTEND

Mr. ASPINALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members desiring to do so may extend their remarks on the bill just passed at this point in the RECORD.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Colorado?

There was no objection.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, the merits of this bill are so clear that I shall not speak for more than a few minutes. A month or 6 weeks ago, I went with four of my colleagues on the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee to visit Theodore Roosevelt's birthplace on East 20th Street in New York City and his home at Sagamore Hill, long Island. We were impressed, first, with the kindness and hospitality with which we were received by such distinguished citizens as Mrs. Richard Derby, youngest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt; Mr. Oscar S. Straus, grandson of his Secretary of the Navy; and Mrs. Reginald P. Rose, chairman of the Sagamore Hill Committee.

We were impressed, secondly, with the magnificent job that the Theodore Roosevelt Association has done over the years not only in maintaining and preserving Sagamore Hill and its invaluable contents-Theodore Roosevelt's furniture, his trophies, his books, his pictures-but also in rebuilding his birthplace and filling it and the adjoining home of his Uncle Robert with mementos of his life. And we were impressed, in the third place, with the rare opportunity which the offer of the Theodore Roosevelt Association to donate these properties and a fund of $500,000 or more to the American Government presents. Like the chairman of our full committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, I say that this bill deserves to pass by a unanimous vote of the House.

In so saying, however, I realize that some Members of the House will be wondering what the cost of upkeep will be.

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The estimate given us by the National Park Service experts is that it may run, at current prices, to $95,000 a year. In addition, about $325,000-a somewhat more generous estimate than others have made-may be needed for certain developments at Sagamore Hill-reconstruction and restoration of outbuildings, provision for the accommodation of visitors, and the establishment of nature trails on some of the 85 acres on which the home stands. I may ask, parenthetically, what better way of marking Theodore Roosevelt's love of the outdoors there could be than this.

Even if all this cost had to be borne by the Treasury, it would be a small price to pay in tribute to a great American. But, as I have already said, the Theodore Roosevelt Association has offered to donate a fund of more than $500,000 to the Government along with the buildings, furnishings and land. This fund and the income which will be derived from visitors' fees, if they are charged, will go a long way toward meeting these costs.

The bill contains no new or unusual features that require discussion. The Committee amendments were all suggested or concurred in by officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association and by officials of the National Park Service. I may, however, call particular attention to the amendment to Section 5 of the bill which provides that the Secretary of the Interior shall consult with the Theodore Roosevelt Association in establishing an advisory committee to work with him in preserving, developing, and managing the two Theodore Roosevelt historic sites. I think that such a committee will serve a useful purpose and will assure the continued interest and support of those who, up to now, have contributed so generously to preserving his memory and his possessions.

There is no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that Theodore Roosevelt is one of the great Presidents of the United States. His life as an author, a statesman, a soldier, a conservationist-all these are made clear at Sagamore Hill and at his birthplace. I treasure the memory of my visit to those places. I want others, now and in the future, to have the same opportunity and the same pleasure that I had. They will be better Americans for it.

I, therefore, recommend that the House pass the bill, as amended.

Mr. ASPINALL. Mr. Speaker, among the many great men who have occupied the Presidential chair from the beginning of the Republic until the present, there are few who could match, and none that I can think of during the 20th century who could excel, Theodore Roosevelt in versatility, in range of interest, and in forcefulness of leadership. He is clearly the outstanding President of the long years between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of World War I. The whole country is indebted to him, and we from the West especially so.

I am, for this reason, especially glad to commend to the House the enactment of H.R. 8484 by our colleague, the gentleman from Texas, Congressman RUTHERFORD, and to note that its companions are H.R. 8486 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Congressman SAYLOR, H.R. 8487 by the gentleman from Colorado, Congressman CHENOWETH, House Joint Resolution 539 by the gentleman from New York, Congressman LINDSAY, and my own H.R. 8485.

Sagamore Hill on Long Island is a place name familiar to all of us. It was Theodore Roosevelt's home from 1884 until his death in 1919. It is now owned by the Theodore Roosevelt Association. The association believes, and I thoroughly agree, that it deserves to be taken into public ownership and to be preserved in perpetuity as a national historic site. Sagamore Hill itself, the Theodore Roosevelt birthplace in New York City, and a substantial endowment fund are all being offered as gifts to the American people. If H.R. 8484 will authorize acceptance of these gifts and the maintenance of the two homes for the benefit and inspiration of the public by the National Park Service.

I know that many Members on both sides of the aisle will want the opportunity to pay tribute, even if it is the presentation of just a few remarks to the memory of Theodore Roosevelt. The permission I have just obtained will permit them to do so. For myself, I say only that this is a good bill-a bill which I am pleased has had the unanimous support of the House.

Source: Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 87th Congress, 2nd Session. Congressional Record, Volume 108, Part 4, Page 5525-5526.