Bipartisan Natural Resources Management Act Would Help Communities Across U.S.
'Today, the Senate officially turned to the Natural Resources Management Act. It’s a broad, bipartisan package of 100-plus distinct land bills with importance to nearly every member of this body. I’m certainly one of them. This comprehensive legislation includes two initiatives I introduced with my House colleagues Andy Barr and Hal Rogers. They will incorporate two Civil War sites in Kentucky as part of the National Parks System: Camp Nelson and Mill Springs Battlefield.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the Natural Resources Management Act:
“Today, the Senate officially turned to the Natural Resources Management Act. It’s a broad, bipartisan package of 100-plus distinct land bills with importance to nearly every member of this body. I’m certainly one of them. This comprehensive legislation includes two initiatives I introduced with my House colleagues Andy Barr and Hal Rogers. They will incorporate two Civil War sites in Kentucky as part of the National Parks System: Camp Nelson and Mill Springs Battlefield.
“By designating these two sites as national monuments, we will ensure that their rich history will be preserved for the education and service of future generations. Camp Nelson was established in 1863 in Jessamine County. It would become arguably Kentucky’s top recruiting station and training facility for the Union’s African-American soldiers. In later years, those seeking freedom from slavery fled to the camp. This historic site helped expedite the destruction of slavery in Kentucky.
“My other proposal would protect Mill Springs Battlefield, the site of an 1862 battle that historians remember as the Union’s first significant victory in the West and one of its earliest major victories in the whole War. Now, preserving these sites aren’t the only ways Kentucky will benefit from this sweeping lands package. The bill will help historically black colleges and universities like Kentucky State University preserve their distinguished contributions to our communities.
“It extends the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail into Kentucky. And it bolsters our critical efforts to combat invasive species like the dangerous Asian Carp that clog up Western Kentucky waterways. These are just the examples in my home state. Across the whole country, communities will benefit from more flexibility for economic development, more commonsense approaches to conservation, and more access to our country’s federal lands.
“It’s no wonder that nearly 300 expert groups and advocacy organizations publicly support the contents of this bill, from economic development organizations to natural resources nonprofits to cultural organizations and prominent historians. Chairman Murkowski and all our colleagues on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee deserve credit for getting us to this point. Senators Gardner and Daines have been particularly effective advocates for this legislation. I look forward to passing it soon.”
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