1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,120 Thank you very much. I am so pleased to have HR 5497, the Apostle Islands National Park and 2 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:13,920 Preserve Act, to be designated as Wisconsin's first national park. As you said, Mr. Chairman, 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:19,280 the crown jewel of Wisconsin, and that is how we view it. You take a look at a good map of 4 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:24,720 Wisconsin, and there are the islands scattered on the very top of the state. It truly is the 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:30,880 crowning jewel of our great state of Wisconsin, and there is no place in America like the Apostle 6 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:36,320 Islands. This area contains a collection of underwater shipwrecks and what the National Park 7 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:43,040 Service calls the largest and finest collection of lighthouses in the country. 10 historic lighthouses 8 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:50,160 of the Apostle Islands range from approximately 110 to 170 years old and offer important glimpses 9 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:55,120 into the maritime history of the Great Lakes region. In the summer months, locals and tourists 10 00:00:55,120 --> 00:01:00,400 enjoy hiking, power boating, sailing, kayaking. You can see right behind you, Mr. Chairman. 11 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:08,320 Sandy beaches, and you discover the solitude and remoteness of the areas many islands as families 12 00:01:08,320 --> 00:01:15,120 picnic on those pristine waters. In the winter, when Lake Superior freezes over, the Apostle 13 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:20,720 Islands are transformed into dramatic ice caves that are accessible to hikers as you can see 14 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:26,480 behind me. These stunning and unique ice formations are considered a bucket list destination and 15 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:32,560 offer world-class recreation opportunities. Many of my colleagues on this committee have national 16 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:38,400 parks in their district and understand how much of an asset they can be to their states. While 17 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:44,480 our neighboring states such as Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, all enjoy national parks, Wisconsin does 18 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:51,200 not yet have one. And the iconic features of these unique islands deserve this long overdue 19 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:56,480 recognition. My legislation is very straightforward. It would simply re-designate the majority of 20 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:02,400 the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore into the Apostle Islands National Park. My bill also maintains 21 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:07,920 the heritage of hunting within the Apostle Islands by designating Sand Island, a popular hunting 22 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:14,640 destination as the Sand Island National Preserve. Protecting hunting access is paramount to me, 23 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:19,600 and this follows the model of the recently elevated New River Gorge National Park. 24 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,320 Importantly, the legislation affirms all treaty rights and tribal sovereignty stating 25 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,760 nothing in this act shall be construed as affecting any rights granted reserved or established 26 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:37,040 pursuant to treaty, statute, or executive order pertaining to any tribe, including, but not limited 27 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:42,400 to rights to hunt, trap, fish, and gather on lands included within the boundary of Apostle 28 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:47,920 Islands National Park and preserve or any other rights asserted by any tribe. I would also like 29 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:53,200 to note that tribal members were the first to receive any drafts of this bill, and it is from 30 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,240 consulting with them and receiving their input that we have included that language I just cited. 31 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,760 Further, my legislation directs the National Park Service to enhance interpretive displays 32 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:08,720 within the Apostle Islands to include more information about the area's rich fur trade, 33 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:15,120 logging, fishing industries, as well as also honor the Ojibwe tribes, the original inhabitants 34 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:21,600 of the Apostle Islands who have called the area home for centuries. This legislation reflects an 35 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:26,880 effort that has been decades in the making. In 1930, nearly a century ago, Congress first 36 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:32,640 authorized a study to designate the Apostle Islands as a National Park. Roughly 40 years later, 37 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:37,600 President John F. Kennedy described the islands as part of our American heritage, 38 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:44,560 and the area was designated as a National Lakeshore, an effort spearheaded by the father of Earth Day, 39 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:52,560 Senator Gaylord Nelson. This legislation first received a hearing in the federal land subcommittee 40 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:58,800 last Congress and was submitted for two rounds of technical assistance with the Biden administration, 41 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:04,640 whose feedback was implemented into this Congress' version. It subsequently was submitted for a 42 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:11,760 third round of technical assistance from the Trump administration. Now, by elevating the 43 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:17,360 Apostle Islands from a National Lakeshore to a National Park, we can ensure that thousands more 44 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:23,920 are able to visit this area. This will be a win for the people in my state and the country at large 45 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:30,320 as more people get to enjoy the crown jewels of Wisconsin. You can see the beauty of the 46 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,040 islands in the pictures behind me, but for those who haven't had the chance to experience this 47 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:42,480 beauty up close, I would like to extend my invitation to you to visit us in Northern Wisconsin, 48 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:48,880 especially right now. Beautiful winter. It is my hope that many more will be able to experience 49 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:55,360 this hidden gem once the Apostle Islands are designated as Wisconsin's first National Park.