AMERICA'S NATIONAL CHURCHILL MUSEUM NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK ACT

AMERICA'S NATIONAL CHURCHILL MUSEUM NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2356-H2357] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AMERICA'S NATIONAL CHURCHILL MUSEUM NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK ACT Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1945) to designate the America's National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1945 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``America's National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) City.--The term ``City'' means the city of Fulton, Missouri. (2) College.--The term ``College'' means Westminster College, located at 501 Westminster Avenue in the City. (3) Landmark.--The term ``Landmark'' means the America's National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark designated by section 3(a). (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. (5) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Missouri. SEC. 3. AMERICA'S NATIONAL CHURCHILL MUSEUM NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. (a) Designation.--America's National Churchill Museum located at the College, including the Winston Churchill Memorial listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is designated as the ``America's National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark''. (b) Cooperative Agreements.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the State, the City, and the College, may enter into cooperative agreements with appropriate public or private entities, for the purposes of-- (A) protecting historic resources at the Landmark; and (B) providing educational and interpretive facilities and programs at the Landmark for the public. (2) Technical and financial assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical and financial assistance to any entity with which the Secretary has entered into a cooperative agreement under paragraph (1). (c) No Effect on Actions of Property Owners.--Designation of the America's National Churchill Museum as a National Historic Landmark shall not prohibit any actions that may otherwise be taken by a property owner (including the College and any other owner of the Landmark) with respect to the property of the owner. (d) No Effect on Administration.--Nothing in this section affects the administration of the Landmark by the State, the City, or the College. SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a special resource study of the Landmark. (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under this section, the Secretary shall-- (1) evaluate the national significance of the Landmark; (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the Landmark as a unit of the National Park System; (3)(A) consider alternatives to that designation for the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the Landmark by the Federal Government, the State, the City and other affected units of local government, or private and nonprofit organizations (including the College); and (B) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance associated with the alternatives described in subparagraph (A); and (4) consult with interested Federal agencies, the State, the City and other affected units of local government, private and nonprofit entities (including the College), and other interested individuals. (c) Requirement.--The Secretary shall conduct the study under this section in accordance with section 100507 of title 54, United States Code. (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made available to carry out the study under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report that describes-- (1) the results of the study; and (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. General Leave Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1945. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas? There was no objection. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1945, the America's National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Onder). This bill recognizes a place of global consequence in the heart of small-town America: America's National Churchill Museum at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. On March 6, 1946, on the heels of a devastating world war, Sir Winston [[Page H2357]] Churchill traveled to Fulton to deliver an address that foreshadowed the next stage of America's global conflict against evil. In his now- famous speech, ``Sinews of Peace,'' Churchill warned that an Iron Curtain had descended across Europe and urged a new Western alliance against the aggression of the totalitarian Soviet Union. For five decades, the museum in Fulton has conserved the speech's history and allowed the public to experience that pivotal moment. It is also home to a remarkable structure, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, a 12th century church which was transported from London to Fulton in the 1960s to commemorate Churchill's speech. Today, the entire site serves as a civic center of engagement and educational programming that brings to life the story of Winston Churchill. H.R. 1945 builds on that historic legacy. Representative Onder's bill would designate America's National Churchill Museum as a national historic landmark. In doing so, the museum would be able to enter into cooperative agreements with the National Park Service to protect historic resources and support public programming. This is a simple bill that strengthens stewardship of a unique historical site without adding to the Federal estate. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1945, the America's National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark Act, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1945 will designate America's National Churchill Museum as a national historic landmark. It would also direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine whether the museum is eligible for inclusion in the National Park System. This museum is located on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, where former Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered his famous ``Iron Curtain'' speech at the outbreak of the Cold War. It contains exhibits about Churchill, his life, and his impact, all of which play a role in our story here and in London. The museum exhibits include a continuous section of the Berlin Wall, the gymnasium where Churchill delivered the ``Iron Curtain'' speech, and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, a historic building which survived the air raids in London during World War II and was moved to Fulton in the 1960s. These are wonderful exhibits and a truly significant historical location that is worthy of national recognition. I am proud to support the designation of this museum as a historic landmark. However, I also want to mention my deep concern about how this administration is working to rewrite and whitewash history throughout the National Park System. We must provide the Park Service with the resources and autonomy it needs to preserve, protect, and share our Nation's stories, warts and all. {time} 1610 Winston Churchill himself once famously told the House of Commons, ``Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.'' We cannot learn from history if we erase history. We cannot see how far we have come if we erase the things that don't fit into the current idea of the way things should be. We can't sit idly by as this administration selectively edits our country's past. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the National Park Service in this bill and beyond, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Onder), the lead sponsor of this bill, a gentleman who cannot only pronounce the Aldermanbury Church correctly but has been to the Aldermanbury Church. Mr. ONDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of H.R. 1945, America's National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark Act. This legislation will formally recognize America's National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Missouri, as a national historic landmark, a designation long overdue and deeply deserved. Nearly 80 years ago this week, in 1946, Westminster College hosted one of the most consequential speeches of the 20th century: Winston Churchill's ``Sinews of Peace,'' better known as the Iron Curtain speech. With President Harry Truman at his side, Churchill warned the world of the division descending over Europe. Many historians marked that moment as the beginning of the Cold War. It was also a call to defend democracy, restore alliances, and uphold freedom. To honor Churchill's words and legacy, Westminster College embarked on an extraordinary project. Rather than erecting a statue or plaque, the college acquired, transported, and reconstructed a Christopher Wren-designed church from London, a building more than 900 years o

Referenced legislation: HR1945, HR1945