WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the Golden Spike 150th Anniversary Act. Introduced by Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah), the bill recognizes the historic significance of the completion of America’s first transcontinental railroad by establishing the 52ndU.S. Historical Park and designating it the, “Golden Spike National Historical Park." Utah U.S. Reps.Chris Stewart, Mia Love, &John Curtis are all original cosponsors of the bill.
From the floor of the U.S. House, Chairman Bishop stated, “This is a prominent symbol of the most significant achievement of the 19thCentury. And it is, for transportation, as significant as landing a man on the moon would be for the 20thCentury. The ability of having the rail system there meant that some of my ancestors that had to walk every step across the plains taking months to get to Utah; could now do it in seven days."
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Following Bishop’s remarks, U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) offered his own remarks in support of the bill.
Background:
Chairman Bishop issued the following statement after the introduction of the bill earlier this month: “The Golden Spike 150thAnniversary Act further acknowledges Utah's Promontory Summit as a place that changed the world. This new Park will not only preserve the history made on that spring day in 1869, but also the herculean efforts which led to the driving of the spike and the new course of history that followed."
The bill also creates the Transcontinental Railroad Network. The Network will include sites related to the history, construction, and legacy of the Transcontinental Railroad and will be similar in makeup to theUnderground Railroad Network to Freedom and theAfrican American Civil Rights Network.
