NPCA submitted the following positions to members of the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands ahead of a hearing scheduled for September 16, 2026.
H.R. 1031 - Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act: NPCA supports the establishment of a national park unit at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York. In August of 1944, 982 refugees from Europe arrived in Oswego as guests of President Roosevelt, where they stayed until February of 1946. Fort Ontario was the only shelter of its kind in the United States and the buildings where those families lived are still standing. The Park Service completed a special resource study in 2024 and found the site nationally significant. That SRS also noted that there is no site in the national park system that tells the story of how this country answered the refugee crisis during World War II. This bill fills that gap, and it does so in partnership with New York State Parks, the Safe Haven Museum and Education Center, and the City of Oswego.
H.R. 2323 - Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act: NPCA supports this legislation which would adjust the boundary of Big Bend National Park to include the Terlingua Creek property and bring a rare new water source and sensitive cultural resources ranging from prehistoric fossils to historic runs under the protection of the National Park Service. Big Bend National Park is a treasured destination for Texans and visitors from all over the world, preserving breathtaking landscapes rich in desert wildlife and thousands of years of history. The soaring vistas, epic hikes and some of the darkest skies in the world bring more than a half a million visitors annually. This addition will enhance the protection of the park, bring inholdings into the boundaries and will not increase park management costs. In addition to moving this bill, we encourage the committee to take all measures possible to halt border infrastructure construction in Big Bend and the surrounding region.
H.R. 9148 - Scipio Jones House Assessment Act: NPCA supports this legislation, which is as an important step toward evaluating and preserving a site associated with one of Arkansas’s most consequential African American attorneys and civil rights advocates. Scipio Jones’ defense of the Elaine Twelve and the resulting U.S. Supreme Court decision represents a significant chapter in the history of civil rights, the rule of law and equal protection under the law. The Scipio Jones House also offers an important opportunity to connect local history to the broader national story of the struggle for civil rights and equal justice. Assessing the site for potential inclusion in the National Park System could help ensure that Jones’ legacy and the significance of his legal work are preserved and interpreted for future generations, while complementing the National Park Service’s efforts to tell a more complete story of African American history and the ongoing pursuit of equal protection under the law.
