The United States House of Representatives passed the Golden Spike 150thAnniversary Act (H. R. 5751).
The bill recognizes the historic significance of the completion of America’s first transcontinental railroad by establishing the 52nd U.S. Historical Park and designating it the, “Golden Spike National Historical Park.” Reps. Chris Stewart, Mia Love, & John Curtis are all original cosponsors of this bill.
From the floor of the U.S. House, Rep Bishop said, “This is a prominent symbol of the most significant achievement of the 19th Century. And it is, for transportation, as significant as landing a man on the moon would be for the 20th Century. 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.”
Following Rep. Bishop’s remarks from the House floor, Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD) offered his own remarks in support of the Golden Spike 150th Anniversary Act. VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE
BACKGROUND: Rep. Bishop said this on the day the bill was introduced: “The Golden Spike 150th Anniversary 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 Act 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 the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and the African American Civil Rights Network.
