LaHood, Durbin legislation to create Abraham Lincoln Heritage Area heads to White House

[May 01, 2008]  WASHINGTON -- By a vote of 291-117 Tuesday night, the U.S. House approved legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, that would establish the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area in Illinois. LaHood represents the same 11 counties that Abraham Lincoln represented for one term in the U.S. House. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., introduced and guided the legislation in the U.S. Senate, which approved the bill on April 10. The legislation was contained in the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, a comprehensive public lands bill (S. 2739). The bill now heads to the White House for an expected signature from President Bush.

LaHood’s legislation grew out of an idea from the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, a Springfield-based group that has led efforts to create this heritage area. The legislation provides for up to $15 million in federal funds over 15 years to make grants available to assist with preservation and education on the Lincoln story at sites and communities throughout the area. The national heritage area encompasses 42 counties across the middle section of Illinois, from the Mississippi River in western Illinois east to the Indiana border.

With the national Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial taking place in 2009, interest in the 16th president is only expected to increase. Building from the success of the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, combined with the many Lincoln sites throughout Illinois, this national heritage area will allow for coordinated resources to help communities tell their own Lincoln story and increase tourism throughout the state.

"As we lead into the bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birth in 2009, I could not think of a better way to honor the Illinois legacy of Abraham Lincoln than the creation of this heritage area," said LaHood. "There are dozens of sites throughout this heritage area that have significant ties to Lincoln. This federal designation will allow for these sites to work together in such a way that will better convey to future generations the impact of Abraham Lincoln on our country and the influence that Illinois had on Lincoln."

"The National Heritage designation presents us with a great opportunity to more fully tell the Lincoln life story and his connection to so many communities across Illinois," said Hal Smith, director of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition. "It will allow them the opportunity to describe their unique relationship with Lincoln as he lived, married, raised a family and pursued his passion for the law and politics, and do so in a way that will attract many new visitors, strengthening their local economies. We are excited to help them in this endeavor." 

"I am extremely proud that I represent the very same 11 counties which Abraham Lincoln represented during his single term in Congress," LaHood added. "It is due to the hard work of people like Nicky Stratton and the Looking for Lincoln Coalition that Senator Durbin and I had the good fortune to be able to guide this legislation through Congress."

[Text from file sent on behalf of Rep. Ray LaHood, 18th Congressional District]