On September 20, a majority of members of the House of Representatives voted in favor of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act, H.R. 5987. However, the bill failed to receive the two-thirds majority necessary to pass under suspension of House rules.
H.R. 5987 establishes a Manhattan Project National Historical Park and recognizes the Manhattan Project as one of the most significant developments in the 20th century that changed the course of world history, science and society. While the bill did not pass on the House floor under suspension of House rules, the final vote of 237-180 met the test for a simple majority vote.
Chairman Doc Hastings, who has championed the legislation, vows to work towards enacting it into law before the end of this year. With impressive bipartisan and bicameral support, the Atomic Heritage Foundation is optimistic that the bill will succeed in the lame duck session.
On September 19, Congressman Kucinich (D-OH) called for a roll call rather than let the bill pass by a simple voice vote. Unfortunately, Kucinich distorted the purpose of the park, characterizing it as a “celebration” of nuclear weapons. As a unit of the national park system, the National Park Service will interpret the Manhattan Project and its legacy in all its complexity, giving voice to all sides of this contested history. It is an important that we remember and reflect upon the past.
The Atomic Heritage Foundation has been working on this for over a decade. In partnership with the National Parks Conservation Association, National Trust for Historic Preservation, local governments and historical organizations at the three major sites, we have made significant progress with preserving this history. We will continue to work hard to realize our goal of establishing a park and are hopeful that the 112th Congress will find a way to enact the legislation.