Leahy And Jeffords Offer Bill
Setting The Stage For The 400th
Anniversary
Of Lake Champlain’s Discovery
WASHINGTON
(Tuesday, Nov. 22) – Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), James Jeffords (I-Vt.),
Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) have
introduced a bill to launch the formal commemoration of the 400th
anniversary of the arrival of Samuel de Champlain into the Champlain
Valley, which will be recognized in 2009, and to celebrate the
heritage of the communities surrounding Lake Champlain. The
legislation also commemorates the voyages of Henry Hudson and Robert
Fulton on the Hudson River.
In 1609, Samuel
de Champlain entered the green valley where he arrived at the lake
that today carries his name. Lake Champlain stretches nearly 120
miles northward from Whitehall, N.Y., to the Richelieu River in
Quebec and is nestled between the dramatic peaks of New York’s
Adirondacks and Vermont’s picturesque Green Mountains. Vermonters
and others sometimes refer to Lake Champlain as the “Sixth Great
Lake,” in recognition of the geographical heritage it shares with
the other Great Lakes.
The bill
authorizes the National Park Service, with recommendations from the
governors of Vermont and New York and the Lake Champlain Basin
Program, to establish a federal commission to provide help to the
Vermont and New York state quadracentennial commissions and to local
communities and nonprofit organizations, and to develop activities
for 2009 that recognize the cultural and historical significance of
all peoples and major events in the Champlain Valley’s history.
“Lake Champlain
is the crown jewel of New England and one of Vermont’s greatest
treasures,” said Leahy. “Every year thousands of Vermonters visit
the lake and its setting. My own fond memories of Lake Champlain
including days spent fishing and boating, and one of my greatest
joys is sharing those experiences with my grandchildren. Our state
and our region will mark a major milestone in 2009, and this
legislation will help Vermont, New York and America celebrate the
rich legacy we have inherited.”
"Generations of Vermonters have cherished the Champlain valley for
its historic and economic significance,” said Jeffords. “I am
delighted to join with Senator Leahy and New York's Senators in
introducing legislation to help our two states commemorate our rich
cultural heritage, and preserve our historic resources for the
future."
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