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Monday, the House voted on HR 189, which establishes the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, in the city of Paterson, New Jersey. Normally this wouldn’t raise many eyebrows, but the manner this legislation was forced through is just too much to overlook. In 2006 the National Park Service (NPS) stated in a survey that “the Great Falls Historic District meets the criterion for national significance, but does not meet criteria for suitability, feasibility, or need for NPS management.” Despite the objections of the NPS it was pushed through the Committee on Natural Resources. Not only does it defy the NPS recommendations and place 109 acres under federal control, but it assures that millions of taxpayer funds will be funneled into this region of New Jersey. How could something so blatantly counterproductive be forced onto the floor you ask? … John Lawrence, Chief of Staff for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Paterson, NJ native. Mr. Lawrence sat in during the Committee hearings regarding H.R. 189, he also was recognized by Chairman Rahall, saying “there is another distinguished visitor present who happens to be the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. John Lawrence, who must call this his hometown, I believe, and has been back there nodding very strongly ‘yes’ to everything that the gentleman from New Jersey has been saying.” All the while, the majority leaders wonder why their approval rating is so low.
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