{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=DF9CC360-EED4-471E-A3C7-012B3A23C874", "Austin Scott, Bishop, Ossoff, and Warnock Applaud Progress on Ocmulgee Mounds Initiative in U.S. House & Senate", "2024-11-19", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", "austinscott", "https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing where they reviewed the bipartisan H.R. 8182, the Ocmulgee Mounds Park and Preserve Establishment Act, which is co-led by U.S. Representatives Austin Scott (GA-08) and Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02).\n\nThis bipartisan legislation would establish Ocmulgee Mounds and surrounding areas in Middle Georgia as the state's first National Park and Preserve.\n\n\"This hearing was further progress in making history by establishing Georgia's first National Park and Preserve,\" Rep. Scott said. \"I appreciate the Federal Lands Subcommittee listening to Middle Georgians about this greatly supported effort to preserve the Ocmulgee Mounds and surrounding areas for generations to come.\"\n\n\u201cThis is another step forward towards realizing a longstanding dream that has broad, bipartisan support \u2013 not only in Middle Georgia, but throughout the state,\u201d said Rep. Bishop. \u201cNot only will this historically create Georgia\u2019s first National Park and Preserve, but it will also raise the profile of Ocmulgee Mounds, bolster the local economy, and welcome more Georgians and Americans to enjoy its rich cultural and natural beauty.\u201d\n\nTestimony was delivered by Seth C. Clark, the Macon-Bibb County Mayor Pro Tempore and Executive Director of the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative.\n\n\"Congress\u2019s actions today reiterate what we\u2019ve always known: that the cultural and ecological gems of middle Georgia are some of the most nationally significant sites in the United States of America and are worthy of the designation we\u2019ve sought for 90 years. We\u2019re grateful for continued bipartisanship the Georgia delegation has shown throughout the legislative process and stand ready to work with the multitude of stakeholders to shepherd in Georgia\u2019s first National Park and Preserve,\" said Seth Clark and Tracie Revis of the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative.\n\nThe bipartisan support for the House bill indicates that it will have a favorable path forward in Congress.\n\nAlso today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources voted to approve the Senate companion of the Ocmulgee Mounds Park and Preserve Establishment Act.\n\n\u201cThis is historic and unprecedented progress toward establishing Georgia\u2019s first National Park, but more work remains ahead,\u201d?Senator?Ossoff said. \u201cI'm grateful to Congressman Scott, Congressman Bishop, and Senator Warnock for their partnership, as well the extraordinary efforts of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Macon-Bibb County Mayor Pro Tem Seth Clark, and local leaders for their years of hard work, advocacy, and leadership.\u201d\n\n\u201cOcmulgee Mounds is a living testament to our intertwined histories and a source of economic and cultural vitality; I\u2019m proud to see this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish Ocmulgee Mounds as Georgia\u2019s first National Park and Preserve taking one more step toward becoming law,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI want to thank Congressmen Scott and Bishop for their yearslong efforts on this in the U.S. House, as well as Senator Ossoff for his leadership. Working together, we are proving what is possible when we put politics aside and center the people of Georgia.\u201d\n\nThe House and Senate bills continue to have broad support from the Middle Georgia community and welcomed today\u2019s bicameral progress to support the Ocmulgee Mounds initiative.\n\n\u201cThe impact of this bipartisan and bicameral bill to create Georgia\u2019s first national park and preserve will allow our ancestral Muscogee descendants to help tell the story of our homelands. We know the importance of these cultural lands and are excited to partner with Middle Georgians to help reconcile our lands and our stories. I am always humbled to be back in the lands of our people and know that we are still here today carrying on our Muscogee ways,\" said Muscogee (Creek) Principal Chief David Hill.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to see Congress making progress on protecting the encroachment zone of Robins Air Force Base by moving the bipartisan and bicameral Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Act forward. It is the right step forward for middle Georgia and I look forward to Congress sending this legislation to the President\u2019s desk before the end of the year,\" said Ret. Brigadier General John C. Kubinec, CEO of the 21st Century Partnership and former Commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex at Robins Air Force Base.\n\nThe full text of the H.R. 8182 can be found here.\n\nWatch Rep. Scott and Bishop\u2019s testimonies here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T20:01:11Z", "2026-06-27T22:32:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=DF9CC360-EED4-471E-A3C7-012B3A23C874"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7005860097706318, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}