{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=4f4e5a03-1fd7-4305-a187-171ec442ccdb", "CONGRESS SENDS NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY CONVEYANCE BILL TO PRESIDENT", "2013-09-10", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), along with Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), today reported final congressional approval of legislation authorizing the transfer of surplus land within the Natchez Trace Parkway to the City of Natchez for public recreation purposes.\r\nThe House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 419-1 to overwhelmingly approve the Natchez Trace Parkway Conveyance Act of 2013 (S.304), legislation introduced by Cochran and cosponsored by Wicker.\u00a0 Harper was instrumental in moving the bill through the House of Representatives.\u00a0 The measure will now be sent to the White House for the President\u2019s consideration.\r\n\u201cThe willingness of the National Park Service to give up surplus property created an opportunity for the Natchez and Adams County residents to use these parcels, which are not integral to the Natchez Trace Parkway, for recreational and public uses,\u201d said Cochran.\u00a0 \u201cI appreciate Senator Wicker and Congressman Harper\u2019s work to move this bill through the legislative process.\u00a0 I look forward to it being enacted.\u201d\r\n\u201cI am pleased to see that Congress has enacted this common sense transfer of Park Service land to the city of Natchez and the state,\u201d said Wicker.\u00a0 \u201cPeople in Natchez and those who visit will greatly benefit from additional parks and recreational areas. I am proud to have worked with Senator Cochran and Congressman Harper in achieving this goal.\u201d\r\n\u201cWith the passage of this legislation, the City of Natchez and its residents are one step closer to converting this unused land to recreation space. I\u2019m pleased to support Senator Cochran\u2019s efforts in bringing this matter to a successful conclusion,\u201d Harper said.\r\nSupported by the National Park Service (NPS), S.304 authorizes the transfer of approximately 67 acres of surplus NPS property to the State of Mississippi and City of Natchez.\u00a0 The City would be given title to 37 acres adjacent to Natchez High School, known as the \u201cbean field,\u201d for recreational purposes.\u00a0 The state would hold title to the remaining 30 acres.\r\nThe legislation, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent in June, also adjusts parkway boundaries to include approximately ten acres of NPS-owned land along Liberty Drive to State Highway 61/84.\u00a0 This adjustment was requested by the National Park Service.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=4f4e5a03-1fd7-4305-a187-171ec442ccdb"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2389188632369041, "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"}