{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=323E853F-D185-480F-94AB-A87BACB356F3", "Warner, Kaine, Wittman Applaud Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Protect the Northern Neck, Generate Economic Activity", "2022-12-22", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "VA", "Mark R. Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", "warner", "https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) applauded passage of their legislation to preserve invaluable local resources and help generate economic activity in the Northern Neck. By officially designating the region as a National Heritage Area (NHA), the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Act will deliver critical federal dollars, encourage public-private partnerships, and assign a specific entity \u2013 the Northern Neck Tourism Commission \u2013 to help protect the Northern Neck\u2019s natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources. After unanimously passing the Senate, the House voted today to approve the bill, which now heads to President Biden for his signature.\n\nNPS defines National Heritage Areas as congressionally designated places where \u201cnatural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape.\u201d Through their resources, NHAs communicate \u201cnationally important stories\u201d that celebrate the nation\u2019s diverse heritage. Under this legislation, the NHA designation would apply to the land between the Potomac River and Rappahannock River, spanning King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties.\n\n\u201cThe Northern Neck is a national treasure, and a source of immense pride, history and economic development for the Commonwealth,\u201d said Sens. Warner and Kaine and Rep. Wittman. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to have worked together on this successful bipartisan effort to highlight the natural beauty of the Northern Neck and leverage federal dollars to spur long-lasting economic opportunity in the region.\u201d\n\nThe legislation follows the completion of the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Feasibility Study, which concluded that the Northern Neck\u2019s themes, local traditions, and natural and historic resources retain \u201csufficient integrity and opportunities for public engagement\u201d to be eligible for an NHA designation.\n\nThis legislation would also make federal funding available to the region and empower the Northern Neck Tourism Commission to carry out an area management plan by:\n\nProtecting and restoring relevant historic sites and buildings;\n\nCarrying out programs and projects that recognize, protect, and enhance important resources;\n\nDeveloping recreational and educational opportunities in the area;\n\nEstablishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits and programs;\n\nPromoting a wide range of partnerships among the federal government, state, tribal and local governments, organizations, and individuals;\n\nIncreasing public awareness and appreciation for natural, historical, scenic, and cultural resources in the area; and\n\nEnsuring that clear, consistent, and appropriate signs identifying points of public access and sires of interest are posted throughout the area.\n\n\u201cThe Northern Neck has been working together for over 20 years in pursuit of the National Heritage Area Designation. With designation, the Northern Neck Region will have a greater voice in sharing its stories which contribute to understanding the early origins of our nation. The National Heritage Area Designation recognizes the region for the special place it is, historically, culturally, and for its natural resources. It aligns with the region's tourism strategy as an important economic development driver in this rural area,\u201d said Jerry W. Davis, AICP, Executive Director of the Northern Neck Planning District Commission.\n\nSen. Warner, Sen. Kaine, and Rep. Wittman have long advocated for the designation of the Northern Neck as a National Heritage Area. The lawmakers previously penned a letter pressing for an update from the National Park Service on the area\u2019s feasibility study following apparent delays in its release.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"]], "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.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=323E853F-D185-480F-94AB-A87BACB356F3"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4792440924793482, "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"}