{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://higgins.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/senator-gillibrand-congressman-higgins-announce-congress-passes-measure", "SENATOR GILLIBRAND & CONGRESSMAN HIGGINS ANNOUNCE CONGRESS PASSES MEASURE REAUTHORIZING ERIE CANALWAY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Brian Higgins", "H001038", "higgins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced that Congress has approved reauthorization of the Erie Canal as a National Heritage Corridor.\u00a0Through this legislation, the federal designation, which was set to expire in 2015, will be renewed through 2021. The bill passed the House of Representatives on December 4th and passed the Senate on December 12th.\u00a0\n\u201cThe Canalway Corridor is one of New York and the nation\u2019s great treasures,\u201d said Senator Gillibrand. \u201cThe reauthorization of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor will help the region's tourism industry continue to grow as visitors from all over come to learn about our state\u2019s great history.\u201d\n\u201cProximity to the Erie Canal is uniquely ours and holding this piece of history provides great opportunities for the communities that share this national treasure,\u201d said Congressman Higgins. \u201cRenewal of the federal commitment to promote and preserve the Erie Canalway provides great economic returns and reaffirms the significance of this unique asset.\u201d\nThe measure, included the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, was introduced by Senator Gillibrand, Congressman Higgins, and Congressman Chris Gibson earlier this year as the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Act (HR 4641).\u00a0\nThe Erie Canal was designated a National Heritage Corridor by Congress in 2000.\u00a0Under this designation, a federally appointed Canalway Commission, in conjunction with the National Park Service and U.S. Department of Interior, is tasked with promoting the Corridor as a tourism destination and ensuring that the historical and natural features of the Canal and its communities are preserved.\u00a0\nFirst opened 189 years ago, the Erie Canal was quickly recognized as a defining public works and civil engineering achievement.\u00a0By connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, the canal facilitated the movement of people and goods in a way that had previously been restricted by the difficult conditions of overland routes.\nToday the Erie Canal continues its role as an economic driver, supporting the transport of close to 100,000 tons of cargo and serving as one of New York\u2019s largest tourism magnets, providing recreational opportunities, events, and telling the story of the Canal\u2019s role in the Underground Railroad.\u00a0\nThe Corridor covers 4,834 square miles across 23 counties, extending from Tonawanda to Whitehall at the bottom of Lake Champlain, and includes Buffalo, Rochester and the Finger Lakes, Oswego, Syracuse, Albany, Saratoga National Historic Park, and Glens Falls. For more information about what there is to see and do along the Erie Canal, visit www.eriecanalway.org.", 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": ["http://higgins.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/senator-gillibrand-congressman-higgins-announce-congress-passes-measure"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8305310513824224, "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"}