Reps. Sanford Bishop and Austin Scott Highlight Their Bipartisan Ocmulgee Mounds Bill at House Subcommittee Hearing

PHOTO: Congressman Bishop and Congressman Scott with the Macon-Bibb Delegation at the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee Hearing on July 1

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) and Austin Scott (GA-08) testified before the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands regarding their bill, H.R. 9416, the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park Redesignation Act. H.R. 9416 continues a more than decade long, but steady and combined effort of local, state, and federal leaders to create Georgia's first National Park and more closely realize the original vision for this historic and cultural treasure which will also bring more visitors and jobs to Middle Georgia.

"As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this Saturday, it is vital that we preserve and protect our ancient history, including the stories of the indigenous peoples who lived here long before July 4, 1776," said Congressman Bishop. "Our bill today represents a small, albeit meaningful, step forward that will strengthen Ocmulgee and ensure that its cultural and religious sites are protected now and into the future."

"In Georgia's 8th Congressional District, and across the state, the Ocmulgee Mounds are a source of deep pride. Just as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone reflect the heritage of their regions, the Ocmulgee River corridor represents one of the most important cultural landscapes in the Southeast. By redesignating the Ocmulgee Mounds as a National Park, we can ensure that this extraordinary history is recognized at the national level and shared with visitors from across the country and around the world. I'm proud of the bipartisan work that has brought us to this point, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to move this legislation all the way to President Trump's desk and establish Georgia's first national park," said Congressman Scott.

WATCH: Congressman Bishop's Testimonyand Congressman Scott's Testimony

The area is the ancestral home of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and has been inhabited continuously by humans for over 12,000 years. American Indians first arrived in the area during the Paleo-Indian Period hunting Ice Age mammals. Around 900 CE, the Mississippian Period began, and Muskogean people constructed mounds for meeting, living, burial, agricultural, and other purposes, many of which remain today and would be encompassed in the new U.S. National Park and Preserve.

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