**You can watch Congresswoman Kuster speak in support of her bill, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act HERE.**

Last night, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) welcomed unanimous House passage of legislation that would redesignate the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site as a National Historical Park.  Earlier this year, Congresswoman Kuster introduced H.R. 965, the Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act, which would change the name of the site to more accurately illustrate the size and complexity of the location.  The bill passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 401 - 0.

“I am excited that the House has passed this important legislation to designate the Saint-Gaudens site as a National Historical Park,” said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. “The Saint Gaudens National Historic Site is 190 acres and includes multiple buildings, a vast collection of American art, and a trail network that allows visitors to explore the Site's grounds. The designation of Saint-Gaudens as a National Historical Park will more accurately reflect its size and scope. The presence of Saint-Gaudens in Cornish plays an important role in the local economy, and the Site is a valued tourist attraction for thousands of people who visit annually.  By designating this location as a National Historical Park, it is my hope that more visitors will be encouraged to visit the Saint-Gaudens site to learn about Augustus Saint-Gaudens’s extraordinary impact on America’s artistic heritage.”

“We are thrilled to hear that H.R. 965, Representative Ann Kuster’s  bill to re-designate the Saint-Gaudens National Historic  Site as the Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, was passed today and will move on to the Senate,” said Thayer Tolles, President of the Saint-Gaudens Memorial. “This unit of the National Park Service includes 190 acres with beautiful gardens and trails and the largest collection of works by the preeminent American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.  It is also a place with an exciting array of art –related programs and activities, including summer concerts, contemporary exhibitions, sculpture workshops, interactive sculpture exhibits and, for the first time this past summer, opera.

“The designation of ‘Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park’ provides a better image to the public of what the park represents now, and to an even greater extent what the park and its partners are working to create here together for the future,” Tolles continued. “We believe the new name will attract more visitors and more excitement about what is happening in this extraordinary place.”

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