Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5668; text: CR S5669)
Passed one chamber, waiting for the other to take it up
Passed one chamber, and the other has not yet sent it to a committee or put it on its calendar.
The other chamber will hand it to a committee, place it on its calendar, or leave it where it is. Nothing has been decided, and a bill can sit here indefinitely.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed Senate unanimous consent
- Awaiting House
The Senate by unanimous consent (no one objected, so there was no vote): no senator's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
This bill creates the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park in New York as a new unit of the National Park System. The purpose of the park is to preserve, protect, and interpret resources connected to the 982 World War II refugees who stayed at Fort Ontario from August 1944 to February 1946. The Secretary of the Interior will manage the park once enough land is acquired to make a manageable park unit. The bill also allows the Secretary to acquire land through donation, purchase, or exchange, with certain rules for state-owned land. Finally, a general management plan must be completed within three fiscal years after funds are made available.
Yes
- Scored +4
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The park honors the history of refugees seeking safety in the United States.
- Scored +3
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
The bill preserves the history of Holocaust refugees, which relates to the historical struggle for racial and religious equity.
- Scored +2
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The establishment of a national historical park provides a framework for protecting the historical and cultural landscape.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Section 3(a)(2): This provision preserves and interprets the stories of the 982 refugees housed at Fort Ontario, which benefits the public by educating present and future generations about this historical event.
-
Section 3(b)(2): This section allows the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with the State and other public or private entities to provide interpretive and educational services, helping visitors learn more about the park.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not contain any explicit negative impacts or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would immigrants be better off under this? — The park honors the history of refugees seeking safety in the United States.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill preserves the history of Holocaust refugees, which relates to the historical struggle for racial and religious equity.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The establishment of a national historical park provides a framework for protecting the historical and cultural landscape.
The version one chamber actually passed
What changed from Introduced in Senate: No change to the wording. Only the printed details that record the bill’s progress, such as the heading and dates, are different.
- 11/12/2026
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5668; text: CR S5669)
- 2/5/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Charles SchumerDemocrat · New York