Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act

Senate Bill

S. 432

119th Congress

Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act

In Committee

Introduced:Feb 5, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Kirsten Gillibrand

D - NY

Cosponsors

1

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary

This bill creates a new national historical park at Fort Ontario in New York to preserve and tell the story of 982 World War II refugees who were sheltered there from 1944 to 1946. The park would be managed by the National Park Service and would only be officially established once enough land has been acquired to make it workable as a park unit.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Introduced2/5/2025

StatusRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

ChamberSenate

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act

This bill creates a new national historical park at Fort Ontario in New York to preserve and tell the story of 982 World War II refugees who were sheltered there from 1944 to 1946. The park would be managed by the National Park Service and would only be offici

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

0%

0 predictions

This bill creates a new national historical park at Fort Ontario in New York to preserve and tell the story of 982 World War II refugees who were sheltered there from 1944 to 1946. The park would be managed by the National Park Service and would only be officially established once enough land has been acquired to make it workable as a park unit.

Bill Number: 432
Introduced: 2/5/2025
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Policy Area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act
Bill Number: 432
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced: 2/5/2025
Summary: This bill creates a new national historical park at Fort Ontario in New York to preserve and tell the story of 982 World War II refugees who were sheltered there from 1944 to 1946. The park would be managed by the National Park Service and would only be officially established once enough land has be

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill creates a new national historical park at Fort Ontario in New York to preserve and tell the story of 982 World War II refugees who were sheltered there from 1944 to 1946. The park would be managed by the National Park Service and would only be officially established once enough land has been acquired to make it workable as a park unit.

Last updated: 3/5/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The bill establishes Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park in New York as part of the National Park System.
The park's purpose is to preserve the history of 982 World War II refugees who lived at Fort Ontario between August 1944 and February 1946.
The park will only be officially created after the Secretary of the Interior determines that enough land has been acquired to operate it effectively.
The National Park Service may acquire land through donation, purchase, or exchange, but can only accept state or local government land as donations.
The Secretary must develop a management plan for the park within three years of receiving funding.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill primarily affects the National Park Service, which would manage the new park, and the state of New York, where the park would be located. It would benefit visitors and educators interested in Holocaust history and World War II refugee experiences by creating a dedicated site for learning about this historical event. Local communities near Fort Ontario may see increased tourism and educational opportunities once the park is established.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Related Subjects

Geography and mapping

Monuments and memorials

New York State

Parks, recreation areas, trails

Public-private cooperation

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

432, 119th Congress (2025). "Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-432