Congressman Cleaver Introduces Bill to Reauthorize Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area

Press Release

(Washington, D.C.) -- Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) introduced the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) for another 15 years. Established in 2006, the FFNHA is one of 55 National Heritage Areas throughout the United States and focuses on generating economic activity and increasing tourism in Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas by promoting and raising awareness of the region's history.

"Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area has proven to be an invaluable economic, cultural, and academic asset to the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri," said Congressman Cleaver. "By partnering with historical sites, museums, libraries, and other entities to tell the full story of Missouri and Kansas' inspirational, exciting, difficult, and remarkable history, Freedom's Frontier helps to educate the next generation while creating jobs and generating economic development in Kansas City and towns throughout our region. Reauthorizing the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area is a common sense decision that will strengthen our two states for years to come, and that's why I'm proud to lead our bipartisan coalition in introducing this important piece of legislation."

"As the former Missouri Director of Tourism, ensuring our state's historical sites, museums, libraries and other tourist destinations are maintained and available to visitors is always a priority for me in Congress," said Congressman Luetkemeyer. "By preserving places like Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area, we are safeguarding Missouri's rich history, creating jobs, and supporting our local economies."

"Freedom's Frontier has a 15-year track record of bringing tourists to museums and historical sites, which boosts local economies and brings new dollars to our western Missouri and eastern Kansas towns and cities," said Freedom's Frontier Executive Director Jim Ogle. "The reauthorization of our organization means we will continue to attract heritage tourists who want to explore the border war that helped ignite the Civil War, follow the underground railroad, and learn about the Negro Leagues. We know these tourists will visit hotels, restaurants and other venues to boost our states' economic development--and our reauthorization means we'll be able to continue to return $5 to the area for every $1 invested in our program. We appreciate the leadership of Representatives Cleaver, Hartzler, and Luetkemeyer for introducing this bipartisan legislation, and we look forward to it becoming law so that we may continue serving communities throughout the region."

U.S. Representatives Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) and Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) are original cosponsors of the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act.

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