Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer (D-Ala.) announced that the Full Appropriations Committee has passed its Fiscal Year 2004 Interior Appropriations Bill, which directs the Park Service to conduct a Muscle Shoals Heritage Area study. 

"I'm pleased that I was able to secure this study through the Appropriations process," said Cramer.  "We all know that Muscle Shoals plays a significant role in the American story, but as a 'National Heritage Area', we can let the whole country know about our contributions to the national culture.  The next step in this process is this study, which will get us on our way to becoming a National Heritage Area."

The FY04 Interior Appropriations bill includes language directing the National Park Service to conduct a heritage study in the Muscle Shoals area.  The bill must now be approved by the House of Representatives and then to "conference" to work out differences with the Senate Interior bill. 

In 2002, Cramer's bill to authorize the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area study passed in the House and Senate and was signed by the President on December 17, 2002.  That bill made the Shoals eligible to receive federal funding to help with marketing, coordination, historic preservation, environmental education, outdoor recreation, and small business development.

"This designation is so important for the Shoals," continued Cramer.  "If we want to get the word out about the Shoals, this is the way to do it and I'm pleased that I could use my position on Appropriations to see that we could move this study forward."