Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

New Visitors Center for Capitol Approved for Construction

Aired August 29, 2001 - 10:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, how about back across the country to Washington, where Congress has approved $100 million for a new visitors center at the U.S. Capitol.

Now the private sector has got to come up with another $165 million to make it happen.

For more on the story let's go now to CNN's Jeanne Meserve, who's out on Capitol Hill.

Good morning, Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.

This visitors center planned for the East Plaza, right behind me, it's going to underground; it's supposed to educate and better accommodate the estimated four million tourist who visit this capitol building every year.

With me here one of the men in charge with raising the some of money for this project, former Senator Dale of Arkansas.

Thanks so much for joining us this morning.

DALE BUMPERS, CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER FUND: Thank you for inviting me.

MESERVE: Two hundred and sixty-five million dollars is a lot of money. Why should we spend on this?

BUMPERS: Well, one of the reasons is because this is really a monumental experience for people who come here. And the polls shows that about 54 percent of the parents in this country had rather their children see the nation's Capitol than any other monument, anything else in the United States. And this is where their lives are being determined, this is where out future's being determined, and people come here in increasing numbers every summer. They stand in the elements, the rain, the sleet, the sun, and we're trying to make it a really great experience, make it an education experience before they even go into the Capitol building.

MESERVE: Now some people have said to me, it'll be a little less educational if they're put underground. That right now, as they stand on the Capitol grounds, they see people like you walk across the Capitol grounds, they can say, hello, maybe have a quick chat. You've told me in your 24 years in the Senate you actually did that.

BUMPERS: I did do that and I can -- you can still do it.

These people will enter of course over close to the Supreme Court building and they will go underground. But once they walk out they're free to walk around these magnificent areas and see what they want to, and if senators want to visit with them they certainly can.

It will be a very enriching experience. Above all, it will be a very educational experience.

MESERVE: We are standing here in the shade of a beautiful tree, and some of critics are concerned that construction of this will uproot more than 50 of these wonderful trees here on the Capitol grounds. How do you respond those critics?

BUMPERS: Well, you know, to me -- I sympathize with them because to me every tree is precious, and certainly some of the magnificent trees, the thought of cutting them or moving them is really (UNINTELLIGIBLE) everybody.

But what we're -- we're going to do everything we can -- number, one, some of these trees are ill, they don't have much life expectancy; some of them are old and don't have much life expectancy. And the Memorial trees, for example, a Martin Luther King tree, there are trees out here dedicated to a lot of people. We will transplant all those we can, and the ones we can't we will replant and rededicate. We're going to do it as environmentally soundly as we possibly can.

MESERVE: If this is such a wonderful project and this is the home of Congress, why shouldn't Congress pay for the whole thing?

BUMPERS: Well, that's a very good argument. You know, Senator Reed from Nevada has said -- made that point on the floor may times. But I can tell you, when you're talking about the structure of this, probably the most revered and the one most seen all over the world, not just in the United States, and when you think about what it means to the people of this country, I mean, it's a very, very important thing. And so everybody who wants to should have a chance of participating.

I would like -- we're going to put everybody's name on a kiosk that contributes to this. And, for example, if I put $100 in the pot my name will go on that; my grandchildren years from now will see it, they'll know that I participated in democracy. That's what it is, democracy's front door.

MESERVE: And we have to leave it there.

Former Senator Dale Bumpers, thanks so much for joining us.

BUMPERS: Thank you.

MESERVE: I appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com