Comer, Bray testify before Congressional subcommittee on behalf of Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club

Congressman James Comer and Paducah Mayor George Bray testified Tuesday before a House subcommittee in Washington on behalf of the Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club in Paducah.

The testimony was in support of House Resolution 1276, which would remove federal restrictions imposed on the property the club sits on. The City of Paducah owns the property, but because the building is the former home of the National Guard Armory, the National Park Service maintains an interest. One of those stipulations is that the city may not sell the land. 

The Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club of Paducah has been working to grow and prepare young men and women to be well-rounded people for over 60 years. Now located along Park Avenue, the club continues to grow. With the increased demand comes a need to renovate and possibly expand their facility to accommodate the over 100 children on a waiting list. 

Instead of a continued lease, the City of Paducah would like to turn that property over to the club, but the federal connection will not allow that. At the request of the city, Congressman Comer has partnered with them to introduce legislation to unburden the property from the National Park Service guidelines, thus allowing the club to have the stability of a permanent location that they can tailor to their needs and the needs of the community. 

Comer told the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands that "the club, the City of Paducah, and community members stand ready to support the expansion and renovation of the building. Still, the remaining restriction from the Park Service has been an obstacle to raising the necessary funds and executing the project. There is no time to waste in making this common-sense fix to enable this project to move forward."

Mayor Bray told West Kentucky Star that after working with the National Park Service, it became clear that the only way to move forward was with this legislation. During his testimony, he also said that there is a $1 million state grant available along with other private donations to help move the renovation project forward once the legislation passes and the restrictions are lifted.

Congressman Comer and Mayor Bray thanked Senator Rand Paul for introducing the companion legislation in the Senate along with co-sponsor Senator Mitch McConnell.    


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