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Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the creation of DeGray Lake. The 13,400-acre DeGray Lake was created when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) built DeGray Dam on the Caddo River for the purpose of flood control, electricity generation, and drinking water supply for the city of Arkadelphia.

DeGray Lake is vital in the economy of Southwest Arkansas. Thanks to the cooperation of USACE and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, DeGray Lake Resort State Park, is responsible for more than $36 million in economic activity and hundreds of jobs related to tourism in the surrounding area. DeGray Lake provides more than just economic and infrastructure benefits to the local populace, however. The lake also provides recreational opportunities such as swimming, hiking trails, camping, golfing, and horseback riding which are enjoyed by many Arkansans. And as we all know, the more time the public spends out in nature, the more we realize how critical it is to be good stewards of conserving our natural resources and the beauty of places like DeGray Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for building DeGray Lake to serve the people of Southwest Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism for its work in helping preserve DeGray Lake.

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