The Legislature has given its support to a proposed Theodore Roosevelt Library and Museum, to be built at Medora.
The funding plan passed as part of the Governor’s budget. It provides $50 million for an endowment. $15 million would be in general fund dollars, and $30 million comes from a Bank of North Dakota loan. That money will be used to match $100 million in private donations.
"This is a one-time opportunity," said Rep. Bill Tveit (R-Hazen). "I don't want to stand here five years from now, or have my grandchildren 50 years from now regret that we didn't do this."
But Rep. Tom Kading (R-Fargo) didn’t want state money involved in a project like this.
"This is a want, not a need," Kading said. "If people want to willingly donate, we should let them, but we should not force them."
Rep. Larry Bellew (R-Minot) told his House colleagues Roosevelt wasn't from North Dakota.
"If you ever heard him speak, he speaks like a New Yorker," Bellew said. "I think the Teddy Roosevelt library should be in his home state."
But Rep. Jon Nelson (R-Rugby) stressed the importance of North Dakota in Roosevelt’s life.
"He may not have been born here, he may not have died here," Nelson said. "But this is where he began to live again."
The measure passed 76 to 16. It had already passed the Senate.
In a statement, Gov. Doug Burgum thanked the Legislature for working out the plan and getting the bill passed.
