Xenia Gazette – Congressman Steve Austria and Senator Sherrod Brown came together in a bipartisan effort to see one of America’s unsung heroes honored during a press conference at the Colonel Charles Young Home on Wednesday, April 20.

With Greene County notables such as Xenia Mayor Marsha Bayless, Xenia Township Fiscal Officer John Faulkner and Central State University President John W. Garland watching, Austria unveiled the Colonel Charles Young Home Study Act, a piece of legislation that will permit the Secretary of the Interior to oversee a special resource study to decide if the Colonel Charles Young Home should be designated as a unit of the National Park System.

Also known as H.R. 799, the legislation was originally introduced by Austria during the last congress. The legislation currently has 18 co-sponsors, nine of which are from Ohio. After the Colonel Charles Young Home is placed on the National Park Registry, Austria hopes the site will become the first African-American military museum. While speaking with the audience, Austria expressed his optimism that H.R. 799 would be passed.

“I strongly believe this home should become part of the National Parks System,” said Austria. “We have a unique opportunity to make that happen.”

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