Legislation to rename the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper, Wyoming, after former Representative Barbara L. Cubin has advanced out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill was introduced by U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso, along with Representative Harriet Hageman, all Republicans from Wyoming.
Senator Lummis commented on the committee’s decision: “I’m so pleased the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has advanced this important legislation. Barbara Cubin is among Wyoming’s most remarkable trailblazers who paved the way for American women in public service. As a founding member of the Congressional Western Caucus, she was a powerful voice for our western values. Now, as chair of the Senate counterpart, I’m proud to carry on her legacy as a champion for the Wyoming way of life. This committee vote brings us one step closer to permanently honoring Barbara’s extraordinary decades of service and the indelible mark she has left on Natrona County, Wyoming, and our nation.”
Barbara Cubin was elected as Wyoming’s first woman to federal office and served in Congress from 1995 to 2009. She played a key role in establishing the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center through legislation passed in 1998. The center highlights stories of westward migration in the United States and operates through a partnership between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Historic Trails Center Foundation, and the City of Casper.
Senator Cynthia Lummis represents Wyoming in the U.S. Senate and is known for supporting community service initiatives and family ranching traditions that contribute to Wyoming’s cultural heritage (official website). She has held various public offices within Wyoming prior to her election to the Senate (official website). Lummis is also recognized as being the first woman to represent Wyoming in this legislative body (official website).
The proposed renaming now awaits further consideration by the full Senate.
