Press Releases

WASHINGTON, October 14, 2021 — United States Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) today testified before the House Natural Resources Committee to push for passage of the Save the Liberty Theatre Act—his legislation to give the city of Eunice, Louisiana, full ownership of the Liberty Theatre and its annex, so the community can move forward with its restoration efforts.

Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot also testified before the committee today on the legislation.

Watch Congressman Johnson’s testimony here, or read his full remarks below:

“The Liberty Theatre is located in my district in beautiful Eunice, Louisiana, and it has been a staple of Louisiana’s Cajun community for nearly a century. It has hosted famed Cajun musicians and served as an important center of culture and tourism not only for the local community, but for all of south Louisiana.

“For years, the theatre worked hand in hand with the neighboring Prairie Acadian Cultural Center that’s operated by the National Park Service. Through this partnership, the Park Service and the City of Eunice were able to organize and carry out various cultural events that showcased the unique Louisiana heritage that so many people worldwide cherish and embrace.

“Because the Park Service and the Liberty Theatre facilities share the same city block, each assumed certain maintenance and upkeep responsibilities that were mutually beneficial. Unfortunately, because of funding constraints, this shared responsibility was unable to continue and a memorandum of understanding between the two parties was terminated. There is still an opportunity for the Park Service and the theatre to collaborate on various events, but they simply no longer share in the upkeep and maintenance responsibilities of the two facilities. And the cost of upkeep for the Liberty Theatre is considerable.

“The building is also in need of some extensive renovations and restoration. A group of local stakeholders has begun outreach to raise the funds necessary to bring the theatre back to its former glory, but a technical problem remains regarding the National Park Service’s ownership interest in an annex to the theatre that was built to allow disabled individuals to access the facility.

“The ownership interest of the Park Service has made it somewhat difficult to secure restoration dollars because some believe that interest brings red tape that would slow that necessary process.

“My bill remedies this problem by directing the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Park Service’s ownership interest of the annex to the City of Eunice. This simple Act will give the city full ownership of the theatre and the annex, so the community can move forward with their restoration efforts.

“We’ve worked closely with the Park Service on this bill, and while they haven’t issued a formal statement on their position, they have reviewed the text and deem it technically sufficient and have no suggested edits.

“We have full community support, and you’ll hear from my good friend, the Mayor of Eunice, on this issue in a separate panel. This is a straightforward matter that has a simple solution, so I thank you for scheduling it for today’s hearing, and I look forward to working with you as the process continues.”

Congressman Johnson is the Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, a member of the House Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, and a former constitutional law litigator.

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