File photo: Rep. Knight holds a chunk of St. Francis Dam rubble at a press conference.

A bill by U.S. Rep. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale, to create a national memorial for the 431 victims of the 1928 St. Francis Dam Disaster in the San Francisquito Canyon is one step closer to becoming law.

H.R. 5244, the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial Act, would create a St. Francis Dam National Memorial and Monument in the Santa Clarita Valley. The bill, which has widespread local and national support, was considered in a House Natural Resources Committee markup hearing on Wednesday morning. The bill adopted technical, non-substantive amendments and passed the Committee unanimously with bi-partisan support.

“I am pleased that my colleagues in the House recognize the importance of honoring the individuals who perished in the St. Francis Dam Disaster,” said Rep. Knight, who represents the area that includes the dam site. “This is something that many in the community would like to see accomplished and I’m proud to be a part of the effort to make it happen.”

Earlier this month, Rep. Knight testified in the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands about the importance of the monument. He was joined in his testimony by Dr. Alan Pollack, president of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, who has advocated for years to create the St. Francis Dam Memorial and presented the legislative idea to Rep. Knight. Both argued passionately that the national monument is long overdue and necessary to memorialize the victims of the catastrophe.

“I am extremely thankful to the members of the Natural Resources Committee as well as the fantastic members of the Santa Clarita community who worked to bring this legislation to the House floor,” continued Knight. “I look forward to moving the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial Act through the rest of the legislative process so we can make this idea a reality.”

H.R. 5244 passed the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously. It now awaits consideration on the House floor.