Lincoln National Heritage Area gets Bush approval

WASHINGTON -- President Bush signed legislation that designates a massive swath of Illinois as the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.

Bush signed the measure Thursday. It calls for up to $15 million in federal money over 15 years to fund grants to help keep alive the story of Lincoln.

The area includes 42 counties in central Illinois where Lincoln spent his pre-White House years.

The provision was part of a bill involving public lands and was introduced in Congress by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and Representative Ray LaHood.