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The Santa Cruz River Valley is marked by Indian settlements, ranches and Spanish missions that follow the now-dry river's winding path from the Mexican border north through Pima County.

The stretch of desert — along with the history it holds — is a step closer to becoming a national heritage area after the U.S. House of Representatives approved the designation Wednesday as part of broader legislation that included heritage sites in other states.

It still must be approved by the U.S. Senate and signed into law. But for Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who co-sponsored the bill with fellow Southern Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the passage was a long time coming for a swath of land that encompasses roughly 3,300 square miles and five municipalities in Pima and Santa Cruz counties.

"It's mostly for tourism," Grijalva said. "It's interpretive, but there is also a great deal of preservation. We are dealing with some Native American sites, some Spanish colonial sites, some settler sites that also have to be preserved and interpreted."

Being designated a national heritage area qualifies the region for up to a $1 million a year in federal grants. The designation, Grijalva said, also will attract tourists interested in Southwestern history. There are 37 national heritage areas in the country, mostly on the East Coast.

Opponents of the designation raised concerns that it might affect property rights. But Grijalva, who chairs the House Natural Resources subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands, said national heritage status does not change current zoning laws. A recent Government Accountability Office report found no evidence that such a designation infringed on property rights or lowered property values, he said.

"There is real elation after all this time," said Bill Doelle, president of the Center for Desert Archaeology, which began seeking the designation in 2003 and led a feasibility study on the project.

"Heritage tourists in particular — those kinds of tourists tend to spend more time and money in an area," Doelle said.

He said another benefit is that "there is potential for the heritage area fund to help restore a historic building or a restoration or a riparian area."

In a written statement, Giffords said the designation would go a long way toward managing growth while preserving history.

"The Santa Cruz Valley's designation as a national heritage area will preserve the deep connection between our precious natural resources, our unique cultural traditions and our fragile historic places," she said.

Grijalva said he is confident that the legislation will pass the Senate, but he will seek support from Republican Sens. Jon Kyl or John McCain to give the legislation a boost.

"If we get support and no opposition from our senators, we should be in good shape," he said.