[Senate Report 111-367]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 694
111th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 111-367
======================================================================
TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO HIRE VETERANS AND
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO ASSIST THE CORPS WITH CURATION AND
HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
_______
December 14, 2010.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 5282]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill (H.R. 5282), to provide funds to the Army Corps
of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces
to assist the Corps with curation and historic preservation
activities, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 5282 is to develop a Veterans' Curation
Program to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to
assist the Secretary in carrying out curation and historic
preservation activities.
GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND
H.R. 5282 directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through
the Chief of Engineers, to develop a Veterans' Curation Program
to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the
Secretary in carrying out curation and historic preservation
activities and authorizes appropriations for these activities
for fiscal years 2011-15.
The Corps of Engineers (Corps) has already established a
pilot Veterans' Curation Program through its Mandatory Center
of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological
Collections (MCX-CMAC), based out of the Corps' St. Louis
District offices. The program was established to give veterans
valuable professional skills and to help the Corps work through
a backlog of archaeological artifacts, images, and records from
decades of engineering projects to meet its responsibilities
under federal laws for historic preservation. Using $3.5
million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has
established three pilot projects in Augusta, Georgia; St.
Louis, Missouri; and Washington, D.C. H.R. 5282 would authorize
funding for fiscal years 2011-2015 to continue this program.
OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION
This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Army, acting
through the Chief of Engineers, to develop a Veterans' Curation
Program that will hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces
to help carry out curation and historic preservation
activities.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Findings
Section 1 sets out the findings for the bill.
Sec. 2. Training and employment for veterans and members of the armed
services in curation and historic preservation
Section 2(a) directs the Secretary of the Army, acting
through the Chief of Engineers, to develop a Veterans' Curation
Program to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to
assist the Corps with its curation and historic preservation
activities.
Section 2(b) authorizes appropriations totaling $35 million
for fiscal years 2011 through 2015 to implement this program.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
H.R. 5282 was introduced by Representative John Barrow (GA)
on May 12, 2010, and has 45 co-sponsors. H.R. 5282 was reported
favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute by
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House
of Representatives on July 29, 2010. The House of
Representatives passed the bill by voice vote on September 15,
2010.
The bill was received in the Senate, read twice and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. The
Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider H.R.
5282 on November 30, 2010, and ordered the bill favorably
reported by voice vote.
ROLLCALL VOTES
The Committee on Environment and Public Works ordered H.R.
5282 favorably reported by voice vote.
REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that H.R.
5282 does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor
will it cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of
individuals.
MANDATES ASSESSMENT
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee finds that H.R. 5282 would
not impose Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on
State, local, or tribal governments.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
December 2, 2010.
Hon. Barbara Boxer,
Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5282, a bill to
provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans
and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with
curation and historic preservation activities, and for other
purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Aurora
Swanson.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
H.R. 5282--A bill to provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to
hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the
Corps with curation and historic preservation activities, and
for other purposes
Summary: H.R. 5282 would authorize appropriations totaling
$35 million over the 2011-2015 period for the Corps of
Engineers to develop a program to hire veterans to assist the
Corps with its curation and historic preservation activities.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates
that implementing H.R. 5282 would cost $32 million over the
2011-2015 period. Enacting the legislation would not affect
direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures do not apply.
H.R. 5282 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of H.R. 5282 is shown in the following table.
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300
(natural resources and environment).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
---------------------------------------------
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011-2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATIONAuthorization Level............................................... 5 6 7 8 9 35
Estimated Outlays................................................. 3 5 7 8 9 32
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R.
5282 will be enacted by the end of calendar year 2010 and that
funds authorized will be appropriated for each year. Estimated
outlays are based on information provided by the Corps of
Engineers.
Pay-As-You-Go considerations: None.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 5282
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Previous CBO estimate: On August 10, 2010, CBO transmitted
a cost estimate for H.R. 5282 as ordered reported by the House
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July 29,
2010. The two versions of the legislation are similar, and the
estimated costs are the same.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Aurora Swanson; Impact
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: J'nell Blanco; Impact
on the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate
requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made
by the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no
changes to existing law.