[House Report 113-592] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 113th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 113-592 ====================================================================== WEST HUNTER STREET BAPTIST CHURCH STUDY ACT _______ September 15, 2014.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 4119] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 4119) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. The amendment is as follows: Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``West Hunter Street Baptist Church Study Act''. SEC. 2. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a special resource study of the historic West Hunter Street Baptist Church, located at 775 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, SW., Atlanta, Georgia and the block on which the church is located. (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall-- (1) evaluate the national significance of the site; (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the area as a unit of the National Park System; (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, protection, and interpretation of the site by Federal, State, or local governmental entities, or private and nonprofit organizations; (4) consult with interested Federal, State, or local governmental entities, private and nonprofit organizations or any other interested individuals; (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance associated with the alternatives; (6) consider the effect of the designation of the study area as a unit of the National Park System on-- (A) existing commercial and recreational activities, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting, and on the authorization, construction, operation, maintenance, or improvement of energy production and transmission infrastructure; and (B) the authority of State and local governments to manage those activities. (7) identify any authorities, including condemnation, that will compel or permit the Secretary to influence or participate in local land use decisions (such as zoning) or place restrictions on non-Federal lands if the study area is designated a unit of the National Park System. (c) Notification of Private Property Owners.--Upon commencement of the study, owners of private property adjacent to the area will be notified of the study's commencement and scope. (d) Applicable Law.--The study required under subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with the National Park System General Authorities Act (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)). (e) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made available for the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report containing the results of the study and any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary. PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of H.R. 4119 is to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION During the Civil Rights movement, the West Hunter Street Baptist Church served as a headquarters for many civil rights workers and organizers. Founded in 1881 as the Friendship Baptist Church, the congregation later moved in 1906 to a stone building on West Hunter Street, which was later renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. During the Civil Rights movement, the church, and the block on which it is located, became a center for the movement. It held many civil rights mass meetings, strategy sessions and nonviolent conflict resolution training. The church was the site of leadership meetings, and doubled as a school for nonviolent protest during initiatives such as the Voter Education Project and the Freedom Summer of 1964. It was also a spiritual refuge for the men and women who worked for equal rights. In 1973, the congregation moved to a new location on what was then called Gordon Street. H.R. 4119 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study on the West Hunter Street Church located at 775 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW. in Atlanta, Georgia, and the block on which the church is located, to determine if it meets the criteria for designation as a unit in the National Park System. COMMITTEE ACTION H.R. 4119 was introduced on February 28, 2014, by Congressman Henry ``Hank'' Johnson (D-GA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation. On July 29, 2014, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On July 30, 2014, the Full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation was discharged by unanimous consent. Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) offered an amendment designated #1 to the bill; the amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. No further amendments were offered, and the bill, as amended, was then adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII 1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B) of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: H.R. 4119--West Hunter Street Baptist Church Study Act H.R. 4119 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resources study of the West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of including the site in the National Park System. Based on information provided by the National Park Service and assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that conducting the study would cost about $150,000 over the next three years. Enacting H.R. 4119 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. H.R. 4119 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von Gnechten. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. Based on information provided by the National Park Service and assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that conducting the study would cost about $150,000 over the next three years. 3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective of this bill is to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. EARMARK STATEMENT This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the rules of the House of Representatives. COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4 This bill contains no unfunded mandates. COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5 Directed Rule Making. The Chairman does not believe that this bill directs any executive branch official to conduct any specific rule-making proceedings. Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was not included in any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 98-169) as relating to other programs. PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW If enacted, the bill would make no changes in existing law.