[Senate Report 114-314]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 586
114th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 114-314
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VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT
_______
August 30, 2016.--Ordered to be printed
Filed, under authority of the order of the Senate of July 14, 2016
_______
Ms. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2615]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (H.R. 2615) to establish the Virgin Islands
of the United States Centennial Commission, having considered
the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment, and
recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE
The purpose of H.R. 2615 is to establish the Virgin Islands
of the United States Centennial Commission.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
The transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the
United States in 1917 was a significant historic and cultural
event. H.R. 2615 creates a bipartisan federal commission that
will develop, plan, and execute formal commemorative activities
to honor the rich heritage of the U.S. Virgin Islands and
celebrate the 100th anniversary of its status as a U.S.
territory.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
H.R. 2615 was introduced on June 2, 2015, by Representative
Plaskett (D-VI) and referred to the House Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform. On March 1, 2016, the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ordered H.R. 2615
favorably reported, as amended, by voice vote. On April 26,
2016, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2615 by voice
vote.
On April 27, 2016, H.R. 2615 was received in the Senate and
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open
business session on July 13, 2016, and ordered H.R. 2615
favorably reported.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in
open business session on July 13, 2016, by a majority voice
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R.
2615.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 designates the short title of the bill as the
``Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission
Act.''
Section 2. Establishment
Section 2 establishes a Virgin Islands of the United States
Centennial Commission (Commission).
Section 3. Duties of the Commission
Section 3 requires the Commission to plan and implement
activities to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Virgin
Islands of the United States (USVI) becoming an unincorporated
territory of the United States, and provide advice and
assistance to federal, state and local government agencies, and
civic groups to carry out commemorative activities. This
section further requires the Commission to submit reports to
the President and Congress pursuant to section 7.
Section 4. Membership
The Commission is to be composed of eight members,
including the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular
Affairs or a designee, one member appointed by the USVI
Governor or a designee; two members of the U.S. House of
Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; one
member of the House of Representatives appointed by the
Minority Leader of the House; two members of the U.S. Senate
appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate; and one member
of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
This section requires that members be appointed no later
than 90 days after the date of the Act's enactment and
specifies that a vacancy shall not affect the powers of the
Commission. Pursuant to this section, vacancies are to be
filled in the manner in which the original appointment was
made, a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum to
conduct business, and the chairperson of the Commission shall
be selected by a majority vote of the members. Members shall
not receive compensation for duties of the Commission, but
shall be reimbursed for travel and per diem for duties of the
Commission.
Section 5. Director and Staff of Commission
Section 5 requires the Commission to appoint an Executive
Director and other personnel needed to enable the Commission to
perform its duties. The personnel may be appointed without
regard to the provisions governing appointments in the
competitive service, and the rate of pay may not exceed level
III of the Executive Schedule. The Commission may also hire
experts and consultants and accept and use voluntary and
uncompensated services.
Section 5 further authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
or the Archivist of the United States to detail any personnel
to assist the Commission to perform duties.
Section 6. Powers of the Commission
Section 6 allows the Commission to hold hearings, take
testimony, and receive evidence the Commission determines
appropriate to carry out this Act. The Commission may use the
U.S. mail service in the same manner as other federal agencies,
and at the request of the chairperson, may secure official
federal agency information to perform the duties of the
Commission.
This section permits the Commission to solicit, accept, and
use gifts or donations of money, services, or property, both
real and personal, to aid the work of the Commission. The
Commission may enter into contracts with and compensate
federal, state and local governments, and private entities.
Upon request of the Commission, the Administrator of the
Government Services Administration shall make available to the
Commission, at the normal rental rate for federal agencies,
assistance and facilities that may be needed for the Commission
to perform its duties.
Section 7. Reports
Section 7 requires the Commission to submit an annual
report to the President and the Congress on the activities,
revenue, and expenditures of the Commission including a list of
each gift with a value of more than $250, along with the
identity of the donor.
Section 8. Annual audit
Section 8 authorizes the Inspector General of the
Department of the Interior to conduct an audit of the
Commission.
Section 9. Definitions
Section 9 defines various terms in the Act.
Section 10. Termination
Section 10 requires the Commission to terminate no later
than September 30, 2018.
Section 11. No additional funds authorized
Section 11 stipulates that no federal funds are authorized
or may be obligated to carry out this Act.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of costs of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
H.R. 2615--Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission
Act
H.R. 2615 would establish a commission to plan, develop,
and coordinate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Virgin Islands
becoming an unincorporated territory of the United States. The
eight commission members would serve without pay but would be
reimbursed for travel expenses. The commission would be
authorized to hire staff and could use the employees and
services of the Department of the Interior and the National
Archives on a reimbursable basis. Under the legislation the
commission could spend gifts and contributions to cover its
costs, but the use of appropriated funds would be prohibited.
The commission would terminate by September 30, 2018.
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2615 would have no
significant net effect on the federal budget. The legislation
would affect direct spending because it would authorize the
commission to accept and spend monetary gifts. Therefore, pay-
as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that the net
effect on direct spending would be negligible. Enacting H.R.
2615 would not affect revenues.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2615 would not increase
net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
H.R. 2615 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.
On March 18, 2016, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R.
2615, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform on March 1, 2016. The two versions of the
legislation and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are
the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew
Pickford. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION
In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in
carrying out H.R. 2615. The bill is not a regulatory measure in
the sense of imposing Government-established standards or
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals
and businesses.
No personal information would be collected in administering
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal
privacy.
Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the
enactment of H.R. 2615, as ordered reported.
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING
H.R. 2615, as ordered reported, does not contain any
congressionally directed spending items, limited tax benefits,
or limited tariff benefits as defined in rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no
changes in existing law are made by the bill as ordered
reported.
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