[House Report 115-114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
115th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 115-114
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ROBERT EMMET PARK ACT OF 2017
_______
May 11, 2017.-- Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Bishop of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 1500]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 1500) to redesignate the small triangular
property located in Washington, DC, and designated by the
National Park Service as reservation 302 as ``Robert Emmet
Park'', and for other purposes, having considered the same,
report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that
the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 1500 is to redesignate the small
triangular property located in Washington, DC, and designated
by the National Park Service as reservation 302 as ``Robert
Emmet Park''.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Robert Emmet is a prominent historical figure known for his
role in the Irish Rebellion of 1803 and his classic ``Speech
from the Dock'' that inspired future efforts to gain Irish
Independence. Emmet, greatly influenced by American democracy
and the American Revolution, famously said before his
execution, ``To [Ireland] I sacrificed every selfish, every
lasting sentiment . . . I wished to place her independence
beyond the reach of any power of earth . . . to procure for my
country the guarantee which Washington procured for America . .
. to exalt her to that proud station in the world.''
H.R. 1500 renames National Park Service Reservation 302,
located at the corner of 24th Street and Massachusetts Avenue
Northwest in the District of Columbia, as ``Robert Emmet
Park''. The .08 acre triangular property prominently features a
nearly 100 year-old statue of Robert Emmet, the first statue
ever made of the Irish hero. The bill also authorizes the
Secretary of the Interior to post informational signage
regarding Robert Emmet and his statue around the park.
In the 114th Congress, Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
introduced a nearly identical bill as H.R. 4564. On September
19, 2016, the Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported
the bill. Subsequently, the bill passed the House by voice vote
on September 22, 2016.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1500 was introduced on March 10, 2017, by Congressman
Joseph Crowley (D-NY). The bill was referred to the Committee
on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On April 26, 2017, the Natural
Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee
was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments were
offered, and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the
House of Representatives by unanimous consent on April 27,
2017.
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 AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 5, 2017.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1500, the Robert
Emmet Park Act of 2017.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall.
Enclosure.
H.R. 1500--Robert Emmet Park Act of 2017
H.R. 1500 would rename a small property owned by the
National Park Service (NPS) in Washington D.C. as ``Robert
Emmet Park,'' in honor of that historical figure. The bill also
would authorize the NPS to post signage on or near the park
that includes information about Robert Emmet.
Based on the costs for similar tasks, CBO estimates that
the cost for the NPS to update signage for the park would be
insignificant; such spending would be subject to the
availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending
or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1500 would not increase net
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
H.R. 1500 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 Jon Sperl. The
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
2. 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 redesignate the small triangular
property located in Washington, DC, and designated by the
National Park Service as reservation 302 as ``Robert Emmet
Park''.
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. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
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, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.
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