[Senate Report 115-223] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] Calendar No. 371 115th Congress } { Report SENATE 2d Session } { 115-223 ====================================================================== ROBERT EMMET PARK ACT OF 2017 _______ April 10, 2018.--Ordered to be printed _______ Ms. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and 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 Energy and Natural Resources, to which 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, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. PURPOSE 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 U.S. reservation 302 is a triangle park in the Northwestern portion of the District of Columbia along Massachusetts Avenue N.W., between 24th and S Streets, which is part of Rock Creek Park. The triangle park contains an historic sculpture of Robert Emmet that was created by the artist Jerome Connor in 1916. Robert Emmet (1778-1803) is considered an Irish nationalist leader, and often remembered as a ``romantic hero of Irish lost causes.'' Mr. Emmet played a prominent role in the Irish Rebellion, and attempted to escape to the United States before being captured, tried for treason, and hanged. Although Mr. Emmet's attempts at independence for Ireland ultimately failed, they inspired generations of Irish men and women to continue the fight. H.R. 1500 would rename U.S. reservation 302 as ``Robert Emmet Park'' in his memory. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY H.R. 1500 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Crowley on March 10, 2017, and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. H.R. 1500 was reported by the Natural Resources Committee (H. Rept. 115-114) on May 11, 2017, and passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 423-0 on June 28, 2017. The Senate Subcommittee on National Parks conducted a hearing on H.R. 1500 on February 14, 2018. In the 114th Congress, similar legislation, H.R. 4564, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Crowley on February 12, 2016. The Committee on Natural Resources reported H.R. 4564 on September 19, 2016 (H. Rept. 114-750), and the measure passed the House of Representatives by voice vote on September 22, 2016. The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open business session on March 8, 2018, and ordered H.R. 1500 favorably reported. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on March 8, 2018, by a majority voice vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 1500. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS Section 1. Short title Section 1 provides the short title. Section 2. Findings Section 2 contains Congressional findings. Section 3. Redesignation of Robert Emmet Park Section 3 redesignates U.S. reservation 302, administered by the National Park Service, as ``Robert Emmet Park'' and updates any applicable references. This section also authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to post signs on or near the park to include information on Robert Emmet, his contribution to Irish Independence, and his respect for the United States and the American Revolution, as well as history regarding the park's statue of Robert Emmet. COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS The following estimate of the costs of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office: 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 act 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 H.R. 1500 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. On May 5, 2017, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 1500, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 27, 2017. The two versions of H.R. 1500 are similar and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are the same. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani Shankaran. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 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. 1500. 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. 1500, as ordered reported. CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING H.R. 1500, 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. EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS The testimony provided by the Department of the Interior at the February 14, 2018, hearing on H.R. 1500 follows: Statement of P. Daniel Smith, Deputy Director, Exercising the Authority of the Director of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Concerning H.R. 1500, a Bill To Redesignate the Small Triangular Property Located in Washington, DC, and Designed by the National Park Service as Reservation 302 as ``Robert Emmet Park,'' and for Other Purposes The Department does not object to H.R. 1500. The bill would rename a site in the District of Columbia under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS), and known as Reservation 302, as ``Robert Emmet Park.'' The site contains the statue of Irish patriot Robert Emmet. The bill would also authorize the NPS to produce signage related to the history of Robert Emmet and the statue. The cost of the redesignation and signage would be a minimal amount that would be absorbed within existing budgets. At the October 4, 2016, meeting of the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, the Commission reviewed H.R. 4564, a bill introduced in the 114th Congress which is identical to H.R. 1500, to consider whether the bill adhered to the Commemorative Works Act (CWA). The Commission did not reach consensus on a position on the renaming. They were also not clear if the CWA applied to the naming of parks within the area covered by the CWA. Although the Department does not object to naming Reservation 302 for Robert Emmet, we note that the statue is still owned by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which could move it to another location at any time. If that happened, the park would lose the symbol for which it was named, yet it would continue to retain the designation ``Robert Emmet Park.'' 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. [all]