[Senate Report 110-11]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 36
110th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 110-11
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WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON BIRTHPLACE HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
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February 15, 2007.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. Bingaman, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 245]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 245) to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to designate the President William Jefferson Clinton
Birthplace Home in Hope, Arkansas, as a National Historic Site
and unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE
The purpose of S. 245 is to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to accept title to the William Jefferson Clinton
Birthplace Home site, which the Clinton Birthplace Foundation
has offered to donate to the United States, and to designate
the site, upon its acquisition, as the William Jefferson
Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
Hope, Arkansas, is the birthplace of William Jefferson
Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States. The house at
117 S. Hervey Street was built in 1917 and later belonged to
President Clinton's maternal grandparents, Eldridge and Edith
Cassidy. President Clinton lived there from his birth in 1946
until his mother married Roger Clinton in 1950.
The site is currently owned by a non-profit organization,
the Clinton Birthplace Foundation, and has been restored to the
same state as when President Clinton lived there. The
Foundation has offered to donate the site to the United States
for inclusion in the National Park System.
According to the National Park Service, when the home was
placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, it
was described as the ``single property most significantly and
exclusively associated with Clinton's humble beginnings. . .''
The National Park Service currently manages several sites
associated with the lives of former Presidents. S. 245 would
designate the Clinton Birthplace Home as a National Historic
Site upon the donation of the site by the Foundation.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 245 was introduced by Senators Pryor and Lincoln on
January 10, 2007. During the 109th Congress, the Committee
considered similar legislation, S. 2417, also sponsored by
Senators Pryor and Lincoln, and H.R. 4192, sponsored by
Representative Ross. H.R. 4192 passed the House of
Representatives by a vote of 409-12 on March 8, 2006. The
Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on both measures
on May 16, 2006 (S. Hrg. 109-547).
At its business meeting on January 31, 2007, the Committee
ordered S. 245 to be favorably reported.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in
open business session on January 31, 2007, by a voice vote of a
quorum present recommends that the Senate pass S. 245.
SUMMARY OF THE MEASURE
S. 245 directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to
designate the William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home site
located at 117 S. Hervey Street in Hope, Arkansas, as a
National Historic Site and unit of the National Park System, if
unencumbered fee simple title to the site is donated by the
Clinton Birthplace Foundation, Inc.
The Secretary is directed to administer the site in
accordance with the laws generally applicable to national
historic sites, including the National Park Service Organic Act
(16 U.S.C. 1-4) and the Historic Sites Act of 1935 (16 U.S.C.
461 et seq.).
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of the costs of this measure has
been provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
S. 245--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to designate
the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home in
Hope, Arkansas, as a National Historic Site and unit of the
National Park System
S. 245 would direct the National Park Service (NPS) to
designate the William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home in
Arkansas as a national historic site if the Clinton Birthplace
Foundation donates the house and related property to the
federal government.
Based on information provided by the NPS, CBO expects that
the federal government would accept donation of the Clinton
home and other property in fiscal year 2007. We estimate that
the costs of preparing and operating the site as a unit of the
National Park System would be about $1 million a year, assuming
the availability of appropriated funds. Enacting S. 245 would
not affect direct spending or revenues.
The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would have no significant impact on the budgets of state,
local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis.
This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 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 S. 245.
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 S. 245.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
Because S. 245 is identical to legislation passed by the
Senate in the 109th Congress, the Committee did not request
Executive Agency views. The testimony provided by the National
Park Service at the Subcommittee hearing on S. 2417 and H.R.
4192 in the 109th Congress follows:
Statement of Stephen P. Martin, Deputy Director, National Park Service,
Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify on
S. 2417 and H.R. 4192, bills that would authorize the Secretary
to establish the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace
Home as a National Historic Site and a unit of the National
Park System in Hope, Arkansas. H.R. 4192 passed the House of
Representatives on March 8, 2006, without a hearing. The
Department supports the effort to honor the birthplace home of
former President Clinton, but suggests amending S. 2417 and
H.R. 4192 to authorize a study.
S. 2417 and H.R. 4192 would authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to designate the William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace
Home as a National Historic Site and a unit of the National
Park System should the Secretary acquire, by donation only, the
birthplace home and any personal property related to that site
from the Clinton Birthplace Foundation, Inc. The Secretary
would administer the unit in accordance with laws generally
applicable to preserving national historic sites. It is our
understanding that the Clinton Birthplace Foundation also
intends to donate the existing visitor center located at 415
West, Division Street and adjacent to the birthplace home,
however this property was inadvertently left out of S. 2417 and
H.R. 4192 when the bills were introduced.
In 1998, Congress passed Public Law 105-391, the National
Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998, which requires
congressional authorization of areas to be studied for
potential new units of the National Park System. The law also
designates the criteria to be followed by the National Park
Service (NPS) in determining whether to recommend an area as a
unit of the National Park System.
We recognize the importance of the birthplace of President
William Jefferson Clinton and therefore appreciate the goals of
S. 2417 and H.R. 4192. Consistent with our testimony on the
Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home in March 2001, we suggest, however,
that the subcommittee ensure that the intent of Congress, as
expressed in Public Law 105-391, is carried out by amending the
bill to authorize a study of the birthplace and the visitor
center to determine whether they conform to the criteria of
Public Law 105-391. We recognize the potential significance of
these properties and would support an authorization of a new
study. We would be glad to work with the subcommittee on the
appropriate language.
With respect to historical sites, the studies do not only
look at whether the event or person associated with the site
was historically significant. They also look at the integrity
of the buildings, and other factors, such as whether there are
other sites that might more appropriately tell the story
associated with a particular individual.
The National Park System consists of many previous
residences of former Presidents. However, there are also many
residences of former Presidents that are not part of the
system. A study would look at whether the Federal government is
the most appropriate entity to manage the site. Some sites are
managed by other entities, such as state governments and
private foundations. Conducting a professional study allows
Congress to be sure it is protecting an area that meets the
criteria of the National Park System.
A study also will enable the NPS and the Congress to
identify the costs in acquiring, restoring, and operating a
potential site. We believe that the information gathered during
the study process is invaluable and better ensures that the NPS
can continue its progress in addressing maintenance backlog
needs in our national parks. In fact, in March 2001, the
Department also took the position that a study was needed when
asked to testify on the designation of the Ronald Reagan
Boyhood Home as a National Historic Site. Similar to S. 2417
and H.R. 4192, that bill also proposed designation prior to the
authorization and completion of a study.
Presidential homes and sites provide a valuable link to
understanding our country's history and government and are an
important part of our national heritage. Plans to purchase and
restore the birthplace home of then President William Jefferson
Clinton began in 1993, and the Clinton Birthplace Foundation, a
non-profit organization, was formed to purchase, restore, and
promote the history of the site. The two and one-half story
American four-square home, patterned from a design in France,
was built in 1917 by Dr. H.S. Garrett. The home is located at
117 South Hervey Street in Hope, Arkansas, and belonged to
President Clinton's maternal grandparents, Eldridge and Edith
Cassidy. William Jefferson Blythe, as he was then known, lived
there from his birth in 1946, until his mother married Roger
Clinton in 1950.
The residence has been returned to its identical state when
President Clinton lived there as a young boy. It is currently
open for public tours operated by the Clinton Birthplace
Foundation. When the home was placed on the National Register
of Historic Places in 1994, it was described as ``. . . the
single property most significantly and exclusively associated
with Clinton's humble beginnings, the inner strength he learned
from his mother, and the dedication to purpose that has
sustained him throughout his distinguished political career.''
The William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace site demonstrates
the efforts of a local community working together to preserve
and to tell the story of the birth and childhood of a man who
later became the 42nd President of the United States to present
and future generations.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to comment.
This concludes my prepared remarks and I will be happy to
answer any questions you or other subcommittee members might
have.
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 S. 245, as ordered
reported.