[Senate Report 115-303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
115th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 115-303
======================================================================
NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM ACT
_______
July 16, 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 S. 2857]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2857) to designate the Nordic Museum in
Seattle, Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum'', and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE
The purpose of S. 2857 is to designate the Nordic Museum in
Seattle, Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum.''
BACKGROUND AND NEED
From the mid-19th to mid-20th century, about 2.5 million
people immigrated to the United States from the five Nordic
nations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. They
settled primarily in the Midwest, and many eventually traveled
on to the West Coast. Many emigrants fled crop failures,
famine, unemployment, political instability, and persecution to
find new homes and livelihoods in the United States. Today,
about 185 million Nordic Americans live in the United States.
The Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington (Museum) is the
only museum in the United States dedicated to the history,
culture and art of all five Nordic nations. The Museum
highlights Nordic-American contributions in the United States
and collects, preserves, and educates about Nordic culture,
history, art, traditions, and spirit. The Museum serves as a
cultural anchor and valuable resource for Seattle and the
nation by expanding knowledge related to Nordic heritage and
the impact Nordic heritage has had throughout the United
States.
Originally established in 1980 as the Nordic Heritage
Museum and now occupying a new facility, the Museum has been a
mainstay of Ballard -- a Seattle neighborhood built by Nordic
immigrants -- since its inception. The Museum's new 57,000
square-foot facility was opened on May 5, 2018, with
contributions from the State of Washington; King County,
Washington; the Nordic Council, which is composed of
representatives from the national parliaments of Nordic
countries; the national museums of Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Norway, and Sweden; the City of Seattle; and many private
individuals and foundations.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On May 16, 2018, Senator Cantwell introduced S. 2857, the
National Nordic Museum Act.
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open
business session on May 17, 2018, and ordered S. 2857 favorably
reported.
On June 6, 2018, the Senate passed S. 2857 by voice vote.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in
open business session on May 17, 2018, by a majority voice vote
of a quorum present recommends that the Senate pass S. 2857.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 contains the short title.
Section 2. Findings
Section 2 contains Congressional findings.
Section 3. Designation of National Nordic Museum
Section 3 designates the Nordic Museum located in Seattle,
Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum'' and specifies
that the Museum is not a unit of the National Park System. This
section further clarifies that the designation shall not
require Federal funds to be expended for any purpose related to
the museum.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of the costs of this measure has
been provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
The act would designate the Nordic Museum in Seattle,
Washington, as the National Nordic Museum and would require
that federal funds not be expended for that designation. CBO
estimates that enacting S. 2857 would have no significant
effect on the federal budget and would not affect direct
spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do
not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting S. 2857 would not increase net
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
S. 2857 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani
Shankaran.
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. 2857. 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. 2857, as ordered reported.
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING
S. 2857, 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 Committee did not request Executive Agency views
regarding S. 2857.
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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