[House Report 115-931] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 115th Congress } { Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session } { 115-931 ====================================================================== NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM ACT _______ September 10, 2018.--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 S. 2857] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 2857) to designate the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum'', 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 S. 2857 is to designate the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum''. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION From the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries, about 2.5 million people immigrated to the United States from the five Nordic nations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.\1\ They came to find new homes and livelihoods in the United States as they were seeking religious freedom and available farmland after experiencing repeated crop failures and religious persecution in their native lands.\2\ They settled primarily in the Midwest, with many eventually moving to the Pacific Northwest. Today, millions of Americans trace their ancestry to the Nordic countries.\3\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\``Scandinavian Immigration.'' Harvard University Library Open Collections Program. Immigration to the United States 1789-1930. http:/ /ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/scandinavian.html. \2\``Immigration . . . Scandinavian.'' Library of Congress. Classroom Materials for Teachers. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/ classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/ immigration/scandinavian.html. \3\United States Census 2010. ``Total Ancestry Reported.'' American Community Survey. https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/ jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_5YR_ B04003&prodType=table. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Founded in 1980, the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington, 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 visitors about Nordic history, art and cultural traditions.\4\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \4\``About Us.'' Nordic Museum website. http://nordicmuseum.org/ about. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Museum has been a mainstay of Ballard, a Seattle neighborhood built by Nordic immigrants. The Museum's new 57,000 square-foot facility opened on May 5, 2018, with contributions from the City of Seattle, King County, the State of Washington, the Nordic Council (composed of representatives from the national parliaments of Nordic countries), the national museums of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as many private individuals and foundations.\5\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\``The New Nordic Museum.'' Nordic Museum website. http:// nordicmuseum.org/future. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- S. 2857 will officially designate the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington, as the National Nordic Museum. The Museum will not be a unit of, or affiliated with, the National Park System. The designation will not require federal funds to be expended for any purpose related to the Museum. COMMITTEE ACTION S. 2857 was introduced on May 16, 2018, by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA). The bill passed the Senate by voice vote on June 6, 2018. In the House, the bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On September 5, 2018, 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. 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 1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 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 enclosed cost estimate for the bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, September 10, 2018. Hon. Rob Bishop, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has reviewed S. 2857, the National Nordic Museum Act, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on September 5, 2018. The legislation 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 not 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. On June 8, 2018, CBO transmitted a cost estimate of S. 2857, the National Nordic Museum Act, as passed by the Senate on June 6, 2018. The two versions of the legislation are identical, and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are the same. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani Shankaran. Sincerely, Keith Hall, Director. 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 designate the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum''. 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. [all]