[House Report 117-106]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                   {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                   {       117-106

======================================================================



 
                      FREE VETERANS FROM FEES ACT

                                _______
                                

 July 26, 2021.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1029]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1029) to Waive the application fee for any 
special use permit for veterans' special events at war 
memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in 
the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 1029 is to waive the application fee 
for any special use permit for veterans' special events at war 
memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in 
the District of Columbia and its environs.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Typically, applications for special park use permits from 
the National Park Service require applicants to pay a fee to 
offset the initial costs of processing the application. 
However, the National Park Service has a longstanding practice 
of waiving application fees for special use permits for special 
events commemorating veterans at war memorials.
    H.R. 1029 would codify the National Park Service's routine 
practice and policy by permanently waiving special use permit 
application fees for special events at national war memorials 
located in the District of Columbia and its environs when the 
majority of attendees are veterans or Gold Star Families.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 1029 was introduced on February 11, 2021, by 
Representative Greg Steube (R-FL). The bill was referred solely 
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee 
to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public 
Lands. On May 5, 2021, the Natural Resources Committee met to 
consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous 
consent. No amendments were offered. The bill was adopted and 
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by 
unanimous consent.

                                HEARINGS

    For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the 
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure: 
markup by the full Committee on Natural Resources held on May 
5, 2021.

            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) of rule XIII 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) 
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect to 
requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested 
but not received a cost estimate for this bill from the 
Director of Congressional Budget Office. The Committee adopts 
as its own cost estimate the forthcoming cost estimate of the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office, should such cost 
estimate be made available before House passage of the bill.
    The Committee has requested but not received from the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office a statement as to 
whether this bill contains any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    Congressional Budget Office staff have informed the 
Committee on a preliminary, informal, nonbinding basis that the 
bill likely would not affect direct spending and revenues.
    2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and 
objectives of this bill are to waive the application fee for 
any special use permit for veterans' special events at war 
memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in 
the District of Columbia and its environs.

                           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.

                 UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT

    An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of 
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the 
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
    The Committee notes that CBO's analysis of H.R. 1702 
(116th), similar predecessor legislation, is available and 
shows the earlier version of the bill as not creating any 
mandates for purposes of UMRA.\1\
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    \1\https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2020-02/hr1702.pdf.
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                           EXISTING PROGRAMS

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
program.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

               PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW

    Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or 
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's 
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the 
U.S. Constitution.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing 
law.

        SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS

    None.

                                  [all]