[House Report 113-577]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 113-577
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APPROVING THE LOCATION OF A MEMORIAL TO COMMEMORATE THE MORE THAN 5,000
SLAVES AND FREE BLACK PERSONS WHO FOUGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE IN THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
_______
September 8, 2014.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.J. Res. 120]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 120) approving the location of
a memorial to commemorate the more than 5,000 slaves and free
Black persons who fought for independence in the American
Revolution, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon without amendment and recommend that the joint
resolution do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.J. Res. 120 is to approve the location of
a memorial to commemorate the more than 5,000 slaves and free
Black persons who fought for independence in the American
Revolution.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Public Law 112-239, the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2013, authorized The National Mall Liberty Fund
to establish a memorial on eligible federal land to honor the
more than 5,000 courageous slaves and free Black persons who
served as soldiers and sailors or provided civilian assistance
during the American Revolution.
Under the Commemorative Works Act (CWA), which details a
process for placement of memorials and monuments in Washington,
D.C., memorials must be recommended by the Government Services
Administration (GSA) or the Department of the Interior for
placement within what is known as Area I, as defined by the
CWA. Area I is generally the locations around the National
Mall, but not on the Mall itself. A recommendation is made if
the Administrator finds that the proposed memorial is of ``of
preeminence and lasting significance.''
On June 3, 2014 the GSA Administrator notified the Natural
Resources Committee that he has found the proposed National
Liberty Memorial to be ``of preeminence and lasting
significance.'' Under the requirements of the CWA, upon this
notification, Congress has 150 days (until Oct. 31, 2014) to
concur with the finding with a joint resolution, which legally
clears the memorial to be placed within Area I.
H.J. Res 120 provides Congressional approval of the
recommendation made by the GSA Administrator to locate the
memorial authorized by Public Law 112-239 in Area I. The
memorial will be privately funded.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.J. Res. 120 was introduced on July 23, 2014, by
Congressman G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), and was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources. On July 30, 2014, the Natural
Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The bill was
adopted and 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. Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has
received the following cost estimate for this bill from the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
H.J. Res. 120--A joint resolution approving the location of a memorial
to commemorate the more than 5,000 slaves and free Black
persons who fought for independence in the American Revolution
H.J. Res. 120 would approve the selection of a site to
commemorate and honor African-Americans who fought in the
Revolutionary War. In 2013, the National Mall Liberty Fund, a
non-profit organization, was authorized to establish the
commemorative work on federal land in Washington, DC, or its
environs without the use of federal funds. CBO estimates that
implementing H.J. Res. 120 would not affect the federal budget.
Because enacting H.J. Res. 120 would not affect direct spending
or revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.J. Res. 120 contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von
Gnechten. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required
by 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, this bill does not contain any new budget
authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase
or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. CBO estimates that
implementing H.J. Res. 120 would not affect the federal budget.
3. 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 approve the location of a memorial
to commemorate the more than 5,000 slaves and free Black
persons who fought for independence in the American Revolution.
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. The Chairman does not believe that
this bill directs any executive branch official to conduct any
specific rule-making proceedings.
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.