[House Report 115-113]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
115th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 115-113
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TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO ESTABLISH A STRUCTURE FOR
VISITOR SERVICES ON THE ARLINGTON RIDGE TRACT, IN THE AREA OF THE U.S.
MARINE CORPS WAR MEMORIAL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
_______
May 11, 2017.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union 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 H.R. 1073]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 1073) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior
to establish a structure for visitor services on the Arlington
Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial,
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 H.R. 1073 is to authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to establish a structure for visitor services on
the Arlington Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps
War Memorial.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial located in Arlington,
Virginia, honors United States Marine Corps members who have
given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775.
Based on the iconic image by Joe Rosenthal, the Memorial
depicts five U.S Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the
American flag on the island of Iwo Jima during World War II.
The Memorial attracts over one million visitors annually and
hosts several popular events including Summer Sunset Parades
and the Marine Corps Marathon. Despite this popularity, the
Memorial lacks basic visitor services such as permanent
restroom facilities. Due to the high visitation numbers at the
Memorial, the National Park Service (NPS) identified a clear
need to replace the existing temporary portable bathroom
facilities in favor of a more respectful and permanent
solution.
H.R. 1073 authorizes the construction of a visitor services
center that includes permanent restroom facilities and a small
area for interpretative signage and materials near the
Memorial. When Congress authorized the United States Air Force
Memorial in 2001, the legislation prohibited the creation of
additional structures on the 25.32 acre parcel of land
surrounding the Memorial. Congress did not intend to restrict a
facility for public restrooms but rather wanted to keep the
area surrounding the Memorial open and potentially available
for future use by Arlington National Cemetery. Given the
prohibition on construction, this legislation is necessary for
NPS to move forward with the creation of a new visitor services
facility. NPS intends to construct a non-staffed facility,
designed to ensure a minimal impact on the open space around
the Memorial, funded by a recent $5.37 million donation from
philanthropist David Rubenstein.
In the 114th Congress, Congressman Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-
VA) introduced identical legislation as H.R. 4789. On May 24,
2016, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on that
bill. At the hearing, NPS testified in support of the
legislation. Subsequently, on July 14, 2016, the Committee on
Natural Resources favorably reported the bill (House Report
114-690), and on September 6, 2016, the bill passed the House
by voice vote.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1073 was introduced on February 15, 2017, by
Congressman Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA). The bill was referred
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee
to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On April 26, 2017, 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 on April 27,
2017.
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) 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 following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 5, 2017.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1073, a bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a
structure for visitor services on the Arlington Ridge tract, in
the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, and for other
purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl.
Sinerely,
Keith Hall.
Enclosure.
H.R. 1073--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
establish a structure for visitor services on the Arlington
Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial,
and for other purposes
H.R. 1073 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS)
to construct a small structure for visitor services on the
Arlington Ridge tract of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in
Arlington, Virginia. Based on information from the NPS about
the design and construction of the structure, CBO estimates
that implementing the bill would cost about $1 million over the
2018-2022 period. Such spending would be subject to the
availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting H.R. 1073 would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO
estimates that enacting H.R. 1073 would not increase net direct
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive
10-year periods beginning in 2028.
H.R. 1073 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 Jon Sperl. The
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
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 authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to establish a structure for visitor services on the
Arlington Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War
Memorial.
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.
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