[House Report 115-290]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
115th Congress } { REPORT
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 115-290
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LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE BOUNDARY
MODIFICATION ACT
_______
September 5, 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. 2611]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 2611) to modify the boundary of the Little Rock
Central High School National Historic Site, 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. 2611 is to modify the boundary of the
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.
Background and Need for Legislation
In a key event of the American Civil Rights movement, nine
black students enrolled at formerly all-white Central High
School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1957, testing the
landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of
Education of Topeka (347 U.S. 483) that declared segregation in
public schools unconstitutional. The admission of the ``Little
Rock Nine'', as they came to be known, drew national and
international attention, and was the first important test of
our Nation's resolve to enforce black civil rights in the face
of significant public defiance.
In recognition of the importance of Little Rock Central
High School in the history of the United States, the site was
designated by the Secretary of the Interior as a National
Historic Landmark in 1982, and was later designated as a
national historic site in 1998 by Public Law 105-356.
In 1996, the neighborhood surrounding the high school,
including seven privately owned residences on South Park
Street, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the Central High School Neighborhood Historic District. The
residences on South Park Street across from the high school are
inextricably connected with the significant events of 1957, as
images of the Little Rock Nine, crowds of protestors, the
public, and National Guardsmen appeared in newspapers across
the nation and were broadcast live through the emerging media
of television.
H.R. 2611 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS)
to enter into cooperative agreements with private property
owners of the South Park Street properties. This authority
would allow the NPS to use the site's operational funds to
mark, interpret, improve, restore, and provide technical
assistance for the preservation and interpretation of the
properties. It would also allow the NPS to assist the
homeowners in applying for federal grants.
All the property owners and several community members have
expressed their support for this proposal, including the
Central High Neighborhood, Inc., and Preserve Arkansas.
Committee Action
H.R. 2611 was introduced on May 23, 2017, by Congressman J.
French Hill (R-AR). The bill was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee
on Federal Lands. On July 25, 2017, the Natural Resources
Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered,
and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of
Representatives by unanimous consent on July 26, 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
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, August 29, 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. 2611, the Little
Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary
Modification Act.
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.
Enclosure.
H.R. 2611--Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
Boundary Modification Act
H.R. 2611 would modify the boundary of the Little Rock
Central High School National Historic Site in Arkansas to
include seven privately-owned residences. The bill also would
authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to enter into
cooperative agreements with the owners of those residences to
provide technical assistance toward preservation and
interpretation of the properties.
CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less
than $500,000 over the next five years, assuming availability
of appropriated funds. Those costs would include updates to
maps, handouts, and signage to reflect the new site boundary,
and the provision of technical and financial assistance through
the cooperative agreements. According to the NPS, the agency
would not assume sole responsibility for the maintenance of the
properties.
Enacting H.R. 2611 would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2611 would not increase
net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
H.R. 2611 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 Janani
Shankaran. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo,
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 modify the boundary of the Little
Rock Central High School National Historic Site.
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 Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
PUBLIC LAW 105-356
AN ACT To establish the Little Rock Central High School National
Historic Site in the State of Arkansas, and for other purposes.
* * * * * * *
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
(a) Establishment.--The Little Rock Central High School
National Historic Site in the State of Arkansas (hereinafter
referred to as the ``historic site'') is hereby established as
a unit of the National Park System. The historic site shall
consist of lands and interests therein comprising the Central
High School campus and adjacent properties in Little Rock,
Arkansas, as generally depicted on a map entitled ``Proposed
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site'',
numbered LIRO-20,000 and dated July, 1998. Such map shall be on
file and available for public inspection in the appropriate
offices of the National Park Service.
(b) Boundary Modification.--The boundary of the historic site
is modified to include the 7 residences on South Park Street in
Little Rock, Arkansas, consisting of 1.47 acres, as generally
depicted on the map entitled ``Central High School National
Historic Site Proposed Boundary'', numbered 037/80,001, and
dated August, 2004.
[(b)] (c) Administration of Historic Site.--The Secretary of
the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the ``Secretary'')
shall administer the historic site in accordance with this Act.
Only those lands under the direct jurisdiction of the Secretary
shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of law
generally applicable to units of the National Park System
including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1, 2-4) and the
Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461-467). Nothing in this Act
shall affect the authority of the Little Rock School District
to administer Little Rock Central High School nor shall this
Act affect the authorities of the City of Little Rock in the
neighborhood surrounding the school.
[(c)] (d) Cooperative Agreements.--[(1) The Secretary]
(1) In general._The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements with appropriate public and
private agencies, organizations, and institutions
(including, but not limited to, the State of Arkansas,
the City of Little Rock, the Little Rock School
District, Central High Museum, Inc., Central High
Neighborhood, Inc., or the University of Arkansas) in
furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
(2) Cooperative agreements for the preservation and
interpretation of certain properties.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements with the owners of the 7
residences referred to in subsection (b)
pursuant to which the Secretary may use
appropriated funds to mark, interpret, improve,
restore, and provide technical assistance with
respect to the preservation and interpretation
of the properties.
(B) Inclusions.--An agreement entered into
under subparagraph (A) shall include a
provision specifying that no changes or
alterations shall be made to the exterior of
the properties subject to the agreement, except
by the mutual agreement of the parties to the
agreement.
[(2) The Secretary]
(3) Coordination._The Secretary shall coordinate
visitor interpretation of the historic site with the
Little Rock School District and the Central High School
Museum, Inc.
[(d)] (e) General Management Plan.--Within three years after
the date funds are made available, the Secretary shall prepare
a general management plan for the historic site. The plan shall
be prepared in consultation and coordination with the Little
Rock School District, the City of Little Rock, Central High
Museum, Inc., and with other appropriate organizations and
agencies. The plan shall identify specific roles and
responsibilities for the National Park Service in administering
the historic site, and shall identify lands or property, if
any, that might be necessary for the National Park Service to
acquire in order to carry out its responsibilities. The plan
shall also identify the roles and responsibilities of other
entities in administering the historic site and its programs.
The plan shall include a management framework that ensures the
administration of the historic site does not interfere with the
continuing use of Central High School as an educational
institution.
[(e)] (f) Acquisition of Property.--The Secretary is
authorized to acquire by purchase with donated or appropriated
funds by exchange, or donation the lands and interests therein
located within the boundaries of the historic site: Provided,
That the Secretary may only acquire lands or interests therein
within the consent of the owner thereof: Provided further, That
lands or interests therein owned by the State of Arkansas or a
political subdivision thereof, may only be acquired by donation
or exchange.
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