H. Rept. 114-690 - 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 PURPOSES114th Congress (2015-2016)

H. Rept. 114-690 - 114th Congress (2015-2016)

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House Report 114-690 - 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

[House Report 114-690]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


114th Congress    }                                     {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                     {      114-690

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

                                _______
                                

 July 14, 2016.--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. 4789]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 4789) 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. 4789 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 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 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. 4789 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 for the 
prohibition 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 billionaire philanthropist 
David Rubenstein.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 4789 was introduced on March 17, 2016, 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 May 24, 2016, the 
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 14, 2016, 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 June 15, 2016.

            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:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, June 30, 2016.
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. 4789, 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 Marin 
Burnett.
            Sincerely,
                                                        Keith Hall.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 4789--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. 4789 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 NPS about the 
design and construction of the structure, CBO estimates that 
implementing the bill would cost about $1 million over the 
2017-2021 period. Such spending would be subject to the 
availability of appropriated funds.
    Enacting H.R. 4789 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO 
estimates that enacting H.R. 4789 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2027.
    H.R. 4789 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 Marin Burnett. 
The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 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. According to the 
Congressional Budget Office (CBO), implementing H.R. 4789 would 
cost about $1 million over the 2017-2021 period, subject to 
appropriation. CBO estimates that the bill ``would not increase 
net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10 year periods beginning in 2027''.
    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 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. 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

    This bill does not amend existing law.

                                  [all]