[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 87 (Monday, July 6, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S7364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CBO COST ESTIMATE--S. 1403

 Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, when the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources filed its report on S. 1403, the National Historic 
Lighthouse Preservation Act of 1998, the estimate of the Congressional 
Budget Office was not available. The estimate has since been received 
and I ask that it be printed in the Record for the information of the 
Senate.
  The material follows:

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                    Washington, DC, June 29, 1998.
     Hon. Frank H. Murkowski,
     Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. 
         Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1403, the National 
     Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 1998.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Deborah 
     Reis (for Federal costs) and Marjorie Miller (for the state 
     and local impact).
           Sincerely,
                                                  June E. O'Neill,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosure.
     S. 1403--National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 
         1998
       Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO 
     estimates that implementing S. 1403 would cost the federal 
     government less than $500,000 annually beginning in fiscal 
     year 1999. Because the bill could increase direct spending, 
     pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. CBO estimates, however, 
     that any such effects would be negligible. The bill contains 
     no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in 
     the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on 
     state, local, or tribal governments.
       S. 1403 would create two programs related to historic 
     lighthouses. The first of these would be a program to 
     preserve national historic lighthouses, under which the 
     National Park Service (NPS) would collect information about 
     such facilities and would support related education and 
     research projects. The second would be a process under which 
     the federal government--acting through the NPS and the 
     General Services Administration (GSA--would convey or sell 
     surplus lighthouses to nonfederal entities. The bill would 
     authorize the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary 
     to carry out these programs. In addition, proceeds from any 
     sales of lighthouses under the bill could be spent without 
     further appropriation for the NPS's national maritime 
     heritage grant program. Under existing law, proceeds from 
     sales of property such as lighthouses are treated as 
     offsetting receipts and cannot be spent without appropriation 
     action.
       The NPS, GSA, and other federal agencies, such as the U.S. 
     Coast Guard, already perform many of the duties that would be 
     required by S. 1403, including both preserving historic 
     lighthouses and disposing of surplus stations. Based on 
     information provided by the NPS, CBO estimates that the 
     federal government would spend less than $500,000 annually in 
     appropriated funds to carry out the more formal preservation 
     program required by this legislation and to process 
     lighthouse conveyances under the new disposal process.
       CBO estimates that any effect on direct spending would be 
     insignificant because the government would be as unlikely to 
     sell any lighthouses under this legislation as it is under 
     existing authorities. Entities eligible to receive title to 
     historic lighthouses under this bill would include state and 
     local agencies. Participation by such agencies and any 
     related costs would be voluntary on their part.
       The CBO staff contacts are Deborah Reis (for federal costs) 
     and Marjorie Miller (for the state and local impact). This 
     estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy Assistant 
     Director for Budget Analysis.

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