[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9660-S9661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 
                                  1998

  Mr. GORTON. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to 
the consideration of calendar No. 488, H.R. 3504.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3504) to amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act 
     to authorize appropriations for the John F. Kennedy Center 
     for the Performing Arts and to further define the criteria 
     for capital repair and operation and maintenance.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, the bill now before the Senate is the 
``John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Authorization Act.''
  The concept of a national Center for the performing arts originated 
during the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. President 
Eisenhower envisioned a national cultural center in the nation's 
capital, and in 1958, with the support of Congress, he signed into law 
the National Cultural Center Act, which established the Center as an 
independently administered bureau of the Smithsonian Institution. 
Following the death of President Kennedy, the Congress in 1964 renamed 
the Center in honor of the late president.
  The Kennedy Center was opened to the public in September 1971. The 
response was overwhelming--so much so that the Center's Board of 
Trustees requested help from Congress in maintaining and operating the 
Center, for the benefit of the millions of visitors. In 1972, Congress 
authorized the National Park Service to provide maintenance, security, 
and other services necessary to maintain the facility. For the next two 
decades, the Park Service received federal appropriations for the 
maintenance and operation of the Presidential monument.
  In the early part of this decade, however, it became clear that the 
Kennedy Center facility--which had not seen comprehensive capital 
repair since its opening--had deteriorated significantly due to both 
age and intensive public use. Those repairs that had taken place--such 
as the 1977 repair of the leaking roof--were undertaken in response to 
threatening conditions. The Board of Trustees, with the support of the 
Park Service, therefore set out to achieve a more effective long-term 
approach to management of the facility, with one entity responsible for 
both the care of the physical plant and the staging of performance 
activities.
  In 1994, therefore, Congress approved and the President signed the 
John F. Kennedy Center Act Amendments (Public Law 103-279). That Act 
authorized the transfer of all capital repair, operations, and 
maintenance of the Center from the Park Service to the Kennedy Center 
Board of Trustees.
  The Act also directed the Board to develop a comprehensive, multi-
year plan for the restoration and ongoing maintenance of the Kennedy 
Center. In 1995, the Board delivered the Comprehensive Building Plan, 
which set forth a long-term, two-stage program for the remediation of 
substandard building conditions, as well as continuous maintenance for 
the future. Phase I, scheduled for Fiscal Years 1995 through 1998, has 
concluded successfully. During this time, several major projects were 
completed, including the installation of a new, energy-efficient 
heating and cooling system, replacement of the leaking roof and roof 
terrace, and the major renovation of the Concert Hall. Phase II is 
scheduled to take place over the next eleven fiscal

[[Page S9661]]

years, through Fiscal Year 2009. This stage will involve the massive 
``Center Block'' project, during which the Opera House will be 
overhauled, as well as projects to make improvements to the plaza, 
improve accessibility to the theaters, install fire and other safety 
technology, and make a host of other repairs designed to ensure that 
the facility meets life safety standards.
  That brings us to the legislation we are considering today. For the 
major Phase II projects to get underway, Congress must revise the 1994 
Act to authorize appropriate funding for the next several fiscal years. 
This bill authorizes significant funding levels for the next eleven 
fiscal years for maintenance as well as capital repair work.
  The bill before the Senate is H.R. 3504, the House-passed bill. It is 
almost identical to S. 2038, legislation that I introduced and that was 
reported by the Environment and Public Works Committee on June 12, 
1998. Because of the similarity in the two bills, we are pleased to 
pass the House bill without amendment sending it to the President for 
his signature.
  The Kennedy Center is a living Presidential memorial and a national 
monument, and as such demands a high standard of maintenance and 
upkeep. As an ex-officio member of the Board, and Chairman of the 
authorizing Committee, I am dedicated to the appropriate restoration 
and preservation of the facility, which millions of Americans have 
enjoyed for more than a quarter of a century.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter from the 
Congressional Budget Office setting forth the budgetary impacts of this 
legislation be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                    Washington, DC, July 23, 1998.
     Hon. John H. Chafee,
     Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. 
         Senate, Washington, DC
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3504, the John 
     F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Authorization Act 
     of 1998.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Christina 
     Hawley Sadoti.
           Sincerely,
                                                     James L. Blum
                                  (For June E. O'Neill, Director).
       Enclosure.

               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

     H.R. 3504--John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 
         Authorization Act of 1998
       Summary: H.R. 3504 would provide additional authorizations 
     in the amount of $146 million for capital projects, 
     operations, and maintenance at the John F. Kennedy Center for 
     the Performing Arts for fiscal years 1999 through 2003. 
     Because H.R. 3504 would not affect direct spending or 
     receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
       H.R. 3504 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
     1995 (UMRA).
       Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
     budgetary impact of H.R. 3504 is shown in the following 
     table.
       The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 
     500 (education, training, employment, and social services).

                                                                                                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       By fiscal year, in millions of dollars                   
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        1998         1999         2000         2001         2002         2003   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                
                                        SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION                                       
                                                                                                                
Authorizations under current law:                                                                               
    Authorization levels..........           20           21            0            0            0            0
    Estimated outlays.............           18           20            9            4            3            1
Proposed changes:                                                                                               
    Authorization levels..........  ...........           12           34           34           34           32
    Estimated outlays.............  ...........            4           19           26           30           33
Authorization under H.R. 3504:                                                                                  
    Authorization levels..........           20           33           34           34           34           32
    Estimated outlays.............           18           24           29           30           33           34
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       Basis of estimate: H.R. 3504 would amend the John F. 
     Kennedy Center Act to reauthorize appropriations for the John 
     F. Kennedy Center. The bill would authorize spending on 
     maintenance, repair, and security at $13 million for 1999, 
     $14 million for each of fiscal years 2000 and 2001, and $15 
     million for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003. Capital 
     projects would be authorized at $20 million annually for 
     fiscal years 1999-2001, $19 million for fiscal year 2002, and 
     $17 million for fiscal year 2003. Currently these functions 
     are authorized through fiscal year 1999--maintenance, repair 
     and security at $12 million and capital projects at $9 
     million. Thus, enactment of H.R. 3504 would result in a net 
     increase in authorizations of $12 million for fiscal year 
     1999 and $146 million over the 1999-2003 period. Assuming 
     that the amounts authorized are appropriated and that 
     spending follows historical outlay patterns, H.R. 3504 would 
     result in increased outlays of $112 million during fiscal 
     years 1999-2003.
       Pay-as-you-go considerations: None.
       Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 3504 
     contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
     defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 and would 
     not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
     governments.
       Previous CBO estimates: On May 6, 1998, CBO provided an 
     identical estimate for H.R. 3504 as ordered reported by the 
     House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In 
     addition, CBO provided an identical estimate for a similar 
     bill, S. 2038, on May 22, 1998.
       Estimate prepared by: Federal Cost: Christina Hawley 
     Sadoti; Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Marc 
     Nicole; and Impact on the Private Sector: Jean Wooster.
       Estimate approved by: Paul N. Van de Water, Assistant 
     Director for Budget Analysis.

  Mr. GORTON. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read 
a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements relating to the bill appear at the 
appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 3504) was considered read the third time and passed.

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