[House Report 105-167]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
105th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 105-167
_______________________________________________________________________
ADDITION TO FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL
_______
July 8, 1997.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
together with
ADDITIONAL VIEWS
[To accompany S.J. Res. 29]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the joint
resolution (S.J. Res. 29) to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to design and construct a permanent addition to the
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C., and for
other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon without amendment and recommend that the joint
resolution do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of S.J. Res. 29 is to direct the Secretary of
the Interior to design and construct a permanent addition to
the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (FDR Memorial) was
planned, designed, located, and constructed by the FDR Memorial
Commission which was established by law in 1955. The FDR
Memorial underwent extensive study and review by the Commission
of Fine Arts, the National Park Service, the Department of the
Interior, and the Congress. The final design for the FDR
Memorial was approved in 1978 following three national design
competitions. Construction of the FDR Memorial commenced in
1995 and was dedicated on May 2, 1997.
Beginning in 1995, representatives of the disabled
community raised legitimate concerns that President Roosevelt
be portrayed in a wheelchair to truly reflect that a disability
in no way diminishes the ability of an individual to fully
participate in all aspects of life. The FDR Commission
attempted to address these concerns by displaying a replica of
the wheelchair used by President Roosevelt and a rare
photograph of the him in a wheelchair in the FDR Memorial
Information Center. Furthermore, the FDR Memorial recognizes
the President's disability in a time line of landmark events of
the President's life. Carved in granite in a staircase is the
inscription, ``1921, stricken with poliomyelitis--he never
again walked unaided.''
On April 23, 1997, prior to formally dedicating the FDR
Memorial, President Clinton announced his intention of sending
legislation to Congress to modify the memorial. S.J. Res. 29
will complete the FDR Memorial. As President Clinton stated,
``* * * generations of Americans will know that this great
President was great with his disability.''
S.J. Res. 29 requires that the Secretary of the Interior,
as soon as practicable, report to Congress and the President
his findings and recommendations for this addition to the FDR
Memorial. The Secretary may seek the assistance and advice of
the disabled community, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the
National Capital Planning Commission in creating a final design
for this addition to the FDR Memorial. The Commission of Fine
Arts must approve the Secretary's final design.
Furthermore, S.J. Res. 29 requires that construction of the
addition to the FDR Memorial begin 120 days after submission of
the report to Congress using only private donations. The entire
process for completing this addition to the FDR Memorial must
comply with the requirements of the Commemorative Works Act of
1986.
committee action
S.J. Res. 29 was introduced on May 1, 1997, by Senator
Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) and passed by unanimous consent in the
U.S. Senate on the same day. In the House of Representatives,
the bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the
Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. On
June 25, 1997, the Subcommittee was discharged from further
consideration of the bill for direct consideration by the Full
Resources Committee. No amendments were offered, and the resolution was
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice
vote.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
With respect to the requirements of clause 2(l)(3) of rule
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and clause
2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives,
the Committee on Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
constitutional authority statement
Article I, section 8 and Article IV, section 3 of the
Constitution of the United States grant Congress the authority
to enact S.J. Res. 29.
COST OF THE LEGISLATION
Clause 7(a) 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
S.J. Res. 29. However, clause 7(d) 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 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XI
1. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(B) of
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, S.J.
Res. 29 does not contain any new budget authority, credit
authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax
expenditures. According to the Congressional Budget Office, if
enacted, the bill could increase mandatory spending by less
than $1 million if the National Park Service receives the
necessary contributions to begin construction, but that this
spending would be offset by donations. In addition, before
construction could begin, the National Park Service would
require contributors to deposit ten percent of the construction
cost in the U.S. Treasury to offset future maintenance costs.
Portions of the deposit (which would total $50,000 to $100,000)
would then be spent without further appropriation annually over
the life of the addition.
2. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(D) of
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee has received no report of oversight findings and
recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform and
Oversight on the subject of S.J. Res. 29.
3. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(C) of
rule XI 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 S.J.
Res. 29 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, July 8, 1997.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S.J. Res. 29, a joint
resolution to direct the Secretary of the Interior to design
and construct a permanent addition to the Franklin Delano
Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C., and for other purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
June E. O'Neill, Director.
Enclosure.
S.J. Res. 29--A joint resolution to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to design and construct a permanent addition to the
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC, and for
other purposes
S.J. Res. 29 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to
plan, design, and construct an addition to the Franklin Delano
Roosevelt Memorial recognizing the late president's
accomplishments while he was disabled. The resolution would
further direct the Secretary to report to the Congress and the
President on recommendations for the addition. Beginning 120
days after submission of the report, the Secretary would begin
construction of the addition using only private contributions.
Finally, S.J. Res. 29 would authorize the appropriation of
whatever amounts are necessary to carry out the legislation.
Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts for
planning and design, CBO estimates that implementing S.J. Res.
29 would cost the federal government less than $200,000 over
the next two fiscal years. Assuming that the National Park
Service (NPS) receives the necessary contributions to begin
construction, we estimate that mandatory spending would
increase by between $500,000 and $1 million over the following
year or two, but such spending would be offset by the
donations. In addition, before construction would begin, the
NPS probably would require the contributors to deposit 10
percent of the construction cost in the federal Treasury to
offset future maintenance costs. Portions of the deposit, which
would total $50,000 to $100,000, would then be spent without
further appropriation annually over the life of the addition.
Because the resolution would have no effect on direct
spending or receipts until after 1999, pay-as-you-go procedures
would not apply. S.J. Res. 29 contains no intergovernmental or
private-sector mandates and would impose no costs on state,
local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis.
The estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
compliance with public law 104-4
S.J. Res. 29 contains no unfunded mandates.
changes in existing law
If enacted, S.J. Res. 29 would make no changes in existing
law.
ADDITIONAL VIEWS
I would like to take this opportunity to comment on the
importance of S.J. Res 29, a bill that fully honors the memory
of one of our nation's finest Presidents, Franklin Delano
Roosevelt.
Foremost, I want to thank Senator Inouye of Hawaii for
introducing this legislation. Senator Inouye's leadership and
dedication to a proper memorial has been second to none.
Senator Inouye has correctly stated that, ``disability is a
natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes
the right to individuals to participate in all aspects of
American life * * * the depiction of President Roosevelt in a
wheelchair will inspire the tragically afflicted. It may very
well be a more honest way to depict President Roosevelt.'' Such
a strong commitment on the part of Senator Inouye has allowed
us all to pay full tribute to the life of Franklin Delano
Roosevelt.
I also want to thank Representative Don Young of Alaska,
Chairman of the House Resources Committee, and Representative
George Miller of California for bringing this legislation to
the House side in a bipartisan manner.
Modifying the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial by adding
a permanent statue which depicts him as a citizen wit a
handicap is essential if we are to fully understand the life
and times of FDR. The need to erect a permanent addition to the
FDR Memorial is twofold. First, it is imperative to publicly
acknowledge the great accomplishments of our 32nd President.
And second, a permanent statue sends a message to our citizens
that handicaps do not limit a person's opportunity for
achievement.
FDR's accomplishments as President speak volumes of the
fact that people living with handicaps can accomplish their
goals. Throughout his tenure as president, FDR remained firmly
committed to the development of all Americans, those with
disabilities and those without. In his Second Inaugural
Address, FDR spoke of the ``road of enduring progress'' on
which he claimed that ``mental and moral horizons had been
extended.'' For FDR this goal was especially important to those
living with handicaps. Ultimately, FDR sought the advancement
of this cause through the establishment of a foundation at Warm
Springs, Georgia to help other polio victims, and inspired the
March of Dimes program which funded an effective vaccine.
To be sure, our country has built upon the legacy of FDR
and has come a long way in ensuring the equality of all
citizens living with Disabilities through programs such as the
Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act. The FDR Memorial is simply a
testament of how far along the road of progress we have come as
a nation to ensuring that persons living with both mental and
physical handicaps are entitled to equal rights, equal access,
and equal opportunity.
The FDR Memorial serves as a reference point for those of
us who are traveling down the road of progress. FDR renounced
fear as it is ``nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which
paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.''
President Roosevelt's continued renunciation of fear, refusal
to crumble, and ability to act decisively and fearlessly in
spite of the pressures of the Great Depression and World War II
allowed him to develop into one of the finest role models for
the people of the United States.
A permanent statue of FDR as a citizen with a disability
will forever inspire all citizens to forge through our fears
and most difficult times. To me it is ironic, yet only fitting,
that during the Great Depression, a time when our nation was in
fact disabled, a man living with a handicap, stepped beyond his
limitations to lead our nation like no other. Our 32nd
President not only lived with a handicap, but did so while
being one of the great leaders of our country. FDR is symbolic
of perseverance, and his presidency is testimony that mental
and physical handicaps are not impediments to success.
In the end, a permanent statue which portrays Franklin
Delano Roosevelt as a person with a handicap will be forever a
reminder that disability is part of humanity and in no way
reduces a person's chance of fulfilling his or her dreams.
Patrick J. Kennedy.