[House Report 105-666]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 2d Session                                                     105-666
_______________________________________________________________________


 
                    MEMORIAL TO HONOR MAHATMA GANDHI

                                _______
                                

 July 31, 1998.--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

                        [To accompany H.R. 4284]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 4284) to authorize the Government of India to establish a 
memorial to honor Mahatma Gandhi in the District of Columbia, 
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. 4284 is to authorize the Government of 
India to establish a memorial to honor Mahatma Gandhi in the 
District of Columbia.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    H.R. 4284 authorizes the Government of India to establish a 
memorial to honor Mahatma Gandhi on federal property in the 
District of Columbia. The establishment of the memorial shall 
be in basic accordance with the Commemorative Works Act (40 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.). H.R. 4284 also authorizes the federal 
government to enter into cooperative agreements with the 
Government of India to maintain features associated with the 
memorial. The federal government shall not pay any expense for 
the establishment or maintenance of the memorial.
    Mahatma Gandhi was born in India in 1869. He was best known 
for his civil disobedience that took shape in non-violence and 
passive resistance. Gandhi was instrumental in helping India 
achieve its independence from England and is revered by 
millions throughout the world for his insatiable fight for 
personal freedom and human rights.
    The memorial is to be a gift to the people of the United 
States, as a part of the celebration of India's 50 years of 
freedom. Although certain minority groups from within India are 
opposed to the creation of any memorials of Gandhi, the 
Government of India is in full support of this legislation. 
This bill would give the necessary authorization for the Indian 
Government to build the memorial.
    H.R. 4284 is in basic compliance with the Commemorative 
Works Act, with two exceptions: (1) the memorial is not 
required to be a significant element of American history; and 
(2) the memorial is not required to be of lasting historical 
significance to the American people.
    Lastly, the bill specifically states that the federal 
government shall bear none of the expenses associated with the 
establishment or maintenance of the Gandhi memorial. However, 
the bill does authorize the Secretary of the Interior or the 
head of another federal agency to enter into cooperative 
agreements with the Government of India to maintain the 
memorial.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 4284 was introduced on July 21, 1998, by Congressman 
Bill McCollum (R-FL). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources. On July 22, 1998, the Full Resources Committee met 
to consider H.R. 4284. No amendments were offered and the bill 
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, 
theCommittee 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 H.R. 4284.

                        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 
H.R. 4284. 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, H.R. 
4284 does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    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 H.R. 4284.
    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 H.R. 
4284 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, July 30, 1998.
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 H.R. 4284, a bill to 
authorize the government of India to establish a memorial to 
honor Mahatma Gandhi in the District of Columbia.
    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.

H.R. 4284--A bill to authorize the government of India to establish a 
        memorial to honor Mahatma Gandhi in the District of Columbia

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4284 would have no impact 
on the federal budget. The bill would not affect direct 
spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would 
not apply. H.R. 4284 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.
    H.R. 4284 would authorize the government of India to 
establish a memorial honoring Mahatma Gandhi on federal land in 
Washington, D.C. The bill would allow the Department of the 
Interior or another federal agency to execute a cooperative 
agreement with India under which that country would maintain 
the memorial. No federal funds could be used for the purpose.
    The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. This estimate was 
approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy Assistant Director for 
Budget Analysis.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

    H.R. 4284 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.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, H.R. 4284 would make no changes in existing 
law.

                                
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