[House Report 105-669]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
105th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 105-669
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EXPANSION OF FORT DAVIS HISTORIC SITE, FORT DAVIS, TEXAS
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August 3, 1998.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3047]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 3047) to authorize expansion of Fort Davis National
Historic Site in Fort Davis, Texas, by 16 acres, 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. 3047 is to authorize expansion of Fort
Davis National Historic Site, in Fort Davis, Texas, by 16
acres.
Background and Need for Legislation
H.R. 3047 would authorize the expansion of Fort Davis
National Historic Site by 16 acres. This bill would amend the
Fort Davis Historic Site enabling legislation (75 Stat. 488) by
increasing the ``not to exceed'' acreage clause by 16 acres.
The acreage to be acquired is needed to protect the site's
historic setting and viewshed. No federally appropriated funds
are requested for the land acquisition.
The Fort Davis site was established in 1961 because it
represented a key Army post in the defense system of West Texas
during the mid-to-late 1800s. The land to be acquired is
situated on the southern boundary of the existing Fort Davis
site and may include valuable archaeological and historical
objects. The site is also the probable location of the
quartermaster sergeant's and commissary sergeant's quarters.
The land to be acquired is a 16 acre parcel of private land and
includes a land formation, known locally as the Sleeping Lion
Mountain, and has been offered for sale to the National Park
Service. The National Park Service has expressed a keen
interest in acquiring this land and the seller has stated that
the Park Service would have first options to purchase the land
when it became available. Commercial development in close
proximity to the Historical Site has become a major concern.
Visual intrusions are occurring and will continue within the
surrounding town area that is unincorporated and has no zoning
restrictions. Acquisition of the property would prevent the
possibility of commercial development and also eliminate the
impact of any visual intrusions.
No federally appropriated funds are necessary for this
acquisition. Funding for its purchase would come from other
sources such as private or foundation donations. Furthermore,
this proposal would require no additional staffing, personnel,
or equipment costs.
Committee Action
H.R. 3047 was introduced on November 13, 1997, by
Congressman Henry Bonilla (R-TX). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Resources, and within the Committee, to the
Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. On March 26,
1998, the Subcommittee held a hearing H.R. 3047 where Denis
Galvin, Deputy Director of the National Park Service, testified
in favor of the bill. On May 21, 1998, the Subcommittee met to
consider H.R. 3047. No amendments were offered and the bill was
ordered favorably reported to the Full Committee by voice vote.
On July 22, 1998, the Full Resources Committee met to consider
H.R. 3047. No amendments were offered and H.R. 3047 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 H.R. 3047.
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. 3047. 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.
3047 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. 3047.
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.
3047 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, July 31, 1998.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3047, a bill to
authorize expansion of Fort Davis National Historic Site in
Fort Davis, Texas, by 16 acres.
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. 3047--A bill to authorize expansion of Fort Davis National
Historic Site in Fort Davis, Texas, by 16 acres
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3047 would have no
significant 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. 3047 contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would have no significant
impact on the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
H.R. 3047 would expand the boundaries of the Fort Davis
National Historic Site by up to 16 acres. Based on information
provided by the National Park Service (NPS) and the
Conservation Fund (the Fund), CBO expects that the land would
be donated to the federal government by the Fund, a nonprofit
organization that recently purchased the property from a local
landowner. If the Fund donates the land, federal costs would be
limited to a few thousand dollars for surveying and mapping
(assuming the availability of appropriated funds). CBO
estimates that, in the unlikely event that the NPS would have
to purchase the site from the Fund, the cost would be less than
$50,000 (also assuming the availability of appropriated funds).
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. 3047 contains no unfunded mandates.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
Act of September 8, 1961
AN ACT Authorizing the establishment of a national historic site at
Fort Davis, Jeff Davis County, Texas
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
Secretary of the Interior shall acquire, on behalf of the
United States, by gift, purchase, condemnation, or otherwise,
all right, title, and interest in and to such lands, [not to
exceed four hundred and sixty acres] not to exceed 476 acres in
all, together with any improvements thereon, as the Secretary
may deem necessary for the purpose of establishing a national
historic site at the site of Fort Davis, near the town of Fort
Davis, Jeff Davis County, Texas.
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