[Senate Report 105-404]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 627
105th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 105-404
_______________________________________________________________________
ADAMS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ACT OF 1998
_______
October 10 (legislative day, October 2), 1998.--Ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
Mr. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2240]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2240) to establish the Adams National
Historical Park in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill, as
amended, do pass.
The amendments are as follows:
1. On page 4, strike lines 1 through 6 and insert the
following:
``(1) Historical park.--The term `historical park'
means the Adams National Historic Park established in
section 4.''.
2. On page 4 strike section 4 in its entirety and insert
the following:
``SEC. 4. ADAMS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.
``(a) Establishment.--In order to preserve for the benefit
and inspiration of the people of the United States as a
national historical park certain properties in Quincy,
Massachusetts, associated with John Adams, secondPresident of
the United States, his wife, Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams, sixth
President of the United States, and his wife, Louisa Adams, there is
established the Adams National Historical Park as a unit of the
National Park System.
``(b) Boundaries.--
``(1) The historical park shall be comprised of the
following:
``(A) all property administered by the
National Park Service in the Adams National
Historic Site as of the date of enactment of
this Act, as well as all property previously
authorized to be acquired by the Secretary for
inclusion in the Adams National Historic Site,
as generally depicted on the map entitled
``Adams National Historical Park'', numbered
NERO 386/80,000, and dated April 1998; and
``(B) all property authorized to be acquired
for inclusion in the historical park by this
Act or other law enacted after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
``(c) Visitor and Administrative Sites.--To preserve the
historical character and landscape of the main features of the
historical park, the Secretary may acquire up to 10 acres for
the development of visitor, administrative, museum, curatorial,
and maintenance facilities adjacent to or in the general
proximity of the property depicted on the map identified in
subsection (b)(1)(A).
``(d) Map.--The map of the historical park shall be on file
and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices
of the National Park Service.''.
3. On page 6 following subsection (c) insert the following
new subsections:
``(d) Repeal of Superceded Administrative Authorities.--
``(1) Section 312 of the National Parks and
recreation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-625; 92 Stat.
3479) is amended by striking `(a)' after `SEC. 312';
and strike subsection (b) in its entirety.
``The first section of Public Law 96-435 (94 Stat.
1861) is amended by striking `(a)' after `That'; and
strike subsection (b) in its entirety.
``(e) References to the Historic Site.--Any reference in
any law [other than this Act], regulation, document, record,
map, or other paper of the United States to the Adams National
Historic Site shall be considered to be a reference to the
historical park.''.
4. On page 6, strike lines 10 through 15, and insert in
lieu thereof: ``There is authorized to be appropriated such
sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.''.
Purpose of the Measure
The purpose of S. 2240 is to expand the boundaries of Adams
National Historical Site in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
by approximately ten acres and to redesignate the Adams
National Historical Site as the ``Adams National Historical
Park''.
Background and Need
The Adams National Historic Site (Historic Site) was
established in 1946 and commemorates the Adams family's
political contributions to the United States. The site consists
of the birthplaces of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the
second and sixth U.S. Presidents, and the family's Old House
that was occupied by four generations of the Adams family. The
site contains over 30,000 artifacts, including original
furnishings.
The Adams National Historic Site General Management Plan
(Plan) recommends that the park acquire property for a
permanent visitor center in the city of Quincy, in order to
provide visitor services for the Historic Site. The plan notes
that there are no appropriate sites for development within the
current boundary due to the integrity of the cultural and
historic landscape, historic landmark status, and the adjacent
floodplain. The National Park Service has missed several
opportunities to accept lands or property by donation, or
acquire buildings that have become available in the city of
Quincy, due to legislative restrictions. This legislation would
allow the Secretary of the Interior to acquire up to 10 acres
in Quincy, Massachusetts to develop administrative facilities.
Since the establishment of the Historic Site, several
properties have been added including the Beale Estate, the
Adam's Birthplaces, and the United First Parish Church
containing the Adams Crypt. S. 2240 would re-designate the
Historic Site as Adams National Historical Park to more
accurately reflect the site's current configuration.
Legislative History
S. 2240 was introduced on June 26, 1998 by Senator
Murkowski at the request of the administration, and referred to
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Subcommittee
on National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation held a
hearing on S. 2240 on September 17, 1998.
At its business meeting on September 24, 1998, the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2240,
favorably reported as amended.
Committee Recommendation and Tabulation of Votes
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on September 24, 1998, by a unanimous voice
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S.
2240, if amended as described herein.
Committee Amendment
During the consideration of S. 2240, the Committee adopted
an amendment which made technical corrections needed to clarify
the billincluding revised definitions, boundary descriptions
and related reference maps.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1 designates the bill's short title as the ``Adams
National Historical Park Act of 1998.''
Section 2 lists the findings and purposes of the bill. In
addition, the section states the purpose of the bill is to
establish the Adams National Historical Park.
Section 3 defines certain key terms in the Act comprising
the Adams National Historical Site.
Section 4 designates certain properties in Quincy,
Massachusetts, the Adams National Historical Park as a unit of
the National Park System. Section 4 states the historical park
shall be comprised of all property currently owned by the
National Park Service as well as all property previously
authorized to be acquired, as generally depicted on the map
entitled Adams National Historical Park, numbered NERO 386/
80,000 and dated April, 1998. Property authorized to be
acquired by this act or other law enacted after this act will
be included in the Historical Park.
This section also authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
(Secretary) to acquire up to 10 additional acres for the
development of visitor, administrative, museum, curatorial, and
maintenance facilities adjacent to or in the general proximity
of the property depicted on the map identified in this section.
The map will be on file with the National Park Service and
available to the public.
Section 5 states the park shall be administered by the
Secretary in accordance with this section and the provisions of
law generally applicable to units of the National Park System,
including the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a National
Park Service, and for other purposes'', approved August 25,
1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1, 2, 3, and 4) and the Act of
August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461-467), as amended.
Subsection (b) allows the Secretary to consult and enter
into cooperative agreements with interested entities and
individuals to provide for the preservation development,
interpretation, and use of the park. Section 5 also provides
that any payment made by the Secretary pursuant to a
cooperative agreement be subject to an agreement that
conversion, use, or disposal of the project for purposes
contrary to the purposes of this Act shall result in a right of
the United states to reimbursement of all funds made available
to such a project or the proportion of the increased value of
the project at the time of such conversion, use, or disposal,
whichever is greater.
Subsection (c) authorizes the Secretary to acquire property
with appropriated or donated funds, by donation, or by
exchange, within the boundaries of the park.
Subsection (d) amends Public Law 95-625 and Public Law 96-
435 repealing administrative authority to manage the area as a
historical site.
Subsection (e) clarifies that reference in any written
document to the Adams National Historic Site will considered to
be a reference to the Adams National Historical Park.
Section 6 authorizes appropriations necessary to carry out
this Act.
Cost and Budgetary Considerations
The Congressional Budget Office estimates of the costs of
this measure has been requested but was not received at the
time the report was filed. When the report is available, the
Chairman will request it to be printed in the Congressional
Record for the advice of the Senate.
Regulatory Impact Evaluation
In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in
carrying out S. 2240. The bill is not a regulatory measure in
the sense of imposing Government-established standards of
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals
and businesses.
No personal information would be collected in administering
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal
privacy.
Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from
enactment of S. 2240, as ordered reported.
Executive Communications
S. 2240 was introduced at the request of the
Administration. On February 23, 1998, the Department of the
Interior transmitted a letter to the Energy and Natural
Resources Committee requesting that the bill be introduced and
passed. A copy of the letter and the testimony of the National
Park Service follows:
Department of the Interior,
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, DC, February 23, 1998.
Hon. Albert Gore, Jr.,
President of the Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. President: Enclosed is a draft bill ``To establish
the Adams National Historical Park in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and for other purposes.''
We recommend the bill be introduced, referred to the
appropriate committee,and enacted.
The legislation would establish the Adams National
Historical Park in Quincy, Massachusetts. Currently the
proposed Adams National Historical Park is designated as a
National Historic Site. It was established by Secretarial Order
in 1935 based on the Historic Sites Act. It was expanded in
1952 again by Secretarial Order. In 1972, 1978 and 1980,
Congress added more acreage to the site and authorized the
addition of two separate properties to the historic site. The
continued expansion of the historic site with the addition of
separate properties all focused on the life and history of John
Adams, Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams, and their descendants,
qualifies the existing National Park System unit for
designation as a national historical park.
The legislation would authorized the acquisition of ten
additional acres for development of visitor and administrative
facilities to protect the historical setting and integrity of
the historical park. The legislation directs that the
historical park be managed in accord with the laws applicable
to units of the National Park System, in particular the
National Park Service Organic Act of 1916 and the Historic
Sites Act of 1935. The legislation also provides specific
cooperative agreement authority to the historical park to work
with outside entities and individuals on the preservation,
development, interpretation, and use of the site.
The redesignation of Adams National Historic Site to Adams
National Historical Park is the important recognition that the
collection of sites in Quincy, Massachusetts, related to the
lives of John Adams, 2nd President of the United States, his
wife Abigail and their descendants, including their son, John
Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States, properly
deserves. The authorities for land acquisition and cooperative
agreements are critical for the successful protection,
development, interpretation and use of the Adams National
Historical Park.
The Office of Management and Budget has advised that there
is no objection to the enactment of the enclosed draft
legislation from the standpoint of the Administration's
program.
Sincerely,
Donald Barry,
Acting Assistant Secretary for
Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
------
Statement of Destry Jarvis, Assistant Director for External Affairs,
National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for
the opportunity to appear before you to present the Department
of the Interior's views on S. 2240, a bill to establish Adams
National Historical Park in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Department of the Interior strongly supports this bill.
Senator Murkowski introduced S. 2240 at the request of the
Administration. If enacted, S. 2240 would rename the Adams
National Historic Site, more accurately reflecting its multi-
unit status, and would authorize acquisition of ten additional
acres to improve visitor services, curatorial and maintenance
facilities. The bill would also authorize appropriations for
annual operations and maintenance of the historical park and
reaffirm its cooperative agreement authorities.
The expansion of park programs has resulted in a great need
for additional administrative, interpretive and maintenance
workspace to adequately manage programs. Authorizing this land
acquisition increase will afford the park the opportunity to
remove inappropriate uses from historic structures, as well as
to correct unsafe working conditions, by removing
administrative and maintenance functions from the 1873 Adams
Carriage House, located at the Old House Unit of the historic
site.
Adams National Historic Site was established in 1946, to
preserve and protect the cultural landscape, home and
possessions of four generations of the Adams family including
Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and to educate the
general public about their significance to future generations.
A deed of gift transferred the ``Old House'' (Adams Mansion)
from the Adams family to the National Park Service. Originally
designated Adams Mansion National Historic Site, the boundary
was expanded legislatively in 1952 and the site renamed as
Adams National Historic Site. Subsequent legislation (in 1972,
1978, and 1980) further expanded the site such that it now
comprises three separate units within a 1.5-mile radius of the
Old House, all within the city of Quincy, Massachusetts.
The park provides national and international visitors,
researchers, and students a unique opportunity to explore the
presidency and the Adams family from the cradle (their two
birthplaces and summer White House) to the grave (the final
resting place of two presidents and their wives in the Adams'
crypt). The homes reflect the residency of one of America's
most distinguished families; two Presidents of the United
States (the only father and son presidents in this country),
diplomats, legislators, literary figures, and economic leaders.
The Old House, a fine wooden structure purchased by John
and Abigail Adams in 1787 contains some 78,000 artifacts once
owned by the Adams family during their occupancy, which
extended from 1788 to 1927. The collections of furniture,
paintings, books, and documents help to tell the story of the
Adams family and their important roles in our national history
from the colonial period through the industrial age.
The Stone Library (the first presidential library),
adjacent to the Old House, contains some 14,000 volumes
including original documents relating to our country's history
including George Washington's Farewell Address, and the Mendi
Bible, given to President John Quincy Adams while he served in
Congress and defended the Mendi captives on board the Amistad.
Through previous acquisition of the adjacent Beale Estate,
the historic property has been protected against encroachment.
Including a 1792 Georgian structure surrounded by five
landscaped acres, the Beale Estate protects the park boundary
from inappropriate development and insures that the cultural
landscape remains open, as it was when John Adams lived at the
Old House.
The birthplace homes of John Adams and John Quincy Adams,
18th century wooden frame structures, were transferred to the
National Park Service from the City of Quincy in 1979. The
United First Parish Church, a National Historic Landmark, is
the burial place of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams
and their first ladies, Abigail and Louisa Catherine. The
church is authorized for conveyance to the National Park
Service. This active parish is accessible to the public, and
forms an integral part of the park's interpretive programs
through a memorandum of understanding.
An interim visitor center is located in Quincy Center in a
rented portion of an office building. It serves a critical role
as the place where visitors are oriented to the park, and as
the hub of the trolley bus system that connects the three
sites. Current authorizing legislation does not permit fee
acquisition of this space, making the National Park Service
subject to the whims of the marketplace and private owners who
may or may not share the mission of the NPS. This bill would
allow the NPS to secure permanent space in a suitable location
near the three sites and guarantee that investments made would
have a longer useful life. Several suitable locations were
identified during preparation of the park's recently adopted
General Management Plan, and this bill would allow the managers
to work with the City of Quincy to act quickly should one of
the appropriate properties become available. Land acquisition
or construction projects would be subject to the availability
of funding for NPS priorities.
In addition, the park is in great need of curatorial work
and storage space. It seeks to meet this need by developing
space in conjunction with the Museum Services Center, an NPS
technical office about to be displaced from another location in
the Boston metropolitan area. A small increase in land
acquisition authority would enable the park to accept in
donation or to purchase a suitable building for this purpose,
possibly in the same structure as a permanent visitor center.
The Museum Services Center serves the Northeast Region whose
National Park sites contain collections, as wide-ranging as
FDR's wheelchair and George Washington's campaign tent. These
priceless objects preserve the nation's heritage and the
Northeast Museum Services Center helps the parks to fulfill
their cultural resource management, conservation and
preservation responsibilities.
Cooperative agreement authority will reaffirm the park's
ability to work in partnership with its community in areas of
mutual concern such as education and tourism. This in turn will
help the park with its facility expansions, transportation
system, and operational needs.
All of the proposed authorities contained in this bill are
consistent with the park's approved 1996 General Management
Plan, and are supported by the Adams Memorial Society,
consisting of members of the Adams family.
Subsequent to transmittal of the Administration's proposal,
we determined that there were technical corrections needed to
clarify the bill. These amendments include clearer definitions,
issues concerning the boundary descriptions and related
reference maps, and technical amendments conforming this bill
language to existing laws. The proposed text of these
amendments is attached to this testimony.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my prepared remarks. I would
be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill S. 2240, as ordered 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):
(Public Law 95-625, November 10, 1978)
Sec. 312. [(a)] In order to preserve for the benefit,
education, and inspiration of present and future generations
the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the
Secretary is authorized to accept the conveyance, without
monetary consideration, of the property known as the John Adams
Birthplace at 133 Franklin Street, and the property known as
the John Quincy Adams Birthplace at 141 Franklin Street, in
Quincy, Massachusetts, together with such adjacent real
property as may be desirable, for administration as part of the
Adams National Historic Site in Quincy, Massachusetts. Together
with, or following such conveyance, the Secretary is authorized
to accept the conveyance, without monetary consideration of
furnishings and personal property relating to such birthplaces,
after consultation with appropriate officials of the city of
Quincy and with the owner or owners of such furnishings and
personal property.
[(b) The Secretary shall administer the properties acquired
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section as part of the Adams
National Historic Site in accordance with this section and the
provisions of law generally applicable to national historic
sites, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535) and
the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666).]
* * * * * * *
(Public Law 96-435, October 10, 1980)
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That [(a)]
in order to preserve for the benefit, education, and
inspiration of present and future generations the church in
which John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Abigail Adams are
buried, the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') is authorized to accept the
conveyance, without monetary consideration, of the following
for administration as part of the Adams National Historic Site
in Quincy, Massachusetts:
(1) The property known as the United First Parish
Church, at 1306 Hancock Street, Quincy, Massachusetts,
together with such adjacent real property as the
Secretary considers desirable.
(2) The furnishings and personal property located in
the United First Parish Church, after consultation with
the chairman of the board of the United First Parish
Church and with the owners of such furnishings and
personal property.
[(b) The Secretary shall administer the property acquired
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section as part of the Adams
National Historic Site in accordance with this section and the
provisions of law generally applicable to national sites,
including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) and
the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 note).]