[House Report 108-135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



108th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    108-135

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    DESIGNATION OF THE CARL T. CURTIS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MIDWEST 
                     REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS BUILDING

                                _______
                                

June 2, 2003.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

     Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 703]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (S. 703) to designate the regional 
headquarters building for the National Park Service under 
construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T. Curtis 
National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building'', 
having considered the same, report favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

                       PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

    The purpose of this legislation is to designate the 
regional headquarters building for the National Park Service 
under construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T. Curtis 
National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building.''

              BACKGROUND AND THE NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

    S. 703 designates a building under construction in Omaha, 
Nebraska as the ``Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest 
Regional Headquarters Building.'' The facility to be named will 
be occupied under a 20-year lease, the owner having given 
permission for the naming.
    Carl T. Curtis served Nebraska and the Country in Congress 
for 40 years, 24 of those on the Senate side and 16 in the 
House--his combined service in Congress is longer than any 
other Nebraskan. He was born on March 15, 1905 in Minden, 
Nebraska. Curtis grew up in a Democratic family and was a 
registered Democrat until 1936 when he changed parties. As a 
young boy Curtis's desire to serve the public became evident 
when he would practice his speech-making skills on the barn 
animals. Curtis became known for his ardent conservative 
Republican ideals, but garnered great respect and admiration on 
both sides of the aisle and all across Nebraska.
    Curtis demonstrated the heart of hard work and 
determination. While Curtis never attended law school, he 
obtained his law degree by ``reading the law'' on his own and 
passed the bar exam. Curtis also is the only elected official 
in state history to win office statewide while losing both 
Omaha and Lincoln. In Nebraska politics, he was known as a 
giant-killer, defeating two incumbent governors, one former 
governor, one governor-to-be, and two former House members. 
Curtis remained victorious in the Senate when in 1975 he waged 
a successful battle against Senator Jacob Javits, a Republican 
from New York, for the chairmanship of the Senate Republican 
Conference. As the new chairman of the Republican Conference he 
changed its role to be that of a research body providing 
Republican Senators with relevant information on emerging 
national issues. The function of the current Senate Republican 
Conference began under Curtis' leadership.
    In the 40 years that Curtis served in Congress, he sat on 
many Congressional Committees--Finance, Agriculture, Rules, and 
Space. While serving in the House, one of Curtis's greatest 
accomplishments came from sponsoring a resolution which led to 
the creation of the Pick-Sloan Plan for the Missouri basin, 
which was the blueprint for flood control and irrigation along 
the Missouri River. Curtis also served as the Ranking 
Republican on the Senate Finance Committee and worked 
tirelessly to enact the energy tax bill and the Tax Reform Act 
of 1976. Within the Senate and House chambers he was highly 
regarded as an authority on taxation.
    Among Curtis's political highlights, he was selected by 
Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona to serve as his floor 
manager at the Republican National Convention in SanFrancisco 
in 1964. With Curtis' help, Goldwater won the GOP presidential 
nomination that year.
    In 1931, Curtis married Lois Wylie-Atwater who championed 
him throughout his political career. They adopted two children. 
In 1970 Lois died. Curtis then married Mildred Genier Baker. He 
is survived by his wife, son Carl Thomas Curtis, Jr., four 
grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Curtis Sr. and 
Mildred were able to spend many healthy years together 
traveling throughout Nebraska and spending time with family and 
friends. Curtis' journey ended on January 24, 2000, but his 
legacy lives on.

                       SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Designation

    Section one designates the building under construction in 
Omaha, Nebraska for the National Park Service as the ``Carl T. 
Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters 
Building.''

Section 2. References

    This section clarifies that any reference in a law, map, 
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the building under construction in Omaha, Nebraska 
for the National Park Service shall be deemed a reference to 
the ``Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional 
Headquarters Building.''

            LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    No hearings were held in conjunction with ordering reported 
S. 703.

                        COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On May 21, 2003, the Full Committee met in open session and 
ordered reported S. 703, a bill designating the regional 
headquarters building for the National Park Service under 
construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T. Curtis 
National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building.'' 
A motion by Mr. LaTourette to order S. 703 favorably reported 
to the House was agreed to by the Full Committee unanimously, 
by voice vote, with a quorum present. There were no recorded 
votes taken during Committee consideration of S. 703.

                             ROLLCALL VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives 
requires each committee report to include the total number of 
votes cast for and against on each rollcall vote on a motion to 
report and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter, 
and the names of those members voting for and against. There 
were no rollcall votes taken in connection with ordering S. 703 
reported. A motion by Mr. LaTourette to order S. 703 favorably 
reported to the House was agreed to by voice vote, a quorum 
being present.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are 
reflected in this report.

                          COST OF LEGISLATION

    Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and 
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the 
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is 
included in this report.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

    1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee 
references the report of the Congressional Budget Office 
included below.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee advises that the bill contains no measure that 
authorizes funding, so no statement of general performance and 
objectives for which any measure that authorizes funding is 
required.
    3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee has received the following cost estimate for S. 703 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                      Washington, DC, May 22, 2003.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed the following legislation, as ordered reported by the 
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on May 21, 
2003:
           S. 703, an act to designate the regional 
        headquarters building for the National Park Service 
        under construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T. 
        Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional 
        Headquarters Building''; and
           H.R. 1082, a bill to designate the federal 
        building and United States courthouse located at 46 
        East Ohio Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, as the 
        ``Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States 
        Courthouse.''
    CBO estimates that their enactment would have no 
significant impact on the federal budget and would not affect 
direct spending or revenues. These pieces of legislation 
contain 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.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew 
Pickford.
            Sincerely,
                                       Douglas Holtz-Eakin,
                                                          Director.

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Pursuant to clause (3)(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, committee reports on a bill or 
joint resolution of a public character shall include a 
statement citing the specific powers granted to the Congress in 
the Constitution to enact the measure. The Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure finds that Congress has the 
authority to enact this measure pursuant to its powers granted 
under article I, section 8 of the Constitution.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act. (Public Law 104-4).

                        PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION

    Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint 
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the 
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local or 
tribal law. The Committee states that S. 703 does not preempt 
any State, local, or Tribal law.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this 
legislation.

                APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. (Public Law 
104-1).

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    S. 703 makes no changes in existing law.

                                
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