[House Report 111-276]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


111th Congress                                            Rept. 111-276
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                     Part 1

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  AUTHORIZING THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION TO 
   PLAN, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCT A VEHICLE MAINTENANCE BUILDING AT THE 
 VEHICLE MAINTENANCE BRANCH OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LOCATED IN 
               SUITLAND, MARYLAND, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

               September 30, 2009.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Oberstar, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 3224]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 3224) to authorize the Board of 
Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and 
construct a vehicle maintenance building at the vehicle 
maintenance branch of the Smithsonian Institution located in 
Suitland, Maryland, and for other purposes, having considered 
the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and 
recommend that the bill do pass.

                       PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

    H.R. 3224 authorizes the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct a 
vehicle maintenance building at the vehicle maintenance branch 
of the Smithsonian Institution located in Suitland, Maryland.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    According to the Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian), its 
Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations and Office of 
Management and Reliability currently manage the bulk of its 
Vehicle Maintenance Branch operations from the National 
Zoological Park's General Services Building. The Vehicle 
Maintenance Branch is responsible for maintenance, repair, and 
fueling of more than 780 Smithsonian vehicles and pieces of 
equipment valued at more than $17 million.
    According to the Smithsonian, the location of the Vehicle 
Maintenance Branch has become increasingly incompatible with 
the functional and environmental needs of the Zoo's General 
Services Building. In addition, the Vehicle Maintenance Branch 
and other offices housed in the General Services Building must 
be relocated for at least two years while the building 
undergoes structural renovations that are scheduled to begin in 
fiscal year 2012.
    Transferring the Vehicle Maintenance Branch to a new site 
will increase the ability of the Smithsonian to use alternative 
fuels in its vehicles. The Smithsonian proposes to construct a 
vehicle maintenance building at its facilities in Suitland, 
Maryland. The proposed site currently has both a Compressed 
Natural Gas fueling station and a gasoline fueling station. 
Furthermore, the Smithsonian plans to install E-85 and 
biodiesel above-ground fuel tanks at the facility. The Zoo's 
General Services Building does not have the space available to 
accommodate these alternative fuel tanks.
    Construction of the Vehicle Maintenance Branch is estimated 
to cost $4 million.

                       SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Vehicle maintenance building, Suitland, Maryland

    Subsection (a) authorizes the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct a 
vehicle maintenance building at the vehicle maintenance branch 
of the Smithsonian Institution located in Suitland, Maryland.
    Subsection (b) outlines the purpose of the building.

Sec. 2. Authorization of appropriations

    This section authorizes appropriations of $4,000,000 in 
fiscal year 2010 for the vehicle maintenance building.

            LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On July 15, 2009, Representative Xavier Becerra introduced 
H.R. 3224. On July 30, 2009, the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure met in open session and ordered the bill 
reported favorably to the House by voice vote with a quorum 
present.

                              RECORD VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires each committee report to include the 
total number of votes cast for and against on each record 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 recorded votes taken in connection 
with consideration of H.R. 3224, or ordering the bill reported. 
A motion to order H.R. 3224 reported favorably to the House was 
agreed to by voice vote with a quorum 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 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee references the report of the Congressional Budget 
Office included in the report.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
performance goals and objective of this legislation are to 
authorize the Smithsonian to plan, design, and construct a 
vehicle maintenance building at the vehicle maintenance branch 
of the Smithsonian Institution located in Suitland, Maryland.
    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 enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3224 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, September 8, 2009.
Hon. James L. Oberstar,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3224, a bill to 
authorize the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 
to plan, design, and construct a vehicle maintenance building 
at the vehicle maintenance branch of the Smithsonian 
Institution located in Suitland, Maryland, and for other 
purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Christina 
Hawley Anthony.
            Sincerely,
                                              Douglas W. Elmendorf.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 3224--A bill to authorize the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian 
        Institution to plan, design, and construct a vehicle 
        maintenance building at the vehicle maintenance branch of the 
        Smithsonian Institution located in Suitland, Maryland, and for 
        other purposes

    H.R. 3224 would authorize the appropriation of $4 million 
for the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct 
a vehicle maintenance building at their facilities in Suitland, 
Maryland. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing H.R. 3224 would cost $4 million 
over the 2010-2014 period, as shown in the following table. 
Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                            2010     2011     2012     2013     2014   2010-2014
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorization Level.....................................        4        0        0        0        0         4
Estimated Outlays.......................................        1        2        1        0        0         4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    H.R. 3224 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.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Christina Hawley 
Anthony. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                     COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI

    Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, the Committee is required to include a list 
of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited 
tariff benefits, as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of 
rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. H.R. 
3224 does not contain any earmarks, limited tax benefits, or 
limited tariff benefits under clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of 
rule XXI.

                   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 (P.L. 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 H.R. 3224 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 (P.L. 104-1).

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    H.R. 3224 makes no changes in existing law.

                                  
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