[House Report 111-28]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






111th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                     111-28

======================================================================



 
  RONALD H. BROWN UNITED STATES MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS BUILDING

                                _______
                                

   March 10, 2009.--Referred to the House Calendar and 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. 837]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 837) to designate the Federal 
building located at 799 United Nations Plaza in New York, New 
York, as the ``Ronald H. Brown United States Mission to the 
United Nations Building'', having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 
do pass.

                       PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

    H.R. 837 designates the Federal building at 799 United 
Nations Plaza in New York, New York, as the ``Ronald H. Brown 
United States Mission to the United Nations Building''.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Ronald Harmon Brown was born on August 1, 1941. His early 
school days were spent at Hunter College Elementary School, a 
public school on Manhattan's East Side. He subsequently 
attended high school at White Plains High School and the Rhodes 
School in Manhattan. In 1962, Brown graduated from Middlebury 
College in Vermont. After college, he served in the Army from 
1962 to 1967, commanding several units in the United States, 
Germany, and South Korea. Brown was discharged from the Army in 
1967. After serving in the Army, he attended St. John's Law 
School and began working as a job developer and trainee adviser 
for the National Urban League. By 1976, Brown served as the 
National Urban League's Deputy Executive Director for programs 
and governmental affairs.
    He left the National Urban League in 1979 to work for 
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who sought the Democratic Party's 
presidential nomination. In 1981, Brown began a career as a 
lawyer and lobbyist. In 1988, he was elected Chairman of the 
Democratic National Committee. From 1989 to 1992, he served as 
Chairman and used his skills as a negotiator and pragmatic 
bridge builder to help reunite the Democratic Party after its 
defeat in the 1988 presidential election.
    In 1993, President William J. Clinton appointed Ronald H. 
Brown as Secretary of Commerce. During his tenure, Secretary 
Brown effectively utilized and expanded the role of the U.S. 
Department of Commerce. Secretary Brown was known for his 
amiable political style and his deft skill in negotiations and, 
as Secretary, he used these qualities effectively to promote 
U.S. trade, expand foreign markets for American businesses, and 
spur domestic job growth and economic development.
    Tragically, on April 3, 1996, while on an official 
Department of Commerce trade mission, Secretary Brown and 34 
others were killed in an airplane crash in Croatia. The 
Department of State had requested that Secretary Brown 
personally undertake the trade mission to highlight and find 
opportunities for U.S. businesses to boost economic 
reconstruction of the war torn region of former Yugoslavia. The 
trip itinerary included stops in Zagreb, the capital of 
Croatia; visiting American troops in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina; 
and Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The trade mission was on 
its way to Dubrovnik, Croatia, when the plane crashed on the 
coast of the Adriatic Sea.
    Throughout his life, Secretary Brown broke many barriers. 
He was the first African-American to serve as Secretary of 
Commerce and the first African-American Chairman of a national 
political party.
    Congress has previously designated Federal buildings that 
serve as Department of State facilities on four separate 
occasions. In 2000, Congress designated the Department of State 
headquarters as the ``Harry S. Truman Federal Building''. P.L. 
106-218. In 2004, Congress designated the Foreign Service 
Institute as the ``George P. Schultz National Foreign Affairs 
Training Center''. P.L. 108-136. In 2005, Congress designated 
the United States Embassy Annex in Rome, Italy, as the ``Mel 
Sembler Building''. P.L. 108-447. In 2005, Congress also 
designated the Federal building in Kingston, Jamaica, as the 
``Colin L. Powell Residential Plaza'' P.L. 109-89.
    Secretary Brown died in service to his country on a mission 
undertaken at the request of the Department of State. It is 
fitting and proper to honor Secretary Brown's extraordinary 
service to his country by designating the Federal building 
being constructed at 799 First Avenue in New York, New York, as 
the ``Ronald H. Brown United States Mission to the United 
Nations Building''.

                       SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Designation

    Section 1 designates that the Federal building at 799 First 
Avenue in New York, New York, shall be known and designated as 
the ``Ronald H. Brown United States Mission to the United 
Nations Building''.

Section 2. References

    Section 2 declares any reference in law, map, regulation, 
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
Federal building referred to in Section 1 shall be deemed to be 
a reference to the ``Ronald H. Brown United States Mission to 
the United Nations Building''.

            LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    Representative Rangel first introduced this bill (H.R. 
1702) in the 108th Congress. On October 1, 2003, the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure ordered the bill reported 
favorably to the House by voice vote (H. Rpt. 108-315). No 
further action was taken on the bill.
    In the 109th Congress, Representative Rangel reintroduced 
the bill (H.R. 1434). No further action was taken on the bill.
    In the 110th Congress, Representative Rangel introduced 
H.R. 735 on January 30, 2007. On March 1, 2007, 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. On July 11, 2007, the Committee reported 
the bill to the House. H. Rept. 110-386. On July 30, 2007, the 
House passed H.R. 735 by voice vote. No further action was 
taken on the bill.
    In the 111th Congress, Representative Rangel introduced 
H.R. 837 on February 3, 2009. On February 12, 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 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. 837 or ordering the bill reported. A motion to order 
H.R. 837 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 
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 
designate the Federal building being constructed at 799 First 
Avenue in New York, New York, as the ``Ronald H. Brown United 
States Mission to the United Nations Building''.
    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. 837 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, February 17, 2009.
Hon. James L. Oberstar,
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 
February 12, 2009:
           H.R. 887, a bill to designate the United 
        States courthouse located at 131 East 4th Street in 
        Davenport, Iowa, as the ``James A. Leach United States 
        Courthouse'';
           H.R. 869, a bill to designate the federal 
        building and United States courthouse located at 101 
        Barr Street in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Scott Reed 
        Federal Building and United States Courthouse'';
           H.R. 842, a bill to designate the United 
        States courthouse to be constructed in Jackson, 
        Mississippi, as the ``R. Jess Brown United States 
        Courthouse'';
           H.R. 837, a bill to designate the federal 
        building located at 799 United Nations Plaza in New 
        York, New York, as the ``Ronald H. Brown United States 
        Mission to the United Nations Building''; and
           H.R. 813, a bill to designate the federal 
        building and United States courthouse located at 306 
        East Main Street in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, as 
        the ``J. Herbert W. Small Federal Building and United 
        States Courthouse.''
    CBO estimates that enacting those pieces of legislation 
would have no significant impact on the federal budget and 
would not affect direct spending or revenues. The bills 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 W. Elmendorf,
                                                          Director.

                     COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI

    Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, H.R. 837 does not contain any congressional 
earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as 
defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives.

                   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 H.R. 837 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

    H.R. 837 makes no changes in existing law.

                                  
