[House Report 111-526]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Rept. 111-526
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session Part 1
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NATIONAL GREAT BLACK AMERICANS COMMEMORATION ACT OF 2004 AMENDMENT
_______
July 13, 2010.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Rahall, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3967]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 3967) to amend the National Great Black
Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations
through fiscal year 2015, 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. 3967 is to amend the National Great
Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize
appropriations through fiscal year 2015.
Background and Need for Legislation
In 1983, Drs. Joanne and Elmer Martin founded a small,
storefront museum in downtown Baltimore to inspire young people
about the role of African Americans in United States history.
The success of the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum allowed
them to expand their operation and eventually open up a
considerably larger facility in one of Baltimore's most
financially impoverished neighborhoods. Since that time, the
museum has served as a focal point for business, helping to
create a safe, interesting, and motivational tourist
destination for both local residents and visitors from around
the world.
In the last decade, the museum has established a
partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice and the
Department's Office of Justice Programs. Through the creation
of a Justice Learning Center, the museum has begun targeting
young people with a variety of programs to help fight criminal
activity in the area. Using innovative programs tied to the
materials in the wax museum and effective outreach, the Justice
Learning Center is proactive in fighting the fundamental causes
of crime and providing a safe center for education and
historical tourism.
In 2004, Congress authorized the Department of Justice to
fund the Justice Learning Center at the Great Blacks in Wax
Museum as part of their Office of Justice Programs (P.L. 108-
238). The authorization expired in 2009 with no funds being
appropriated for the Justice Learning Center. H.R. 3967 would
amend P.L. 108-238 to authorize appropriations until 2015.
Committee Action
H.R. 3967 was introduced on October 29, 2009 by
Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD). The bill was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to
the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
The bill was also referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
On April 27, 2010, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill.
Representative Cummings and museum founder Dr. Joanne Martin
testified in favor of the legislation.
On June 16, 2010, the Subcommittee on National Parks,
Forests and Public Lands was discharged from further
consideration of H.R. 3967 and the full Natural Resources
Committee met to consider the bill. Representative Chaffetz (R-
UT) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to
strike the funding authorization completely from the National
Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004. The amendment
was subsequently withdrawn. The bill was then ordered favorably
reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote.
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.
Compliance With House Rule XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) 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 this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B)
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 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by 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, this
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to amend the National Great Black
Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations
through fiscal year 2015.
4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause
3(c)(3) of rule XIII 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 this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office:
H.R. 3967--A bill to amend the National Great Black Americans
Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations through
fiscal year 2015
Summary: H.R. 3967 would authorize the appropriation of $5
million to the Department of Justice for grants to the Great
Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland. Assuming
appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that
implementing H.R. 3967 would cost $5 million over the 2011-2015
period. This legislation would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
H.R. 3967 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would not affect the budgets of State, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of H.R. 3967 is shown in the following table.
The costs of the bill fall within budget function 750
(administration of justice).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
------------------------------------------------------------
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011-2015
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CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Estimated Authorization Level...................... 1 1 1 1 1 5
Estimated Outlays.................................. 1 1 1 1 1 5
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Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R.
3967 will be enacted in 2010 and that the authorized amounts
will be appropriated as needed beginning in 2011. Estimated
outlays are based on historical spending rates for similar
grant programs.
H.R. 3967 would reauthorize the appropriation of $5 million
for grants to the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., a nonprofit
organization in Baltimore, Maryland. (The $5 million
authorization for this program expired at the end of fiscal
year 2009. No funds were ever appropriated under the original
authorization.) The $5 million would be used to expand the
museum and establish a learning center at the site.
Pay-As-You-Go considerations: None.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 3967
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would not affect the budgets of State,
local, or tribal governments.
Estimate prepared by: Federal spending: Alan Eder and
Deborah Reis; Impact on State, local, and tribal governments:
Melissa Merrell; Impact on the private sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Compliance With Public Law 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
Earmark Statement
H.R. 3967 does not contain any congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in
clause 9 of rule XXI.
Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or
tribal law.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) 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):
NATIONAL GREAT BLACK AMERICANS COMMEMORATION ACT OF 2004
* * * * * * *
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR NATIONAL GREAT BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM AND JUSTICE
LEARNING CENTER.
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to
be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000, to remain
available through the end of fiscal year [2009] 2015.