[House Report 111-592]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 111-592
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ROBERT M. BALL FEDERAL BUILDING
_______
September 14, 2010.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
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Mr. Oberstar, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 5773]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 5773) to designate the Federal
building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore,
Maryland, as the ``Robert M. Ball Federal Building'', having
considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments
and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The Federal building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore,
Maryland, commonly known as the Social Security Administration
Operations Building, shall be known and designated as the ``Robert M.
Ball Federal Building''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a 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 ``Robert M. Ball
Federal Building''.
Amend the title so as to read:
A bill to designate the Federal building located at 6401
Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, commonly known as
the Social Security Administration Operations Building, as the
``Robert M. Ball Federal Building''.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
H.R. 5773, as amended, designates the Federal building
located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as
the ``Robert M. Ball Federal Building''.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 5773, as amended, designates the Federal building
located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as
the ``Robert M. Ball Federal Building''. Commissioner Robert M.
Ball was the longest-serving head of the Social Security
Administration (SSA) and one of its staunchest supporters
throughout the Administration's long history. Commissioner Ball
was often described in press accounts as not only the longest-
serving Social Security Commissioner, but also as chief
advocate and defender of the SSA through the years.
Commissioner Ball joined the Social Security Administration
just four years after it was created by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
Robert M. Ball was born in New York, New York, on March 28,
1914. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1935 with a B.A.
in English and in 1936 obtained a Masters degree in Economics.
Commissioner Ball got his start with the SSA as a field
assistant in New Jersey in 1939. He then began his rise through
the ranks at SSA by helping to implement the disability
insurance program beginning in 1956, orchestrating the
developments that produced the 1972 amendments to link benefits
to inflation, and helping to develop and implement Medicare.
From 1947 to 1948, he served as Staff Director for the Senate
Finance Committee's Advisory Council. After his time on Capitol
Hill, Commissioner Ball returned to the SSA and served in
several positions before he was appointed as Commissioner by
President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
Commissioner Ball also served as Commissioner under
President Lyndon B. Johnson and President Richard M. Nixon.
After Commissioner Ball left the Social Security
Administration, he continued to have a significant role in
shaping the program. In 1981, he served as a Member of the
National Commission on Social Security Reform. Commissioner
Ball remained an outspoken opponent of any attempts to
dismantle Social Security or privatize Social Security
throughout the 1990s. Commissioner Robert M. Ball passed away
on January 29, 2008, and is survived by his wife of 71 years,
Doris McCord Ball.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Designation
Section 1 designates the Federal building located at 6401
Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ``Robert M.
Ball Federal Building''.
Sec. 2. References
Section 2 indicates that any reference in a 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 ``Robert M. Ball Federal
Building''.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On July 19, 2010, Representative Elijah E. Cummings
introduced H.R. 5773. This bill has not been introduced in a
previous Congress. On July 29, 2010, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to
consider H.R. 5773. The Committee adopted by voice vote an
amendment in the nature of a substitute. The Committee ordered
the bill, as amended, 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. 5773 or ordering the bill reported.
A motion to order H.R. 5773, as amended, 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 objectives of this legislation are to
designate the Federal building located at 6401 Security
Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ``Robert M. Ball
Federal 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.
5773, as amended, from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, August 3, 2010.
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 ordered reported by the
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July
29, 2010:
H.R. 4387, a bill to designate the federal
building located at 100 North Palafox Street in
Pensacola, Florida, as the ``Winston E. Arnow Federal
Building'';
H.R. 5651, a bill to designate the federal
building and United States courthouse located at 515
9th Street in Rapid City, South Dakota, as the ``Andrew
W. Bogue Federal Building and United States
Courthouse'';
H.R. 5706, a bill to designate the building
occupied by the Government Printing Office located at
31451 East United Avenue in Pueblo, Colorado, as the
``Frank Evans Government Printing Office Building'';
H.R. 5773, a bill to redesignate the federal
building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in
Baltimore, Maryland, commonly known as the Social
Security Operations Building, as the ``Robert M. Ball
Federal Building''; and
H.R. 5591, a bill to designate the airport
traffic control tower located at Spokane International
Airport in Spokane, Washington, as the ``Ray Daves
Airport Traffic Control Tower.''
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; therefore, pay-
as-you-go procedures would not apply. 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,
Robert A. Sunshine
(For Douglas W. Elmendorf, Director).
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.
5773, as amended, 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. 5773, as amended,
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. 5773, as amended, makes no changes in existing law.