[House Report 112-597]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
112th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 112-597
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AMERICAN MEMORIAL PARK TINIAN ANNEX ACT
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July 17, 2012.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 1103]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 1103) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
develop, maintain, and administer an annex in Tinian,
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as an extension
of the American Memorial Park located in Saipan, and for other
purposes, 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. 1103 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to develop, maintain, and administer an annex in
Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as an
extension of the American Memorial Park located in Saipan.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The capture of Tinian, one of the three principal islands
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, in the
summer of 1944 was one of the most important events of World
War II. The establishment of an American air base on the island
of Tinian brought the mainland of Japan within the range of our
B-29 Superfortress bombers. It was from the fields of Tinian
that the war was brought to the Japanese homeland, hastening a
Japanese surrender without an invasion. H.R. 1103 would
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Tinian
annex to the American Memorial Park on the nearby island of
Saipan. This would be done without conflicting with military
needs as it would be developed on lands outside the military
leased area, and National Park Service (NPS) activities would
be done in consultation with the Department of Defense.
The American Memorial Park is a National Park System
Affiliated Area. Affiliated Areas receive technical or
financial aid from the NPS but are not units of the National
Park System. The American Memorial Park was designated as
Affiliated Areas by an act of Congress. The exact location of
the annex on Tinian would be determined by NPS and the Governor
of the Northern Mariana Islands in consultation with the Mayor
of Tinian. The annex would be used to interpret the important
aspects of North Field by highlighting the historic events
related to the World War II Marianas Campaign. It would also be
used as a curatorial storage space for World War II artifacts.
A NPS Special Resource Study of the North Field Historic
District, completed in 2001, found that North Field represents
one of the major historic events of the Pacific War--the
strategic bombing of the Japanese homeland and the use of the
atomic bomb in war. These events led directly to the surrender
of Japan and the end of World War II without the need for an
invasion. The site is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places as an historic district and has been designated
a national historic landmark.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1103 was introduced on March 15, 2011, by Congressman
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP). The bill was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to
the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
On May 17, 2012, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill.
On June 7, 2012, the Full Resources Committee met to consider
the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and
Public Lands was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments
were offered, and the bill was adopted and ordered favorably
reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.
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.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) 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)(2)(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. 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. 1103--American Memorial Park Tinian Annex Act
H.R. 1103 would direct the National Park Service (NPS) to
develop and operate an annex on the island of Tinian in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as an extension of
the American Memorial Park in Saipan. The annex would provide
information related to the World War II Marianas Campaign and
storage for World War II artifacts and would be located on
public land at a site to be determined by the NPS and the
Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Based on information provided by the NPS, CBO estimates
that implementing H.R. 1103 would cost up to $3 million over
the 2013-2017 period, subject to the availability of
appropriated funds. Such implementation costs would be
primarily for constructing and operating a new facility. The
cost of the bill could be much less than $3 million if the NPS
were to utilize its existing facilities and staff on Tinian and
did not develop a new facility with additional staff Enacting
H.R. 1103 would not affect direct spending or revenues;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.R. 1103 contains 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.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von
Gnechten. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine,
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
2. Section 308(a) of 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. Based on
information provided by the NPS, CBO estimates that
implementing H.R. 1103 would cost up to $3 million over the
2013-2017 period, subject to the availability of appropriated
funds. Such implementation costs would be primarily for
constructing and operating a new facility. The cost of the bill
could be much less than $3 million if the NPS were to utilize
its existing facilities and staff on Tinian and did not develop
a new facility with additional staff. Enacting H.R. 1103 would
not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-
go procedures do not apply.
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 direct the Secretary of the
Interior to develop, maintain, and administer an annex in
Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as an
extension of the American Memorial Park located in Saipan.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or
tribal law.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.