[House Report 115-113]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress    }                                      {      Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                      {     115-113

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TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO ESTABLISH A STRUCTURE FOR 
VISITOR SERVICES ON THE ARLINGTON RIDGE TRACT, IN THE AREA OF THE U.S. 
           MARINE CORPS WAR MEMORIAL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

  May 11, 2017.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Bishop of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted 
                             the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1073]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1073) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to establish a structure for visitor services on the Arlington 
Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, 
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. 1073 is to authorize the Secretary of 
the Interior to establish a structure for visitor services on 
the Arlington Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps 
War Memorial.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial located in Arlington, 
Virginia, honors United States Marine Corps members who have 
given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775. 
Based on the iconic image by Joe Rosenthal, the Memorial 
depicts five U.S Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the 
American flag on the island of Iwo Jima during World War II. 
The Memorial attracts over one million visitors annually and 
hosts several popular events including Summer Sunset Parades 
and the Marine Corps Marathon. Despite this popularity, the 
Memorial lacks basic visitor services such as permanent 
restroom facilities. Due to the high visitation numbers at the 
Memorial, the National Park Service (NPS) identified a clear 
need to replace the existing temporary portable bathroom 
facilities in favor of a more respectful and permanent 
solution.
    H.R. 1073 authorizes the construction of a visitor services 
center that includes permanent restroom facilities and a small 
area for interpretative signage and materials near the 
Memorial. When Congress authorized the United States Air Force 
Memorial in 2001, the legislation prohibited the creation of 
additional structures on the 25.32 acre parcel of land 
surrounding the Memorial. Congress did not intend to restrict a 
facility for public restrooms but rather wanted to keep the 
area surrounding the Memorial open and potentially available 
for future use by Arlington National Cemetery. Given the 
prohibition on construction, this legislation is necessary for 
NPS to move forward with the creation of a new visitor services 
facility. NPS intends to construct a non-staffed facility, 
designed to ensure a minimal impact on the open space around 
the Memorial, funded by a recent $5.37 million donation from 
philanthropist David Rubenstein.
    In the 114th Congress, Congressman Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-
VA) introduced identical legislation as H.R. 4789. On May 24, 
2016, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on that 
bill. At the hearing, NPS testified in support of the 
legislation. Subsequently, on July 14, 2016, the Committee on 
Natural Resources favorably reported the bill (House Report 
114-690), and on September 6, 2016, the bill passed the House 
by voice vote.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 1073 was introduced on February 15, 2017, by 
Congressman Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA). The bill was referred 
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee 
to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On April 26, 2017, the 
Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The 
Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments 
were offered, and the bill was ordered favorably reported to 
the House of Representatives by unanimous consent on April 27, 
2017.

            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 AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT

    1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. 
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the 
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                       Washington, DC, May 5, 2017.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1073, a bill to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a 
structure for visitor services on the Arlington Ridge tract, in 
the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, and for other 
purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl.
            Sinerely,
                                                        Keith Hall.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1073--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
        establish a structure for visitor services on the Arlington 
        Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, 
        and for other purposes

    H.R. 1073 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) 
to construct a small structure for visitor services on the 
Arlington Ridge tract of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in 
Arlington, Virginia. Based on information from the NPS about 
the design and construction of the structure, CBO estimates 
that implementing the bill would cost about $1 million over the 
2018-2022 period. Such spending would be subject to the 
availability of appropriated funds.
    Enacting H.R. 1073 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO 
estimates that enacting H.R. 1073 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 1073 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 Jon Sperl. The 
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.
    2. 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 authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to establish a structure for visitor services on the 
Arlington Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War 
Memorial.

                           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.

                       COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5

    Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any 
directed rule makings.
    Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not 
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government 
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was 
not included in any report from the Government Accountability 
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program 
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 
98-169) as relating to other programs.

                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.

                                  [all]