[House Report 115-114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress    }                                     {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                     {      115-114

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



 
                     ROBERT EMMET PARK ACT OF 2017

                                _______
                                

   May 11, 2017.-- Referred to the House Calendar 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. 1500]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1500) to redesignate the small triangular 
property located in Washington, DC, and designated by the 
National Park Service as reservation 302 as ``Robert Emmet 
Park'', 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. 1500 is to redesignate the small 
triangular property located in Washington, DC, and designated 
by the National Park Service as reservation 302 as ``Robert 
Emmet Park''.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Robert Emmet is a prominent historical figure known for his 
role in the Irish Rebellion of 1803 and his classic ``Speech 
from the Dock'' that inspired future efforts to gain Irish 
Independence. Emmet, greatly influenced by American democracy 
and the American Revolution, famously said before his 
execution, ``To [Ireland] I sacrificed every selfish, every 
lasting sentiment . . . I wished to place her independence 
beyond the reach of any power of earth . . . to procure for my 
country the guarantee which Washington procured for America . . 
. to exalt her to that proud station in the world.''
    H.R. 1500 renames National Park Service Reservation 302, 
located at the corner of 24th Street and Massachusetts Avenue 
Northwest in the District of Columbia, as ``Robert Emmet 
Park''. The .08 acre triangular property prominently features a 
nearly 100 year-old statue of Robert Emmet, the first statue 
ever made of the Irish hero. The bill also authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior to post informational signage 
regarding Robert Emmet and his statue around the park.
    In the 114th Congress, Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY) 
introduced a nearly identical bill as H.R. 4564. On September 
19, 2016, the Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported 
the bill. Subsequently, the bill passed the House by voice vote 
on September 22, 2016.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 1500 was introduced on March 10, 2017, by Congressman 
Joseph Crowley (D-NY). 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. 1500, the Robert 
Emmet Park Act of 2017.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl.
            Sincerely,
                                                Keith Hall.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1500--Robert Emmet Park Act of 2017

    H.R. 1500 would rename a small property owned by the 
National Park Service (NPS) in Washington D.C. as ``Robert 
Emmet Park,'' in honor of that historical figure. The bill also 
would authorize the NPS to post signage on or near the park 
that includes information about Robert Emmet.
    Based on the costs for similar tasks, CBO estimates that 
the cost for the NPS to update signage for the park would be 
insignificant; such spending would be subject to the 
availability of appropriated funds.
    Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending 
or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1500 would not increase net 
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 1500 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 redesignate the small triangular 
property located in Washington, DC, and designated by the 
National Park Service as reservation 302 as ``Robert Emmet 
Park''.

                           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]