[House Report 115-241]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress     }                                           {   Report
                           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session       }                                           {  115-241

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



 
           AFRICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS NETWORK ACT OF 2017

                                _______
                                

 July 24, 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. 1927]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1927) to amend title 54, United States Code, to 
establish within the National Park Service the African American 
Civil Rights Network, and for other purposes, having considered 
the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and 
recommend that the bill as amended do pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``African American Civil Rights Network 
Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

  The purposes of this Act are--
          (1) to recognize--
                  (A) the importance of the African American civil 
                rights movement; and
                  (B) the sacrifices made by the people who fought 
                against discrimination and segregation; and
          (2) to authorize the National Park Service to coordinate and 
        facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to commemorate, 
        honor, and interpret--
                  (A) the history of the African American civil rights 
                movement;
                  (B) the significance of the civil rights movement as 
                a crucial element in the evolution of the Civil Rights 
                Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000a et seq.); and
                  (C) the relevance of the African American civil 
                rights movement in fostering the spirit of social 
                justice and national reconciliation.

SEC. 3. U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS NETWORK PROGRAM.

  (a) In General.--Subdivision 1 of Division B of subtitle III of title 
54, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 3083 the 
following:

               ``CHAPTER 3084--U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS NETWORK

``Sec.
``308401. Definition of network.
``308402. U.S. Civil Rights Network.
``308403. Cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding.

``Sec. 308401. Definition of network

  ``In this chapter, the term `Network' means the African American 
Civil Rights Network established under section 308402(a).

``Sec. 308402. U.S. Civil Rights Network

  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish, within the Service, 
a program to be known as the `U.S. Civil Rights Network'.
  ``(b) Duties of Secretary.--In carrying out the Network, the 
Secretary shall--
          ``(1) review studies and reports to complement and not 
        duplicate studies of the historical importance of the African 
        American civil rights movement that may be underway or 
        completed, such as the Civil Rights Framework Study;
          ``(2) produce and disseminate appropriate educational 
        materials relating to the African American civil rights 
        movement, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or 
        electronic information;
          ``(3) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and 
        memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance 
        under subsection (c); and
          ``(4)(A) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or 
        device for the Network; and
          ``(B) issue regulations for the use of the symbol or device 
        adopted under subparagraph (A).
  ``(c) Elements.--The Network shall encompass the following elements:
          ``(1) All units and programs of the Service that are 
        determined by the Secretary to relate to the African American 
        civil rights movement during the period from 1939 through 1968.
          ``(2) With the consent of the property owner, other Federal, 
        State, local, and privately owned properties that--
                  ``(A) relate to the African American civil rights 
                movement;
                  ``(B) have a verifiable connection to the African 
                American civil rights movement; and
                  ``(C) are included in, or determined by the Secretary 
                to be eligible for inclusion in, the National Register 
                of Historic Places.
          ``(3) Other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and 
        programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature 
        that are directly related to the African American civil rights 
        movement.

``Sec. 308403. Cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding

  ``To achieve the purposes of this chapter and to ensure effective 
coordination of the Federal and non-Federal elements of the Network 
described in section 308402(c) with System units and programs of the 
Service, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements and 
memoranda of understanding with, and provide technical assistance to 
the heads of other Federal agencies, States, units of local government, 
regional governmental bodies, and private entities.''.
  (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters for title 54, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 
3083 the following:

``3084 U.S. Civil Rights Network............................  308401''.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 1927 is to amend title 54, United 
States Code, to establish within the National Park Service the 
African American Civil Rights Network.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    In 1999, Congress passed the ``National Park Service 
Studies Act of 1999'' (Public Law 106-113). This Act required 
the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct special resource 
studies of various sites and areas. Among the areas to be 
studied were ``Civil Rights Sites'' on a ``multi-State'' level. 
To determine the best way to proceed, the NPS partnered with 
the Organization of American Historians to develop an overview 
of civil rights history entitled ``Civil Rights in America: A 
Framework for Identifying Significant Sites.''\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\National Park Service. Civil Rights in America: A Framework for 
Identifying Significant Sites. 2002, Revised 2008. Accessed June 19, 
2017. https://www.nps.gov/nhl/learn/themes/CivilRights_Framework.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The framework found that while many civil rights sites had 
been designated as National Historic Landmarks, other sites 
still needed to be identified and evaluated. Therefore, the 
framework recommended that four National Historic Landmarks 
theme studies be prepared to identify sites that may be 
nationally significant, and that the study be based on 
provisions of the 1960s civil rights acts. Through completion 
of these theme studies, NPS found that a number of sites 
related to the African American Civil Rights Movement had not 
been recognized and many were in immediate danger of being lost 
or destroyed.
    With these NPS studies in mind, several bills have been 
introduced in recent Congresses intended to better recognize 
and preserve sites related to the African American Civil Rights 
Movement. H.R. 1927, introduced this Congress, requires the 
Secretary of the Interior to establish, within the NPS, a 
network, to coordinate federal and nonfederal activities to 
commemorate, honor, and interpret the history of the African 
American Civil Rights Movement during the period from 1939 
through 1968.
    The Network will be comprised of existing NPS units and 
programs related to that historical period as well as the 
properties and programs of other federal, state, local, and 
private entities that join the Network. Additionally, NPS will 
be required to produce and distribute educational materials, 
create and adopt an official symbol for the network, establish 
regulations for participation, and provide technical assistance 
to other entities interested in joining. The Network 
established by this bill is similar to ``The National 
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom,'' authorized in 1998 
by Public Law 105-203.
    In the 114th Congress, the House Natural Resources 
Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on nearly 
identical legislation (H.R. 3683).

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 1927 was introduced on April 5, 2017, by Congressman 
Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 
on Federal Lands. On June 22, 2017, the Natural Resources 
Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was 
discharged by unanimous consent. Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) 
offered an amendment designated #1; it was adopted by unanimous 
consent. No further amendments were offered, and the bill, as 
amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by unanimous consent on June 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, July 14, 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. 1927, the African 
American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani 
Shankaran.
            Sincerely,
                                             Mark P. Hadley
                                         (For Keith Hall Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1927--African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017

    H.R. 1927 would require the Secretary of the Interior to 
establish the U.S. Civil Rights Network, within the National 
Park Service (NPS), to coordinate federal and nonfederal 
activities to commemorate, honor, and interpret the history of 
the African American civil rights movement during the 1939-1968 
period. The network would comprise existing units and programs 
of the NPS related to that historical period as well as the 
properties and programs of other federal, state, local, and 
private entities that join the network.
    Under the bill, the NPS would produce and distribute 
educational materials, create and adopt an official symbol for 
the proposed network, establish regulations for participation, 
and provide technical assistance to other entities interested 
in joining. To support the network and its activities, the bill 
would authorize the agency to execute cooperative agreements 
and memoranda of understanding with private organizations and 
state and local governments.
    Based on information from the NPS about the costs of 
administering similar programs, CBO estimates that the agency 
would need less than $500,000 in the first year following 
enactment for basic planning, developing educational materials 
and interpretive exhibits, and coordinating federal activities 
with those of other interested entities. In subsequent years, 
CBO expects that the agency would require about $1.5 million 
per year to manage the network and provide assistance to 
participating entities under cooperative agreements. In total, 
CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost 
about $6 million over the 2018-2022 period and an additional 
$1.5 million annually thereafter; such spending would be 
subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
    Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply, CBO 
estimates that enacting H.R. 1927 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 1927 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act and 
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani 
Shankaran. 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 amend title 54, United States 
Code, to establish within the National Park Service the African 
American Civil Rights Network.

                           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. Under Section 3 of the bill, the 
Secretary of the Interior is directed to issue regulations for 
the use of the symbol or device adopted for the U.S. Civil 
Rights Network within the National Park Service.
    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 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 (new matter is 
printed in italic and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

                      TITLE 54, UNITED STATES CODE



                    Subtitle I--National Park System

          DIVISION A--ESTABLISHMENT AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

Chap.                                                               Sec.
      General Provisions..........................................100101
     * * * * * * *

              Subtitle III--National Preservation Programs

     * * * * * * *

                 DIVISION B--ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAMS

          Subdivision 1--Administered by National Park Service

      American Battlefield Protection Program.....................308101
     * * * * * * *
308401S. Civil Rights Network.........................................

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Subtitle III--NATIONAL PRESERVATION PROGRAMS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                 DIVISION B--ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAMS

SUBDIVISION 1--ADMINISTERED BY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                CHAPTER 3084--U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS NETWORK

Sec.
308401. Definition of network.
308402. U.S. Civil Rights Network.
308403. Cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding.

Sec. 308401. Definition of network.

  In this chapter, the term ``Network'' means the African 
American Civil Rights Network established under section 
308402(a).

Sec. 308402. U.S. Civil Rights Network.

  (a) In general.--The Secretary shall establish, within the 
Service, a program to be known as the ``U.S. Civil Rights 
Network''.
  (b) Duties of Secretary.--In carrying out the Network, the 
Secretary shall--
          (1) review studies and reports to complement and not 
        duplicate studies of the historical importance of the 
        African American civil rights movement that may be 
        underway or completed, such as the Civil Rights 
        Framework Study;
          (2) produce and disseminate appropriate educational 
        materials relating to the African American civil rights 
        movement, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, 
        or electronic information;
          (3) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and 
        memoranda of understanding to provide technical 
        assistance under subsection (c); and
          (4)(A) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol 
        or device for the Network; and
          (B) issue regulations for the use of the symbol or 
        device adopted under subparagraph (A).
  (c) Elements.--The Network shall encompass the following 
elements:
          (1) All units and programs of the Service that are 
        determined by the Secretary to relate to the African 
        American civil rights movement during the period from 
        1939 through 1968.
          (2) With the consent of the property owner, other 
        Federal, State, local, and privately owned properties 
        that--
                  (A) relate to the African American civil 
                rights movement;
                  (B) have a verifiable connection to the 
                African American civil rights movement; and
                  (C) are included in, or determined by the 
                Secretary to be eligible for inclusion in, the 
                National Register of Historic Places.
          (3) Other governmental and nongovernmental facilities 
        and programs of an educational, research, or 
        interpretive nature that are directly related to the 
        African American civil rights movement.

Sec. 308403. Cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding.

  To achieve the purposes of this chapter and to ensure 
effective coordination of the Federal and non-Federal elements 
of the Network described in section 308402(c) with System units 
and programs of the Service, the Secretary may enter into 
cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding with, and 
provide technical assistance to the heads of other Federal 
agencies, States, units of local government, regional 
governmental bodies, and private entities.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *