[House Report 115-290]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress }                                          { REPORT
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session   }                                          { 115-290

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    LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE BOUNDARY 
                            MODIFICATION ACT

                                _______
                                

 September 5, 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. 2611]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 2611) to modify the boundary of the Little Rock 
Central High School National Historic Site, 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. 2611 is to modify the boundary of the 
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    In a key event of the American Civil Rights movement, nine 
black students enrolled at formerly all-white Central High 
School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1957, testing the 
landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of 
Education of Topeka (347 U.S. 483) that declared segregation in 
public schools unconstitutional. The admission of the ``Little 
Rock Nine'', as they came to be known, drew national and 
international attention, and was the first important test of 
our Nation's resolve to enforce black civil rights in the face 
of significant public defiance.
    In recognition of the importance of Little Rock Central 
High School in the history of the United States, the site was 
designated by the Secretary of the Interior as a National 
Historic Landmark in 1982, and was later designated as a 
national historic site in 1998 by Public Law 105-356.
     In 1996, the neighborhood surrounding the high school, 
including seven privately owned residences on South Park 
Street, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places 
as the Central High School Neighborhood Historic District. The 
residences on South Park Street across from the high school are 
inextricably connected with the significant events of 1957, as 
images of the Little Rock Nine, crowds of protestors, the 
public, and National Guardsmen appeared in newspapers across 
the nation and were broadcast live through the emerging media 
of television.
     H.R. 2611 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) 
to enter into cooperative agreements with private property 
owners of the South Park Street properties. This authority 
would allow the NPS to use the site's operational funds to 
mark, interpret, improve, restore, and provide technical 
assistance for the preservation and interpretation of the 
properties. It would also allow the NPS to assist the 
homeowners in applying for federal grants.
    All the property owners and several community members have 
expressed their support for this proposal, including the 
Central High Neighborhood, Inc., and Preserve Arkansas.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 2611 was introduced on May 23, 2017, by Congressman J. 
French Hill (R-AR). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 
on Federal Lands. On July 25, 2017, the Natural Resources 
Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered, 
and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by unanimous consent on July 26, 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

    1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974. 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 enclosed cost estimate for 
the bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                   Washington, DC, August 29, 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. 2611, the Little 
Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary 
Modification Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani 
Shankaran.
            Sincerely,
                                                        Keith Hall.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2611--Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site 
        Boundary Modification Act

    H.R. 2611 would modify the boundary of the Little Rock 
Central High School National Historic Site in Arkansas to 
include seven privately-owned residences. The bill also would 
authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to enter into 
cooperative agreements with the owners of those residences to 
provide technical assistance toward preservation and 
interpretation of the properties.
    CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less 
than $500,000 over the next five years, assuming availability 
of appropriated funds. Those costs would include updates to 
maps, handouts, and signage to reflect the new site boundary, 
and the provision of technical and financial assistance through 
the cooperative agreements. According to the NPS, the agency 
would not assume sole responsibility for the maintenance of the 
properties.
    Enacting H.R. 2611 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2611 would not increase 
net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 2611 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 Janani 
Shankaran. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, 
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 modify the boundary of the Little 
Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

                           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 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 (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

                           PUBLIC LAW 105-356


   AN ACT To establish the Little Rock Central High School National 
    Historic Site in the State of Arkansas, and for other purposes.



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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.

  (a) Establishment.--The Little Rock Central High School 
National Historic Site in the State of Arkansas (hereinafter 
referred to as the ``historic site'') is hereby established as 
a unit of the National Park System. The historic site shall 
consist of lands and interests therein comprising the Central 
High School campus and adjacent properties in Little Rock, 
Arkansas, as generally depicted on a map entitled ``Proposed 
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site'', 
numbered LIRO-20,000 and dated July, 1998. Such map shall be on 
file and available for public inspection in the appropriate 
offices of the National Park Service.
  (b) Boundary Modification.--The boundary of the historic site 
is modified to include the 7 residences on South Park Street in 
Little Rock, Arkansas, consisting of 1.47 acres, as generally 
depicted on the map entitled ``Central High School National 
Historic Site Proposed Boundary'', numbered 037/80,001, and 
dated August, 2004.
  [(b)] (c) Administration of Historic Site.--The Secretary of 
the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the ``Secretary'') 
shall administer the historic site in accordance with this Act. 
Only those lands under the direct jurisdiction of the Secretary 
shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of law 
generally applicable to units of the National Park System 
including the Act of August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1, 2-4) and the 
Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461-467). Nothing in this Act 
shall affect the authority of the Little Rock School District 
to administer Little Rock Central High School nor shall this 
Act affect the authorities of the City of Little Rock in the 
neighborhood surrounding the school.
  [(c)] (d) Cooperative Agreements.--[(1) The Secretary]
          (1) In general._The Secretary  may enter into 
        cooperative agreements with appropriate public and 
        private agencies, organizations, and institutions 
        (including, but not limited to, the State of Arkansas, 
        the City of Little Rock, the Little Rock School 
        District, Central High Museum, Inc., Central High 
        Neighborhood, Inc., or the University of Arkansas) in 
        furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
          (2) Cooperative agreements for the preservation and 
        interpretation of certain properties.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary may enter into 
                cooperative agreements with the owners of the 7 
                residences referred to in subsection (b) 
                pursuant to which the Secretary may use 
                appropriated funds to mark, interpret, improve, 
                restore, and provide technical assistance with 
                respect to the preservation and interpretation 
                of the properties.
                  (B) Inclusions.--An agreement entered into 
                under subparagraph (A) shall include a 
                provision specifying that no changes or 
                alterations shall be made to the exterior of 
                the properties subject to the agreement, except 
                by the mutual agreement of the parties to the 
                agreement.
          [(2) The Secretary]
          (3) Coordination._The Secretary  shall coordinate 
        visitor interpretation of the historic site with the 
        Little Rock School District and the Central High School 
        Museum, Inc.
  [(d)] (e) General Management Plan.--Within three years after 
the date funds are made available, the Secretary shall prepare 
a general management plan for the historic site. The plan shall 
be prepared in consultation and coordination with the Little 
Rock School District, the City of Little Rock, Central High 
Museum, Inc., and with other appropriate organizations and 
agencies. The plan shall identify specific roles and 
responsibilities for the National Park Service in administering 
the historic site, and shall identify lands or property, if 
any, that might be necessary for the National Park Service to 
acquire in order to carry out its responsibilities. The plan 
shall also identify the roles and responsibilities of other 
entities in administering the historic site and its programs. 
The plan shall include a management framework that ensures the 
administration of the historic site does not interfere with the 
continuing use of Central High School as an educational 
institution.
  [(e)] (f) Acquisition of Property.--The Secretary is 
authorized to acquire by purchase with donated or appropriated 
funds by exchange, or donation the lands and interests therein 
located within the boundaries of the historic site: Provided, 
That the Secretary may only acquire lands or interests therein 
within the consent of the owner thereof: Provided further, That 
lands or interests therein owned by the State of Arkansas or a 
political subdivision thereof, may only be acquired by donation 
or exchange.

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