[Senate Report 115-119]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                      Calendar No. 156
115th Congress     }                                    {       Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session       }                                    {      115-119
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                   TO DESIGNATE THE AREA BETWEEN THE

                   INTERSECTIONS OF WISCONSIN AVENUE,

 NORTHWEST AND DAVIS STREET, NORTHWEST AND WISCONSIN AVENUE, NORTHWEST 
        AND EDMUNDS STREET, NORTHWEST IN WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF

      COLUMBIA, AS ``BORIS NEMTSOV PLAZA'', AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                   COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND

                          GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                              to accompany

                                 S. 459

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                 June 26, 2017.--Ordered to be printed
                                   ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

69-010                         WASHINGTON : 2017 
                 
                 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
        COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                    RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin, Chairman
JOHN McCAIN, Arizona                 CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri
ROB PORTMAN, Ohio                    THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware
RAND PAUL, Kentucky                  JON TESTER, Montana
JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma             HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota
MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming             GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota            MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire
STEVE DAINES, Montana                KAMALA D. HARRIS, California

                  Christopher R. Hixon, Staff Director
                Gabrielle D'Adamo Singer, Chief Counsel
                Lydia M. Westlake, Senior Policy Advisor
       Patrick J. Bailey, Chief Counsel for Governmental Affairs
               Margaret E. Daum, Minority Staff Director
               Stacia M. Cardille, Minority Chief Counsel
                 Katherine C. Sybenga, Minority Counsel
                     Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk
















                                                      Calendar No. 156
115th Congress     }                                    {       Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session       }                                    {      115-119

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

 
 TO DESIGNATE THE AREA BETWEEN THE INTERSECTIONS OF WISCONSIN AVENUE, 
 NORTHWEST AND DAVIS STREET, NORTHWEST AND WISCONSIN AVENUE, NORTHWEST 
 AND EDMUNDS STREET, NORTHWEST IN WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS 
            ``BORIS NEMTSOV PLAZA'', AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

                 June 26, 2017.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Johnson, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                    Affairs, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 459]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 459), to designate 
the area between the intersections of Wisconsin Avenue, 
Northwest and Davis Street, Northwest and Wisconsin Avenue, 
Northwest and Edmunds Street, Northwest in Washington, District 
of Columbia, as ``Boris Nemtsov Plaza'', and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.












                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Purpose and Summary..............................................1
 II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative History..............................................2
 IV. Section-by-Section Analysis......................................3
  V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................3
 VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................3
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............4

                         I. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    S. 459, to designate the area between the intersections of 
Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Davis Street, Northwest and 
Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Edmunds Street, Northwest in 
Washington, District of Columbia, as ``Boris Nemtsov Plaza'', 
and for other purposes, renames a section of the street in 
front of the embassy of the Russian Federation to honor Boris 
Nemtsov, who was a courageous advocate for the Russian people.

              II. BACKGROUND AND THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Boris Nemtsov was a former deputy prime minister of the 
Russian Federation and an opposition leader who dedicated 
himself to improving the lives of the Russian people.\1\ 
Despite the danger that he faced for his work, he continued to 
fight for individual liberty, democracy, and adherence to the 
rule of law.\2\ At great personal risk, Boris Nemtsov helped to 
expose pervasive Russian government corruption; he was an 
advocate for transparency, freedom of speech and press, and 
anti-corruption measures.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Andrew E. Kramer, Boris Nemtsov, Putin Foe, Is Shot Dead in 
Shadow of Kremlin, New York Times, Feb. 27, 2015, https://
www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/world/europe/boris-nemtsov-russian-
opposition-leader-is-shot-dead.html.
    \2\Id.
    \3\Id; see also S. Res. 93, a resolution expressing the sense of 
the Senate regarding the courageous work and life of Russian leader 
Boris Nemtsov, and calling for a swift and transparent investigation 
into his tragic murder in Moscow on February 27, 2015 (passed by the 
Senate on March 10, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In 2015, Boris Nemtsov was murdered in Moscow.\4\ Mr. 
Nemtsov was shot multiple times in the back while he was 
walking on a bridge within view of the Kremlin.\5\ His death 
was a great loss to the Russian people.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\Andrew E. Kramer, Boris Nemtsov, Putin Foe, Is Shot Dead in 
Shadow of Kremlin, New York Times, Feb. 27, 2015, https://
www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/world/europe/boris-nemtsov-russian-
opposition-leader-is-shot-dead.html; Russia opposition politician Boris 
Nemtsov shot dead, BBC News, Feb. 28, 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/
world-europe-31669061.
    \5\Id.
    \6\Neil MacFarquhar and Andrew E. Kramer, Memorial for Nemtsov, 
Assassinated Critic of Putin, Draws Thousands, New York Times, Mar. 3, 
2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/world/europe/thousands-honor-
boris-nemtsov-opposition-leader-killed-in-russia.html?_r=0.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    S. 459 would rename a portion of the street outside the 
Russian embassy in honor of Boris Nemtsov. It will serve as a 
reminder that Americans will not forget Boris Nemtsov's 
courage, his murder, or the values for which he fought. The 
plaza will be a symbol of American support for the many brave 
Russians who continue the fight against corruption and for the 
cause of freedom.
    The Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to 
exercise legislation over the District of Columbia.\7\ 
Nevertheless, some of that authority has been delegated under 
the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973,\8\ and the 
Committee recognizes that the city has its own street naming 
process and encourages its use for this and other efforts to 
rename streets in the District.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \7\The U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 17.
    \8\Pub. L. No. 93-198.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        III. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    Senator Rubio (R-FL) introduced S. 459 on February 27, 
2017. The bill was referred to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs. Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI), 
Christopher Coons (D-DE), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John McCain 
(R-AZ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and 
Roger Wicker (R-MS) subsequently joined as cosponsors.
    The Committee considered S. 459 at a business meeting on 
May 17, 2017. The bill, without amendment, was ordered reported 
favorably by voice vote. Senator present for the vote were 
Johnson, McCain, Portman, Paul, Lankford, Enzi, Hoeven, Daines, 
McCaskill, Tester, Heitkamp, Peters, Hassan, and Harris.

        IV. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE BILL, AS REPORTED

Section 1. Boris Nemtsov Plaza

    Subsections (a), (b), and (c) designate the plaza name, the 
street address, and the signage, respectively, for Boris 
Nemtsov Plaza.

                   V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT

    Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule 
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has 
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined 
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning 
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional 
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs 
on state, local, or tribal governments.

             VI. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

                                                     June 13, 2017.
Hon. Ron Johnson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. 
        Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 459, a bill to 
designate the area between the intersections of Wisconsin 
Avenue, Northwest and Davis Street, Northwest and Wisconsin 
Avenue, Northwest and Edmunds Street, Northwest in Washington, 
District of Columbia, as ``Boris Nemtsov Plaza'', and for other 
purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew 
Pickford.
            Sincerely,
                                                        Keith Hall.
    Enclosure.

S. 459--A bill to designate the area between the intersections of 
        Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Davis Street, Northwest and 
        Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Edmunds Street, Northwest in 
        Washington, District of Columbia, as ``Boris Nemtsov Plaza'', 
        and for other purposes

    S. 459 would designate the address of the Embassy of the 
Russian Federation at 2650 Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest in the 
District of Columbia as ``1 Boris Nemtsov Plaza''. The bill 
also would authorize the General Services Administration (GSA) 
to post signs indicating the new address on streets near the 
new address.
    Based on information from GSA and the costs for similar 
tasks, CBO estimates that placing signs around the new address 
would cost less than $500,000; 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 S. 459 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    S. 459 would impose an intergovernmental mandate as defined 
in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by changing the 
address name of a property in Washington, D.C. and effectively 
preempting the authority of the District of Columbia to name 
its own street in this case. CBO estimates that any costs 
incurred by the government of the District of Columbia as a 
result of renaming the street would be negligible.
    S. 459 contains no private-sector mandates as defined in 
UMRA.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew 
Pickford. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

       VII. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    Because S. 459 would not repeal or amend any provision of 
current law, it would make no changes in existing law within 
the meaning of clauses (a) and (b) of paragraph 12 of rule XXVI 
of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

                                  [all]