[Senate Report 115-303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress          }                      {              Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session             }                      {              115-303

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



 
                       NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM ACT

                                _______
                                

                 July 16, 2018.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Ms. Murkowski, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2857]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 2857) to designate the Nordic Museum in 
Seattle, Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum'', and for 
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                PURPOSE

    The purpose of S. 2857 is to designate the Nordic Museum in 
Seattle, Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum.''

                          BACKGROUND AND NEED

    From the mid-19th to mid-20th century, about 2.5 million 
people immigrated to the United States from the five Nordic 
nations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. They 
settled primarily in the Midwest, and many eventually traveled 
on to the West Coast. Many emigrants fled crop failures, 
famine, unemployment, political instability, and persecution to 
find new homes and livelihoods in the United States. Today, 
about 185 million Nordic Americans live in the United States.
    The Nordic Museum in Seattle, Washington (Museum) is the 
only museum in the United States dedicated to the history, 
culture and art of all five Nordic nations. The Museum 
highlights Nordic-American contributions in the United States 
and collects, preserves, and educates about Nordic culture, 
history, art, traditions, and spirit. The Museum serves as a 
cultural anchor and valuable resource for Seattle and the 
nation by expanding knowledge related to Nordic heritage and 
the impact Nordic heritage has had throughout the United 
States.
    Originally established in 1980 as the Nordic Heritage 
Museum and now occupying a new facility, the Museum has been a 
mainstay of Ballard -- a Seattle neighborhood built by Nordic 
immigrants -- since its inception. The Museum's new 57,000 
square-foot facility was opened on May 5, 2018, with 
contributions from the State of Washington; King County, 
Washington; the Nordic Council, which is composed of 
representatives from the national parliaments of Nordic 
countries; the national museums of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, 
Norway, and Sweden; the City of Seattle; and many private 
individuals and foundations.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    On May 16, 2018, Senator Cantwell introduced S. 2857, the 
National Nordic Museum Act.
    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open 
business session on May 17, 2018, and ordered S. 2857 favorably 
reported.
    On June 6, 2018, the Senate passed S. 2857 by voice vote.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 
open business session on May 17, 2018, by a majority voice vote 
of a quorum present recommends that the Senate pass S. 2857.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title

    Section 1 contains the short title.

Section 2. Findings

    Section 2 contains Congressional findings.

Section 3. Designation of National Nordic Museum

    Section 3 designates the Nordic Museum located in Seattle, 
Washington, as the ``National Nordic Museum'' and specifies 
that the Museum is not a unit of the National Park System. This 
section further clarifies that the designation shall not 
require Federal funds to be expended for any purpose related to 
the museum.

                   COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

    The following estimate of the costs of this measure has 
been provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
    The act would designate the Nordic Museum in Seattle, 
Washington, as the National Nordic Museum and would require 
that federal funds not be expended for that designation. CBO 
estimates that enacting S. 2857 would have no significant 
effect on the federal budget and would not affect direct 
spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do 
not apply.
    CBO estimates that enacting S. 2857 would not increase net 
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
    S. 2857 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani 
Shankaran.

                      REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

    In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following 
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in 
carrying out S. 2857. The bill is not a regulatory measure in 
the sense of imposing Government-established standards or 
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals 
and businesses.
    No personal information would be collected in administering 
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal 
privacy.
    Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the 
enactment of S. 2857, as ordered reported.

                   CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

    S. 2857, as ordered reported, does not contain any 
congressionally directed spending items, limited tax benefits, 
or limited tariff benefits as defined in rule XLIV of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate.

                        EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

    The Committee did not request Executive Agency views 
regarding S. 2857.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no 
changes in existing law are made by the bill as ordered 
reported.

                                  [all]