[Senate Report 115-361]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                    Calendar No. 648
115th Congress      }                        {              Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session         }                        {               115-361

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



 
   THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT 
                               EXTENSION

                                _______
                                

               November 14, 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 H.R. 4446]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (H.R. 4446) to amend the Virgin Islands of 
the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the 
expiration date of the Commission, and for other purposes, 
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                Purpose

    The purpose of H.R. 4446 is to amend the Virgin Islands of 
the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the 
expiration date of the Commission.

                          Background and Need

    The transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the 
United States in 1917 was a significant historic and culture 
event. Public Law 114-224 established a bipartisan Federal 
commission, known as the Virgin Islands of the United States 
Centennial Commission (Commission), to develop, plan, and 
execute formal commemorative activities to honor the rich 
heritage of the U.S. Virgin Islands and celebrate the 100th 
anniversary of its status as a U.S. territory.
    While the Commission was established on September 29, 2016, 
with the enactment of Public Law 114-224, the appointment of 
two of the Commission's members was delayed by over one year. 
Additionally, the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 
made any Commission activities extremely difficult. The 
Commission did not hold its first official meeting until June 
13, 2018. Because there has only been one meeting, at which the 
Executive Director was selected, the Commission has not 
submitted a report to the President and Congress on its 
activities. H.R. 4446 provides the Commission with an 
additional year to fulfill its responsibilities and further 
extends the timeline for submission of its final report.

                          Legislative History

    H.R. 4446 was introduced by Representative Plaskett (D-VI) 
in the House of Representatives on November 16, 2017, and 
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 
On March 15, 2018, the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform ordered H.R. 4446 favorably reported, as amended, by 
voice vote. On July 16, 2018, the House of Representatives 
passed H.R. 4446 by voice vote.
    On July 17, 2018, H.R. 4446 was received in the Senate and 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open 
business session on October 2, 2018, and ordered H.R. 4446 
favorably reported.

                        Committee Recommendation

    The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 
open business session on October 2, 2018, by a majority voice 
vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 
4446.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Amendment

    Section 1 amends the Virgin Islands of the United States 
Centennial Commission Act (Public Law 114-224) to extend the 
deadline for the submission of the Commission's final report by 
one-year to January 31, 2019. This section also extends the 
Commission's termination date by one-year to September 30, 
2019.

                   Cost and Budgetary Considerations

    The following estimate of the costs of this measure has 
been provided by the Congressional Budget Office: H.R. 4446 
would extend the authority for the Virgin Islands of the United 
States Centennial Commission, to act for one additional year 
(through September 30, 2019). The Commission, whose members 
have been selected but have not met, is prohibited from using 
appropriated funds.
    Enacting the legislation would affect direct spending 
because it would allow the commission to continue to accept and 
spend monetary gifts for an additional year. Therefore, pay-as-
you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that the net 
effect on direct spending would be negligible. Enacting H.R. 
4446 would not affect revenues.
    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4446 would not increase 
net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
    H.R. 4446 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
    On March, 20, 2018, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for 
H.R. 4446 as ordered reported by the House Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform on March 15, 2018. On February 
20, 2018, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 4446, an 
amendment in the Nature of a Substitute as posted on the House 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's website on 
February 6, 2018. The three pieces of legislation are identical 
and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are the same.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew 
Pickford. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                      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 H.R. 4446. The Act 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 H.R. 4446, as ordered reported.

                   Congressionally Directed Spending

    H.R. 4446, 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 Communications for 
H.R. 4446.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the Act, H.R. 4446, as ordered reported, are shown as follows 
(existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black 
brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in 
which no change is proposed is shown in roman):

     VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT


Public Law 114-224

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 7. REPORTS

    (a) Annual Reports.--Not later than January 31 of each 
year, and annually thereafter until the final report is 
submitted pursuant to subsection (b), the Commission shall 
submit to the President and the Congress a report on--
          (1) The activities of the Commission; and
          (2) The revenue and expenditures of the Commission, 
        including a list of each gift, bequest, or devise to 
        the Commission with a value of more than $250, 
        including the identity of the donor of each gift, 
        bequest, or devise.
    (b) Final Report.--Not later than [January 31, 2018] 
January 31, 2019, the Commission shall submit a final report to 
the President and the Congress containing--
          (1) A summary of the activities of the Commission; 
        and
          (2) A final accounting of funds received and expended 
        by the Commission

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 10. TERMINATION

    The Commission shall terminate on [September 30, 2018] 
September 30, 2019, or may terminate at an earlier date 
determined by the Commission after the final report is 
submitted pursuant to section 7(b).

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