[House Report 116-292]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress    }                                    {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                    {      116-292

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



 
  TO RENAME THE HOMESTEAD NATIONAL MONUMENT OF AMERICA NEAR BEATRICE, 
          NEBRASKA, AS THE HOMESTEAD NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

                                _______
                                

 November 15, 2019.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1472]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1472) to rename the Homestead National Monument 
of America near Beatrice, Nebraska, as the Homestead National 
Historical Park, 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. 1472 is to rename the Homestead 
National Monument of America near Beatrice, Nebraska, as the 
Homestead National Historical Park.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    The Homestead Act of 1862\1\ enticed Americans to move west 
by granting 160 acres of land to claimants in exchange for a 
small fee and five years of either continuous residence or 
cultivating and improving the land. Congress authorized the 
Homestead National Monument of America\2\ in 1936 following the 
acquisition of the Daniel Freeman homestead, one of the first 
sites successfully claimed under the Homestead Act of 1862.\3\
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    \1\Act of May 20, 1862, ch. 75, 12 Stat. 392, https://
uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume= 12&page=392.
    \2\Act of Mar. 19, 1936, Pub. L. No. 74-480, 49 Stat. 1184, https:/
/uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume=49&page=1184 (codified at 16 
U.S.C. Sec. 450u).
    \3\The First Homesteader, Nat'l Park Serv., https://www.nps.gov/
home/learn/historyculture/firsthomesteader.htm (last updated Apr. 10, 
2015).
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    Congress authorized adding the Freeman School, an original 
one-room prairie schoolhouse, to the monument in 1970.\4\ The 
site has since expanded to include the Homestead Heritage 
Center and 100 acres of restored tallgrass prairie.\5\
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    \4\Act of Sept. 25, 1970, Pub. L. No. 91-411, 84 Stat. 863, https:/
/uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume=84&page=863.
    \5\See, e.g., Homestead National Monument of America Additions Act, 
Pub. L. No. 107-332, 116 Stat. 2871 (2002), https://uscode.house.gov/
statviewer.htm?volume=116&page=2871.
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    The current name of the site does not fit the typical 
National Park Service nomenclature. By renaming the site as the 
Homestead National Historical Park, the bill makes the name one 
that is a standard National Park Service designation and 
appropriate for a large unit that has complex physical 
resources.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 1472 was introduced on February 28, 2019, by 
Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE). The bill was referred 
solely to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the 
Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and 
Public Lands. On May 22, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing 
on the bill. On September 25, 2019, the Natural Resources 
Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was 
discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered. 
The bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by unanimous consent.

                                Hearings

    For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 
116th Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or 
consider H.R. 1472: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on 
National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held on May 22, 2019.

            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, October 7, 2019.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
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. 1472, a bill to 
rename the Homestead National Monument of America near 
Beatrice, Nebraska, as the Homestead National Historical Park.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is David Hughes.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

              [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    

    H.R. 1472 would change the name of the Homestead National 
Monument of America in Nebraska to the Homestead National 
Historical Park. Based on the cost of similar efforts, CBO 
estimates that the cost to revise federal maps and signs to 
reflect the new name would be insignificant. Any spending would 
be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Hughes. 
The estimate was reviewed 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 goals and 
objectives of this bill are to rename the Homestead National 
Monument of America near Beatrice, Nebraska, as the Homestead 
National Historical Park.

                           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.

                 Unfunded Mandates Reform Act Statement

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                           Existing Programs

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
program.

                  Applicability to Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

               Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law

    Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or 
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's 
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the 
U.S. Constitution.

         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):

                         ACT OF MARCH 19, 1936


AN ACT To establish The Homestead National Monument of America in Gage 
                            County, Nebraska

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, The Secretary 
of the Interior is authorized and directed to acquire, on 
behalf of the United States, by gift, purchase, or 
condemnation, the south half of the northwest quarter, the 
northeast quarter of the northwest quarter, and the southwest 
quarter of the northeast quarter section 26, township 4 north, 
range 5 east, of the sixth principal meridian, Gage County, 
Nebraska, the same being the first homestead entered upon under 
the General Homestead Act of May 20, 1862, by Daniel Freeman, 
and that when so acquired, the said area be [designated ``The 
Homestead National Monument of America.''] designated the 
``Homestead National Historical Park''.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


        Supplemental, Minority, Additional, or Dissenting Views

    None.

                                  [all]