[House Report 116-374]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress   }                                             {   Report
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session      }                                             {  116-374

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



 
              YUCCA HOUSE NATIONAL MONUMENT EXPANSION ACT

                                _______
                                

January 10, 2020.--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. 1492]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1492) to update the map of, and modify the 
maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the Yucca House 
National Monument, having considered the same, report favorably 
thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as 
amended do pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Yucca House National Monument 
Expansion Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

  In this Act:
          (1) National monument.--The term ``National Monument'' means 
        the Yucca House National Monument in Cortez, Colorado, 
        established by Presidential Proclamation 1549.
          (2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Yucca 
        House National Monument Proposed Boundary Addition'', numbered 
        318/105,085A, and dated February 27, 2019.
          (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        the Interior.

SEC. 3. YUCCA HOUSE NATIONAL MONUMENT LAND ACQUISITION.

  (a) Acquisition.--The Secretary may acquire by donation the 
approximately 160 acres of land and any interests in the land that is 
identified on the map.
  (b) Boundary.--On the acquisition of the land authorized under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall adjust the boundaries of the 
National Monument to include the acquired land.
  (c) Administration.--The land and any interests in land acquired 
under subsection (a) shall be administered as part of the National 
Monument.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 1492 is to update the map of, and 
modify the maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the 
Yucca House National Monument.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    The Yucca House National Monument, established in 1919 by 
President Woodrow Wilson, is one of the largest archeological 
sites in Southwest Colorado. The site dates to the Great Pueblo 
Period and was established as an important community center. 
The 33.6-acre national monument includes 600 rooms, 100 kivas 
(round, underground rooms), several towers, multiple plazas, 
and one great kiva.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\See generally Yucca House Visitor Guide, Nat'l Park Serv., 
https://www.nps.gov/yuho/learn/historyculture/upload/
yuhositebulletin_508.pdf (last accessed Jan. 3, 2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Visitors currently access the site via a permanent easement 
established in 1936 across the private property of what is now 
the Box Bar Ranch. The Box Bar Ranch is interested in 
reclaiming the permanent easement and utilizing it for other 
purposes. In order for this to occur, an alternate access route 
must be established. The proposed addition of approximately 160 
acres of donated land would provide an opportunity to establish 
the alternate, permanent access across federal land. H.R. 1492 
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept this 
donation of land and then requires the Secretary to adjust the 
boundaries of the National Monument to include the acquired 
land.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R.1492 was introduced on March 4, 2019, by Representative 
Scott Tipton (R-CO). 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 
July 18, 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. Chair Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) offered an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute, which was agreed to by unanimous 
consent. The bill, as amended, was adopted and 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. 1492: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on 
National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held on July 18, 
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 8, 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. 1492, the Yucca 
House National Monument Boundary Revision Act.
    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.

    
    

    H.R. 1492 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) 
to acquire, by donation, approximately 160 acres of land to add 
to the existing Yucca House National Monument.
    Using information from the NPS, CBO anticipates that the 
agency would accept the donated land and process the transfer 
in the first year following enactment. CBO estimates that the 
cost to process the real estate transaction and perform 
environmental inspections would not be significant. 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 update the map of, and modify 
the maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the Yucca House 
National Monument.

                           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

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing 
law.

        SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS

    None.