[Senate Report 116-36]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                       Calendar No. 72
116th Congress     }                                      {     Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session       }                                      {     116-36

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



 
           JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2019

                                _______
                                

                  May 6, 2019.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

   Mr. Barrasso, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 1061]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 1061) to amend the John F. Kennedy Center 
Act to authorize appropriations for the John F. Kennedy Center 
for the Performing Arts, and for other purposes, having 
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                    General Statement and Background

    In 1950, President Eisenhower signed the National Cultural 
Center Act (Pub. L. 85-874) into law, which established the 
National Cultural Center. In 1960, a bill (Pub. L. 88-260) was 
enacted to rename the performing arts center as the John F. 
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Kennedy Center), which 
established the center as a living memorial in honor of the 
late president. The Kennedy Center has been reauthorized on a 
regular basis.
    The Kennedy Center was designed by Edward Durrell Stone. In 
1956, President Lyndon Johnson broke ground on a site located 
along the banks of the Potomac River. In 1971, the building 
opened to its first visitors. Today, the Kennedy Center is the 
nation's busiest performing arts center. Each year, it hosts 
approximately 3,000 events and receives over 2 million 
visitors.
    The Kennedy Center's authorizing statute requires that 
designated Members of Congress provide full and appropriate 
oversight over the federal funding it receives. Designated 
Members of Congress include: the Speaker and Minority Leader of 
the House; the leadership of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee; which is the Kennedy Center's 
authorizing committee in the House; three additional members 
appointed by House leadership; the Senate Majority and Minority 
Leaders; the leadership of the Environment and Public Works 
Committee, which is the Kennedy Center's authorizing committee 
in the Senate; and three additional members appointed by Senate 
leadership. These members are briefed on an ongoing basis 
regarding federal appropriations to ensure both transparency 
and accountability.
    The Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees (Board) raises 
private funds on an ongoing, annual basis to support a full 
range of programming in the fields of the performing arts, 
consistent with the congressionally-proscribed mandate. The 
Board is prudent with federal funds and, in an effort to 
respect federal budget limitations, embarked on a capital 
campaign to create a much-needed expansion of the building that 
includes education classrooms and additional public access to 
programming. This expansion, solely funded with private 
dollars, was authorized by Congress in the 2012 reauthorization 
of the Kennedy Center in order to ensure full collaboration 
with Congress in the Kennedy Center's efforts to fulfill and 
sustain its statutory mandate.
    Consistent with federal austerity measures, the Kennedy 
Center has adapted to across-the-board reductions in federal 
funding it receives and has become even more cost conscious as 
it budgets for necessary expenditures relating to its 
expansion. Reductions in federal funding are challenging 
because this funding supports fixed costs for electricity, 
security, and other expenses that are expected to rise with the 
cost of living in the coming years. Federal funding may not be 
used for performing arts attractions, personnel, and or 
administration, including production, fundraising, marketing, 
and ticket sales.

                     Objectives of the Legislation

    The John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act of 2019 
authorizes appropriations for maintenance, repair, security, 
and capital projects at the Kennedy Center for each of fiscal 
years 2020 through 2024. This includes inflationary increases 
for maintenance repair, and security necessary to maintain the 
new expansion project which was solely funded with private 
dollars and authorized by Congress in 2012.
    The John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act of 2019 also 
recognizes the year 2018 as the 60th anniversary of the 
National Cultural Center Act signed into law by President 
Eisenhower on September 4, 1958. The bill authorizes a plaque 
to be placed in the Kennedy Center containing an inscription to 
commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the National 
Cultural Center Act (20 U.S.C. 76h et seq.) by President 
Eisenhower. The bill establishes the sense of the Congress that 
the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Kennedy Center 
should be recognized.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Short title

    This Act may be titled as the ``John F. Kennedy Center 
Reauthorization Act of 2019.''

Section 2. Authorization of appropriations

    This section authorizes $26 million for fiscal year 2020, 
$27 million for fiscal year 2021, $28 million for fiscal year 
2022, $29 million for fiscal year 2023, and $30 million for 
fiscal year 2024. This section also authorizes for capital 
projects $17 million for fiscal year 2020, $18 million for 
fiscal year 2021, $19 million for fiscal year 2022, $20 million 
for fiscal year 2023, and $21 million for fiscal year 2024.

Section 3. Commemoration of the John F. Kennedy Center for the 
        Performing Arts

    This section establishes a sense of Congress that the 
Kennedy Center should recognize the year 2021 as the 50th 
anniversary of the opening of the Kennedy Center, and that the 
Kennedy Center should appropriately acknowledge and commemorate 
the Kennedy Center as a national center for the performing arts 
and as a national memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
    This section also establishes a sense of Congress that the 
Kennedy Center should recognize the year 2018 as the 60th 
anniversary of the signing of the National Cultural Center Act 
(now known as the John F. Kennedy Center Act), signed into law 
by President Eisenhower on September 2, 1958.
    This section also requires the Kennedy Center to create a 
plaque commemorating the 60th anniversary of the signing of the 
National Cultural Center Act by President Eisenhower. It 
requires that the plaque be placed at an appropriate location 
determined by the Board within the Kennedy Center approximate 
to the Eisenhower Theater. This section prohibits federal funds 
from being used to design, procure, or install the plaque. It 
states that the Kennedy Center may solicit and accept private 
contributions for the design, procurement, and installation of 
the plaque.

                          Legislative History

    On April 10, 2019 Senator Barrasso introduced S. 1061, the 
John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act of 2019, with 
Senators Carper, Capito, Cardin, and Warren as original 
cosponsors. The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.
    The text of S. 1061 is substantially similar to the text of 
S. 1359, the John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act of 
2017. Senator Barrasso introduced S. 1359 on June 14, 2017. 
Senators Carper, Capito, Cardin, and Warren were original 
cosponsors. The EPW Committee reported S. 1359 without 
amendment by voice vote on July 12, 2017. The Senate passed S. 
1359 without amendment by unanimous consent on September 6, 
2017.

                                Hearings

    No hearings were held on S. 1061.

                             Rollcall Votes

    On April 10, 2019, the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works met to consider S. 1061. The Committee ordered the bill 
to be favorably reported without amendment by voice vote. No 
roll call votes were taken.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

    In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 1061 
does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it 
cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of 
individuals.

                          Mandates Assessment

    In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 
(Public Law 104-4), the Committee notes that the Congressional 
Budget Office found, ``S. 1061 contains no intergovernmental or 
private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates 
Reform Act (UMRA).''

                          Cost of Legislation

    Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the 
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be 
included in the report. That statement follows:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, April 17, 2019.
Hon. John Barrasso,
Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1061, the John F. 
Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act of 2019.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Meredith 
Decker.
            Sincerely,
                                                Keith Hall,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    

    S. 1061 would amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act to 
authorize appropriations totaling $235 million for maintenance, 
repair, and security of the John F. Kennedy Center for the 
Performing Arts, as well as for capital projects for the 
center. Those activities are authorized through 2019 and 
appropriations for the activities totaled $41 million for 
fiscal year 2019. The bill also would authorize the center to 
design and display a commemorative plaque recognizing 2018 as 
the 60th anniversary of the National Cultural Center Act, to be 
funded by private donors.
    For this estimate, CBO assumes that S. 1061 will be enacted 
before the beginning of fiscal year 2020, and that the 
authorized amounts will be appropriated each year. Estimated 
outlays are based on historical spending patterns.
    Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing S. 1061 would cost $206 million 
over the 2020-2024 period, and $29 million after 2024. The 
costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within 
budget function 500 (education, training, employment, and 
social services.)

                TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER S. 1061
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
                                                              --------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                          2019-
                                                                2019   2020   2021   2022   2023   2024    2024
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maintenance, Repair, and Security:
    Authorization............................................      0     26     27     28     29     30      140
    Estimated Outlays........................................      0     22     27     28     29     30      136
Capital Projects:
    Authorization............................................      0     17     18     19     20     21       95
    Estimated Outlays........................................      0      6     11     15     18     20       70
    Total Changes:
        Authorization........................................      0     43     45     47     49     51      235
        Estimated Outlays....................................      0     28     38     43     47     50      206
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Meredith Decker. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, 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, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown 
in roman:

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JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SECTION 1. [20 U.S.C. 76H NOTE] SHORT TITLE AND FINDINGS.

  (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``John F. 
Kennedy Center Act''.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 13. [20 U.S.C. 76R] AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  [(a) Maintenance, Repair, and Security.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Board to carry out section 
4(a)(1)(H), $24,490,000 for fiscal year 2019.
  [(b) Capital Projects.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Board to carry out subparagraphs (F) and 
(G) of section 4(a)(1), $16,800,000 for fiscal year 2019.]
  (a) Maintenance, Repair, and Security.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Board to carry out section 
4(a)(1)(H)--
          (1) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
          (2) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
          (3) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
          (4) $29,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and
          (5) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
  (b) Capital Projects.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Board to carry out subparagraphs (F) and 
(G) of section 4(a)(1)--
          (1) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
          (2) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
          (3) $19,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
          (4) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and
          (5) $21,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.

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