[Senate Report 116-64]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress      }                                {          Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session        }                                {          116-64

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



 
                   RESTORE THE HARMONY WAY BRIDGE ACT

                                _______
                                

                 July 23, 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. 1833]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 1833) to transfer a bridge over the 
Wabash River to the New Harmony River Bridge Authority and the 
New Harmony and Wabash River Bridge Authority, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                    GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

    The Harmony Way Bridge is a two-lane bridge that connects 
Illinois Route 14 with Indiana State Road 66 across the Wabash 
River. The bridge opened in 1930, but was permanently closed on 
May 21, 2012 after inspections revealed the aging bridge was 
unsafe for traffic. The bridge is owned by the White County 
Bridge Commission (Commission), a federal entity. The 
Commission originally intended to convey ownership of the 
bridge to either Illinois or Indiana, but conveyance never 
occurred. Since the bridge's permanent closure in 2012, local 
entities have expressed significant interest in acquiring legal 
ownership of the bridge in order to make potential investment 
and repair determinations.
    This bill transfers ownership of the Harmony Way Bridge 
from the Commission to Illinois and Indiana via the New Harmony 
River Bridge Authority and the New Harmony and Wabash River 
Bridge Authority. Upon conveyance, the 1941 federal statute 
creating the Commission is repealed.

                     OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION

    The objectives of S. 1833 are to transfer ownership the 
Harmony Way Bridge from the Commission to the New Harmony River 
Bridge Authority and the New Harmony and Wabash River Bridge 
Authority, and, upon conveyance, to repeal the 1941 federal 
statute creating the Commission.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title

    This section states that this Act may be cited as the 
``Restore the Harmony Way Bridge Act''.

Section 2. Transfer of bridge and land

    This section directs the White County Bridge Commission to 
convey, without consideration, to the New Harmony River Bridge 
Authority and the New Harmony and Wabash River Bridge 
Authority, any and all right, title, and interest of the 
Commission in and to the bridge across the Wabash River at or 
near New Harmony, Indiana, the approaches to the bridge, and 
the land underneath or adjacent to the bridge and the 
approaches to the bridge.

Section 3. Repeal

    Repeals the Act of April 12, 1941 (creating the 
Commission), effective on the date that the Commission 
completes such conveyance.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    On June 13, 2019, Senator Braun introduced S. 1833, the 
Restore the Harmony Way Bridge Act, with Senators Duckworth, 
Durbin, and Young as original cosponsors. The bill was read 
twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and 
Public Works. The Committee met on June 19, 2019, and ordered 
S. 1833 favorably reported by voice vote.
    Similar legislation, H.R. 6793, Restore the Harmony Way 
Bridge Act, passed the House by unanimous consent in the 115th 
Congress.

                                HEARINGS

    No legislative hearings were held by the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works to consider S. 1833.

                             ROLLCALL VOTES

    On June 19, 2019, the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works met to consider S. 1833. The bill was ordered favorably 
reported 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. 1833 
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 that S. 1833 contains no intergovernmental 
or private-sector mandates.

                          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, July 10, 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. 1833, the Restore 
the Harmony Way Bridge Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Robert Reese.
            Sincerely,
                                                 Phillip L. Swagel.
    Enclosure.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    

    S. 1833 would convey all right, title, and interest in the 
Harmony Way Bridge to Indiana and Illinois. The bridge, which 
connects Indiana and Illinois over the Wabash River, and the 
land underneath and adjacent to the bridge are currently owned 
by the federally authorized White County Bridge Commission. The 
bridge was closed and has not been used since May 2012.
    Because the bridge is unused and the federal government 
would not lose any monetary benefit from conveying the bridge 
to the states, CBO estimates that enacting S. 1833 would have 
no effect on the federal budget.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Robert Reese. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made 
by the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no 
changes to existing law.

                                  [all]