[House Report 117-266]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
117th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 117-266
======================================================================
SAVE THE LIBERTY THEATRE ACT OF 2021
_______
March 9, 2022.--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. 3197]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 3197) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
convey to the City of Eunice, Louisiana, certain Federal land
in Louisiana, and for other purposes, having considered the
same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and
recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 3197 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to convey to the City of Eunice, Louisiana, certain
federal land in Louisiana.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
As a former vaudeville house and cinema dating to 1924, the
Liberty Theatre has been a community mainstay in Eunice,
Louisiana, for nearly 100 years.\1\ The theater, which is
directly adjacent to the Jean LaFitte National Historical
Park's Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, is owned by the City of
Eunice. However, in 1989, the National Park Service (NPS)
financed an annex to the theater to install an Americans with
Disabilities Act-compliant access ramp and restroom and an HVAC
system for the cultural center and theater.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Also see generally S. Rep. No. 117-86, at 1-2 (2022), https://
www.congress.gov/117/crpt/srpt86/CRPT-117srpt86.pdf--of which the above
text is largely excerpts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.R. 3197 would require the Department of the Interior to
convey to the city of Eunice, Louisiana, this small NPS-owned
parcel. NPS plans to install its own HVAC system for the
cultural center, and the City of Eunice plans to install a new
system for the historic Liberty Theatre. The City seeks the
conveyance of the property to consolidate ownership and
facilitate financing for ongoing restoration work.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 3197 was introduced on May 13, 2021, by Representative
Mike Johnson (R-LA). 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
October 14, 2021, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill.
On November 17, 2021, the Natural Resources Committee met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous
consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was adopted
and ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives
by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure:
hearing by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and
Public Lands held on October 14, 2021.
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, February 25, 2022.
Hon. Raul 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. 3197, the Save the
Liberty Theatre Act of 2021.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Madeleine
Fox.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director.
Enclosure.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 3197 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to
convey all right, title, and interest of the federal government
in specified areas of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park
and Preserve to the city of Eunice, Louisiana. That area
includes an annex owned by the National Park Service (NPS) that
is attached to the Liberty Theatre, which is owned by the city.
The NPS would not receive payment from the city for the
conveyed land.
Using information from the NPS, CBO estimates that the
administrative costs associated with conveying the land to the
city and updating maps would not be significant. In addition,
CBO expects that implementing the bill would reduce NPS
maintenance costs for those areas by an insignificant amount.
On net, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3197 would have an
insignificant effect on spending subject to appropriation.
The property that would be conveyed does not generate
income for the federal government; therefore, enacting the bill
would not affect direct spending or revenues.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Madeleine Fox.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of 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 direct the Secretary of the
Interior to convey to the City of Eunice, Louisiana, certain
federal land in Louisiana.
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
According to CBO, this bill contains no unfunded mandates
as defined by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
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.
[all]