[House Report 117-467]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                     {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                     {      117-467

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



 
                     ENSLAVED VOYAGES MEMORIAL ACT

                                _______
                                

 September 19, 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. 4009]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 4009) to authorize the Georgetown African 
American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a 
commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its 
environs, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that 
the bill as amended do pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK.

  (a) In General.--The Georgetown African American Historic Landmark 
Project and Tour may establish a commemorative work on Federal land in 
the District of Columbia and its environs to commemorate the enslaved 
individuals, whose identities may be known or unknown, who endured the 
Middle Passage.
  (b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The 
establishment of the commemorative work under this section shall be in 
accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly 
known as the ``Commemorative Works Act'').
  (c) Prohibition on the Use of Federal Funds.--
          (1) In general.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any 
        expense of the establishment of the commemorative work under 
        this section.
          (2) Responsibility of the georgetown african american 
        historic landmark project and tour.--The Georgetown African 
        American Historic Landmark Project and Tour shall be solely 
        responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment of 
        the expenses of, the establishment of the commemorative work 
        under this section.
  (d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--
          (1) In general.--If upon payment of all expenses for the 
        establishment of the memorial (including the maintenance and 
        preservation amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of title 40, 
        United States Code), there remains a balance of funds received 
        for the establishment of the commemorative work, the Georgetown 
        African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour shall 
        transmit the amount of the balance to the Secretary of the 
        Interior for deposit in the account provided for in section 
        8906(b)(3) of title 40, United States Code.
          (2) On expiration of authority.--If upon expiration of the 
        authority for the commemorative work under section 8903(e) of 
        title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of funds 
        received for the establishment of the commemorative work, the 
        Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour 
        shall transmit the amount of the balance to a separate account 
        with the National Park Foundation for memorials, to be 
        available to the Secretary of the Interior or Administrator (as 
        appropriate) following the process provided in section 
        8906(b)(4) of title 40, United States Code, for accounts 
        established under section 8906(b)(2) or (3) of title 40, United 
        States Code.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 4009 is to authorize the Georgetown 
African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to 
establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and 
its environs.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    H.R. 4009 would authorize the Georgetown African American 
Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a commemorative 
work on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its 
environs to commemorate the enslaved individuals, whose 
identities may be known or unknown, who disembarked at 
Georgetown Waterfront after enduring the Middle Passage. The 
legislation stipulates that the work would be established in 
accordance with the Commemorative Works Act and without the use 
of federal funds.
    The Georgetown Waterfront has an extensive and long-
neglected history of involvement in the slave trade. Due to its 
prime location on the northern section of the Potomac River, 
Georgetown was a busy commercial port that also operated as a 
mid-Atlantic trading center of enslaved people.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 4009 was introduced on June 17, 2021, by 
Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). 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 January 19, 2022, 
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 designated Grijalva #072. 
The amendment 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 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 24, 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. 4009, the Enslaved 
Voyages Memorial Act.
    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. 4009 would authorize the Georgetown African American 
Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a commemorative 
work in or near Washington, D.C. The bill would prohibit the 
use of federal funds to establish the memorial.
    The project would be subject to the provisions of the 
Commemorative Works Act. Under that act, any entity that 
receives a construction permit for a commemorative work must 
donate an amount equal to 10 percent of the memorial's 
estimated construction costs to the National Park Foundation, a 
nonprofit organization whose subsequent donations to the 
National Park Service are recorded on the budget. That donation 
and any project funds remaining after construction would be 
available for maintenance of the memorial without further 
appropriation.
    Based on the experience from similar projects, CBO expects 
that any amounts collected by the federal government for 
maintenance of the monument would not be received for several 
years and would be offset by expenditures soon thereafter. 
Thus, CBO estimates that the bill's net effect on direct 
spending would be negligible.
    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 authorize the Georgetown African 
American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a 
commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its 
environs.

                           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]