[House Report 117-605]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                     {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                     {      117-605

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

 
TO DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO INSTALL A PLAQUE AT THE PEAK 
  OF RAM HEAD IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK ON ST. JOHN, UNITED 
STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS, TO COMMEMORATE THE SLAVE REBELLION THAT BEGAN ON 
                            ST. JOHN IN 1733

                                _______
                                

December 7, 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. 7496]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 7496) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the Virgin Islands 
National Park on St. John, United States Virgin Islands, to 
commemorate the slave rebellion that began on St. John in 1733, 
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. 7496 is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the 
Virgin Islands National Park on St. John, United States Virgin 
Islands, to commemorate the slave rebellion that began on St. 
John in 1733.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    H.R. 7496 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the Virgin Islands 
National Park on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, to commemorate 
the slave rebellion that began on St. John in 1733. The plaque 
would contain information regarding important facts about the 
slave rebellion, the collective suicide that occurred during 
the slave rebellion in the vicinity of Ram Head, and the 
significance of the slave rebellion to the history of St. John, 
the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United States.
    According to the National Park Service, ``The 1733 Slave 
Insurrection was the first instance in which enslaved people 
successfully took control of a colony. It served as a spark to 
later slave revolts that would take place.''\1\ After half a 
year of fighting, opposition troops defeated the uprising on 
St. John. As described by one archaeologist and historian, 
``The last remaining rebels [died by] collective suicide . . . 
. As a last cry for freedom, the former slaves had drowned 
themselves, a collective action taken by many African slaves 
before them, hoping for their souls to re-join their homeland, 
families, and ancestors in Africa.''\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\The 1733 Slave Insurrection, NPS (last updated Aug. 18, 2022), 
https://www.nps.gov/viis/learn/historyculture/the-1733-slave-
insurrection.htm.
    \2\Jonas Monie Nordin, The Scandinavian Early Modern World ch. 7 
(2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    H.R. 7496 would complement the current interpretive work 
done by the National Park Service to educate visitors about the 
history of St. John. The park currently offers tours that 
mention the tragic history of the slave rebellion, signs 
identifying slave plantations and their history, and 
information on their website, which tells the story of the 1733 
slave uprising.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 7496 was introduced on April 11, 2022, by 
Representative Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI). 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 June 14, 2022, the Subcommittee held a hearing 
on the bill. On July 13, 2022, 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 June 14, 2022.

            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, as well as clause 3(d) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee has received the 
following materials for the bill from the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, November 14, 2022.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed table summarizing estimated budgetary 
effects and mandates information for some of the legislation 
that has been ordered reported by the House Committee on 
Natural Resources during the 117th Congress.
    If you wish further details, we will be pleased to provide 
them. The CBO staff contact for each estimate is listed on the 
enclosed table.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

           SUMMARY ESTIMATES OF LEGISLATION ORDERED REPORTED

    The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the 
Congressional Budget Office, to the extent practicable, to 
prepare estimates of the budgetary effects of legislation 
ordered reported by Congressional authorizing committees. In 
order to provide the Congress with as much information as 
possible, the attached table summarizes information about the 
estimated direct spending and revenue effects of some of the 
legislation that has been ordered reported by the House 
Committee on Natural Resources during the 117th Congress. The 
legislation listed in this table generally would have small 
effects, if any, on direct spending or revenues, CBO estimates. 
Where possible, the table also provides information about the 
legislation's estimated effects on spending subject to 
appropriation and on intergovernmental and private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

                                                                      ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS AND MANDATES INFORMATION
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                                                                                                       Spending subject
                                                                Budget        Direct       Revenues,          to            Pay-as-you-go     Increases on-budget
Bill number         Title            Status     Last action    function      spending,     2023-2032    appropriation,    procedures apply?    deficits beginning   Mandates        Contact
                                                                             2023-2032                     2023-2027                                in 2033?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.R. 3600    Route 66 National    Ordered         11/17/21           300             0             0   Not estimated                     No                   No          No   Madeleine Fox
              Historic Trail       reported
              Designation Act
             H.R. 3600 would designate the 2,400 miles of U.S. Highway 66 from Illinois to California as the Route 66 National Historic Trail. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3600 would not
              affect direct spending or revenues. CBO has not estimated the discretionary costs of implementing the bill. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
              defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
H.R. 4648    Cane River Creole    Ordered         11/17/21           300             0             0   Not estimated                     No                   No          No   Madeleine Fox
              National             reported
              Historical Park
              Boundary
              Modification Act
             H.R. 4648 would add about 46 acres to the Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Louisiana. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4648 would not affect direct spending or
              revenues. CBO has not estimated the discretionary costs of implementing the bill. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded
              Mandates Reform Act.
H.R. 4690    Sustaining           Ordered         09/29/22           300     Between -             0   Not estimated                    Yes                   No          No   Aurora Swanson
              America's            reported                                $500,000 and
              Fisheries for the                                                   zero
              Future Act of 2021
             H.R. 4690 would authorize the appropriation of specific amounts totaling $4.1 billion over the 2023-2027 period and $0.8 billion after 2027 to mitigate damage to fish populations
              from climate change, overfishing, oil spills, and natural disasters. The bill also would authorize grant programs and funding assistance to fishing communities that experience
              economic loss from damaged fisheries. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4690 would have an insignificant effect on direct spending and no effect on revenues over the 2023-2032
              period. The legislation would authorize activities that would not necessarily be covered by the authorized appropriations; thus, CBO has not estimated the full discretionary
              costs of implementing the bill. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
H.R. 5444    Truth and Healing    Ordered         06/15/22           500             0             0   Not estimated                     No                   No          No   Garrett
              Commission on        reported                                                                                                                                     Quenneville
              Indian Boarding
              School Policies
              Act
             H.R. 5444 would establish the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies to study and report on the lasting effects of policies that placed American Indian,
              Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children in boarding schools. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 5444 would not affect direct spending or revenues. CBO has not estimated the
              discretionary costs of implementing the bill. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
H.R. 6438    Dearfield Study Act  Ordered         07/20/22           300             0             0   Not estimated                     No                   No          No   Madeleine Fox
                                   reported
             H.R. 6438 would require the Department of the Interior to study and report on the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Dearfield area in Colorado as a unit of the
              National Park System. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 6438 would not affect direct spending or revenues. CBO has not estimated the discretionary costs of implementing the bill.
              The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
H.R. 6442    PACTS Act            Ordered         07/13/22           300             0             0   Not estimated                     No                   No          No   Madeleine Fox
                                   reported
             H.R. 6442 would authorize the National Park Service to enter into agreements with tribal governments, public universities, public utilities, and quasi-governmental entities to
              cooperatively manage adjacent parks. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 6442 would not affect direct spending or revenues. CBO has not estimated the discretionary costs of
              implementing the bill. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
H.R. 6799    John P. Parker       Ordered         07/20/22           300             0             0   Not estimated                     No                   No          No   Madeleine Fox
              House Study Act      reported
             H.R. 6799 would require the Department of the Interior to study and report on the suitability and feasibility of establishing the John P. Parker House in Ohio as a unit of the
              National Park System. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 6799 would not affect direct spending or revenues. CBO has not estimated the discretionary costs of implementing the bill.
              The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
H.R. 7496    a bill to direct     Ordered         07/13/22           300             0             0   Not estimated                     No                   No          No   Madeleine Fox
              the Secretary of     reported
              the Interior to
              install a plaque
              at the peak of Ram
              Head in the Virgin
              Islands National
              Park on St. John,
              United States
              Virgin Islands, to
              commemorate the
              slave rebellion
              that began on St.
              John in 1733
             H.R. 7496 would direct the Department of the Interior to install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the United States Virgin Islands commemorating the 1733 slave rebellion. CBO
              estimates that enacting H.R. 7496 would not affect direct spending or revenues. CBO has not estimated the discretionary costs of implementing the bill. The bill contains no
              intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
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    The Committee adopts as its own any finalized additional 
materials of the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
regarding the bill, should such materials be made available 
before House passage of the bill.
    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 install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the 
Virgin Islands National Park on St. John, United States Virgin 
Islands, to commemorate the slave rebellion that began on St. 
John in 1733.

                           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]