[Senate Report 117-172]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                      Calendar No. 514
117th Congress      }                                   {       Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session         }                                   {      117-172

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           JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II HISTORY NETWORK ACT

                                _______
                                

               September 27, 2022.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

         Mr. Manchin, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 
                   Resources, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 6434]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (H.R. 6434), to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to establish, within the National Park Service, the 
Japanese American World War II History Network, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                PURPOSE

    The purpose of H.R. 6434 is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to establish the Japanese American World War II 
History Network within the National Park Service.

                          BACKGROUND AND NEED

    H.R. 6434 establishes the Japanese American World War II 
History Network within the National Park Service (NPS). The 
bill would authorize the NPS to coordinate and facilitate 
federal and non-federal activities to commemorate, honor, and 
interpret the history of Japanese American incarceration during 
World War II, and the people, resources, and events that 
commemorate that history across the nation.
    Between 1942 and 1945, the U.S. government wrongfully 
imprisoned approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of 
whom were citizens, during World War II. Many of the U.S. 
government's activities were done in secrecy and were not 
accurately represented to the public in the years after the 
war.
    H.R. 6434 directs the Secretary of the Interior to 
establish the Network encompassing NPS sites and programs 
related to Japanese American World War II history and 
experiences during the war, including relocation centers and 
confinement sites. The Network would also include other non-NPS 
sites (with the consent of the owner) that relate to Japanese 
American World War II history and experiences.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    H.R. 6434, sponsored by Representative Obernolte and 
others, was introduced on January 20, 2022. The Subcommittee on 
National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing on the 
bill on February 3, 2022, and the bill was reported by the 
Committee on Natural Resources on March 9, 2022 (H. Rept. 117-
262). H.R. 6434 passed the House of Representatives by a vote 
of 406-16 on March 16, 2022. A companion bill, S. 4555, was 
introduced by Senator Barrasso on July 19, 2022.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 
open business session on July 21, 2022, by a voice vote of a 
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 6434.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title

    Section 1 provides the short title of the bill, the 
``Japanese American World War II History Network Act.''

Sec. 2. Japanese American World War II History Network

    Section 2(a) directs the Secretary of the Interior to 
establish the Japanese American World War II History Network 
(Network) within the National Park Service.
    Subsection (b) describes the duties of the Secretary in 
carrying out the Network, including reviewing studies and 
reports; producing and distributing educational materials and 
guides; entering into cooperate agreements; and creating and 
regulating the use of a symbol to represent the Network.
    Subsection (c) defines elements of the Network, including 
units of the National Park System, other government facilities 
and programs, and with consent of the owner, non-Federal 
property that relate to Japanese American World War II history 
and experience.

Sec. 3. Cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding

    Section 3 authorizes the Secretary to enter into 
cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding with 
other Federal agencies, States (including units of local 
government), tribes, regional governmental bodies and private 
entities to provide technical assistance and ensure 
coordination between Federal and non-Federal sites.

Sec. 4. Sunset

    Section 4 provides that the authority of the Secretary 
under this Act expires 7 years after the date of enactment.

                    COST AND BUGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

    The following estimate of costs of H.R. 6434, as ordered 
reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on 
February 16, 2022, has been provided by the Congressional 
Budget Office.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    H.R. 6434 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
establish the Japanese American World War II History Network 
within the National Park Service (NPS). The network, which 
would be authorized for seven years, would coordinate federal 
and nonfederal activities that commemorate, honor, and 
interpret the history of Japanese Americans during World War 
II. It would consist of NPS units and programs related to the 
period along with properties and programs of other federal, 
state, local, and private entities that wished to join.
    Under the bill, the NPS would produce and distribute 
educational materials about the network, create an official 
symbol, and provide technical assistance to entities interested 
in joining. The bill would authorize the NPS to enter into 
cooperative agreements and memorandums of understanding with 
private organizations and state and local governments.
    Using information from the NPS, CBO estimates that 
implementing H.R. 6434 would have an insignificant cost in each 
year, totaling $1 million over the 2022-2026 period; spending 
would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Madeleine Fox. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Director of Budget Analysis.

                      REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

    In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following 
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in 
carrying out H.R. 6434. The bill is not a regulatory measure in 
the sense of imposing Government-established standards or 
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals 
and businesses. No personal information would be collected in 
administering the program. Therefore, there would be no impact 
on personal privacy. Little, if any, additional paperwork would 
result from the enactment of H.R. 6434, as ordered reported.

                   CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

    H.R 6434, as ordered reported, does not contain any 
congressionally directed spending items, limited tax benefits, 
or limited tariff benefits as defined in rule XLIV of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate.

                        EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

    The Committee did not hold a hearing on H.R. 6434. 
Testimony was provided by the Department of the Interior at the 
February 3, 2022, House Natural Resources Committee hearing on 
H.R. 6434.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no 
changes in existing law are made by the bill as ordered report

                                  [all]