[Senate Report 118-48]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                  Calendar No. 120

118th Congress}                                           { Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session  }                                           { 118-48

======================================================================
 
              BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY AMPHITHEATER DESIGNATION

                                _______
                                

                 July 11, 2023.--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 S. 92]

      [Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 92), to designate the outdoor 
amphitheater at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia, 
as the ``Rick Boucher Amphitheater,'' having considered the 
same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and 
recommends that the bill do pass.

                                PURPOSE

    The purpose of S. 92 is to designate the outdoor 
amphitheater at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia, 
as the ``Rick Boucher Amphitheater.''

                          BACKGROUND AND NEED

    Former Representative Rick Boucher represented Southwest 
Virginia's Ninth Congressional District in the House of 
Representatives from 1983 to 2011. Rep. Boucher was an early 
supporter of the development of the Blue Ridge Music Center and 
continued to support the project throughout his tenure. The 
Blue Ridge Music Center, first established by Congress in 1985, 
is located in Galax, Virginia, within the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 
unit of the National Park System. The Blue Ridge Music Center 
is home to a visitor center, outdoor amphitheater, indoor 
interpretive center, and museum that highlights the historical 
significance of the region's musical culture.
    S. 92 would designate the outdoor amphitheater as the 
``Rick Boucher Amphitheater'' in honor of Representative 
Boucher.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    S. 92 was introduced by Senators Warner and Kaine on 
January 26, 2023. Similar legislation, S. 3873, was introduced 
in the 117th Congress by Senators Warner and Kaine on March 17, 
2022. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on S. 
3873 on September 21, 2022. S. 3873 was discharged from 
committee and passed the Senate by unanimous consent on 
December 22, 2022.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in an 
open business session on May 17, 2023, by a voice vote of a 
quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 92.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Designation of the Rick Boucher Amphitheater

    Subsection (a) designates the outdoor amphitheater at the 
Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia, a facility within 
the Blue Ridge Parkway and a unit of the National Park System, 
as the ``Rick Boucher Amphitheater.''
    Subsection (b) clarifies that any reference in a law, map, 
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the outdoor amphitheater referred to in subsection 
(a) shall be referenced as the ``Rick Boucher Amphitheater.''

                   COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

    The following estimate of costs of this measure has been 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office.




    S. 92 would change the name of the Blue Ridge Music Center 
located in Galax, Virginia, to the ``Rick Boucher 
Amphitheater.'' Using information about the cost of similar 
activities, CBO estimates that updating maps and signs would 
cost less than $500,000 over the 2023-2028 period. Any 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.
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                             Director, Congressional Budget Office.

                      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 S. 92. 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 S. 92, as ordered reported.

                   CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

    S. 92, 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 testimony provided by the National Park Service at the 
September 21, 2022, hearing on S. 3873, similar legislation 
that was filed during the 117th Congress, follows:

 Statement of Michael A. Caldwell, Associate Director, Park Planning, 
 Facilities, and Lands, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the 
                                Interior

    Chairman King, Ranking Member Daines, and members of the 
Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the 
Department of the Interior's views on S. 3873, a bill to 
designate the outdoor amphitheater at the Blue Ridge Music 
Center in Galax, Virginia, as the ``Rick Boucher 
Amphitheater''. The Blue Ridge Music Center (Center) hosts an 
average of 27,000 visitors annually and another roughly 20,000 
concert goers attend the Center's Roots of American Music 
concert series. The Center is owned by the National Park 
Service and operated through a partnership with Blue Ridge 
Parkway Foundation. It is situated on a 2,500-acre campus with 
multiple facilities for visitors and park neighbors to interact 
with and learn about the traditional music of the region. 
Facilities at the Center include the outdoor amphitheater, a 
small indoor theater suited for lectures and smaller 
performances, an indoor visitor center and museum gallery which 
includes The Roots of American Music permanent exhibition. A 
covered breezeway accommodates daily Mid-Day Mountain Music 
concerts by local musicians that are free to the public. Former 
United States Representative Rick Boucher, who represented 
Virginia's 9th District for almost 30 years, was an early 
supporter of the Center and remained so throughout his tenure 
in Congress. Congressman Boucher played an instrumental role in 
securing funding for the construction of the Center, and his 
efforts helped ensure that the vision of early proponents for 
the Center, including the late Joe Wilson, former Executive 
Director of the National Council for Traditional Arts, and 
former NPS Director Gary Everhardt, could be realized. The 
Department is grateful for Congressman Boucher's work to 
support the National Park Service. S. 3873 would recognize and 
honor former Representative Boucher by designating the outdoor 
amphitheater at the Center as the ``Rick Boucher 
Amphitheater.'' The NPS generally discourages the naming of 
park features except when there is a compelling justification 
and at least five years have elapsed since the death of the 
person. However, we recognize that Congress may also 
specifically authorize the placement of such recognition. In 
this instance, the Department defers to Congress and does not 
object to S. 3873. Chairman King, this concludes my statement. 
I would be pleased to answer any questions you or other members 
of the Subcommittee may have.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, there are no changes in existing 
law made by the bill S. 92, as ordered reported.

                                  [all]