[DOCID: f:hr548.109] From the House Reports Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] 109th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 109-548 ====================================================================== TO AMEND PUBLIC LAW 106-348 TO EXTEND THE AUTHORIZATION FOR ESTABLISHING A MEMORIAL IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OR ITS ENVIRONS TO HONOR VETERANS WHO BECAME DISABLED WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES _______ July 10, 2006.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 4275] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 4275) to amend Public Law 106-348 to extend the authorization for establishing a memorial in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor veterans who became disabled while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. Purpose of the Bill The purpose of H.R. 4275 is to amend Public Law 106-348 to extend the authorization for establishing a memorial in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor veterans who became disabled while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Background and Need for Legislation In 2000 under Public Law 106-348, Congress authorized the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation (DVLMF) to establish a memorial in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor veterans who became disabled while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. While the DVLMF has already secured a site from the National Park Service and a final design has been chosen, the Foundation needs more time to secure the funds necessary for the memorial's construction. Although the Foundation is making progress in obtaining private funds for the memorial, its charter under Public Law 106-348 will expire at the end of 2007. Extending its charter until 2015 would give the Foundation ample time to secure funding and complete construction. Committee Action H.R. 4275 was introduced on November 9, 2005, by Congresswoman Sue W. Kelly (R-NY). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks. On May 25, 2006, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 21, 2006, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill at which time the Subcommittee on National Parks was discharged from further consideration of the bill by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. Constitutional Authority Statement Article IV, section 3, clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill. Compliance With House Rule XIII 1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that Rule provides that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, thisbill does not contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. This bill does not authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply. 4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: H.R. 4275--A bill to amend Public Law 106-348 to extend the authorization for establishing a memorial in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor veterans who became disabled while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States H.R. 4275 would extend until October 24, 2015, the authority to establish a memorial to honor veterans who became disabled while serving in the Armed Forces. The extension would give the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation (the site's sponsor) an additional eight years to obtain the necessary funds and complete the project. Under current law, authority to construct the site will expire on October 24, 2007. Because the prospective memorial would be established with nonfederal funds, extending the authority to build it would not affect the federal budget. H.R. 4275 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. Compliance With Public Law 104-4 This bill contains no unfunded mandates. Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): SECTION 1 OF PUBLIC LAW 106-348 SECTION 1. MEMORIAL TO HONOR DISABLED VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. (a) * * * (b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The establishment of the memorial shall be in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), except that section 8903(e) of title 40, United States Code, shall not apply and the authorization for this Act shall expire on October 24, 2015. * * * * * * * (d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--If, upon payment of all expenses of the establishment of the memorial (including the maintenance and preservation amount required under section 8(b) of the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1008(b))), or upon expiration of the authority for the memorial [under section 10(b) of such Act (40 U.S.C. 1010(b))] under subsection (b), there remains a balance of funds received for the establishment of the memorial, the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation shall transmit the amount of the balance to the Secretary of the Treasury for deposit in the account provided for in section 8(b)(1) of such Act (40 U.S.C. 1008(b)(1)). <all>