[DOCID: f:hr248.110] From the House Reports Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] 110th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 110-248 ====================================================================== NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2007 _______ July 23, 2007.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Rahall, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 1239] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 1239) to amend the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 to provide additional staff and oversight of funds to carry out the Act, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. The amendments are as follows: Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Amendments Act of 2007''. SEC. 2. AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES. The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 469l et seq.) is amended-- (1) by striking section 3(d); (2) by striking section 4(d); and (3) by adding at the end the following new section: ``SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. ``(a) Amounts.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $2,500,000 for each fiscal year, to be allocated as follows: ``(1) $2,000,000 is to be used for the purposes of section 3. ``(2) $500,000 is to be used for the purposes of section 4. ``(b) Restrictions.--No amounts may be appropriated for the purposes of this Act except to the Secretary for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary as set forth in this Act.''. SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. The amendments made by section 2 shall take effect at the beginning of the fiscal year immediately following the date of the enactment of this Act. Amend the title so as to read: A bill to amend the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 to authorize additional funding to carry out the Act, and for other purposes. Purpose of the Bill The purpose of H.R. 1239, as ordered reported, is to amend the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 to authorize additional funding to carry out the Act, and for other purposes. Background and Need for Legislation The Underground Railroad was a historic protest movement against slavery in the United States that helped escaped slaves find freedom in northern states and Canada. Until the passage of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-203), the Underground Railroad had not been officially recognized. In 1990, Congress passed legislation directing the National Park Service to conduct a study of options for commemorating the Underground Railroad. The study was completed in 1996, and focused on sites, routes, and other resources that remain throughout the United States. That study found the Underground Railroad to be nationally significant and suitable for inclusion in the National Park System. The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 required that the Secretary of the Interior establish in the National Park Service the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program. Under the Act, the National Park Service is required to develop and distribute materials and enter into cooperative agreements with appropriate entities to provide technical assistance in the preservation and interpretation of the Underground Railroad. The authorization of appropriations to carry out the 1998 Act was limited to not more than $500,000 annually. The Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2001 included a section with language from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Act, introduced as H.R. 2919 in the 106th Congress. This language amended the 1998 Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make grants for the preservation of historic sites or structures and authorized $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2001 and subsequent fiscal years. However, not more than $500,000 annually has been appropriated for this program. Today, the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom encompasses over 250 programs, sites, and partners in 27 states and the District of Columbia. H.R. 1239, as amended by the Committee, raises the general authorization for the National Underground Railroad Network Program from $500,000 to $2,000,000 and lowers the authorization for the preservation of historic sites and structures from $2,500,000 to $500,000. Committee Action H.R. 1239 was introduced on February 28, 2007, by Representative Alcee Hastings (D-FL). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. On May 15, 2007, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 28, 2007, the Natural Resources Committee met to consider the measure and the Subcommittee was discharged from further consideration of the bill. National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to make changes to the bill as introduced based on concerns raised by the Administration. The Grijalva substitute was adopted by a voice vote. The bill, as amended, was then ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote. Section-by-Section Analysis Section 1. Short title Section 1 entitles the bill the ``National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Amendments Act of 2007''. Section 2. Authorizing appropriations for specific purposes Section 2 amends the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 by striking sections 3(d) and 4(d) of the 1998 Act and adding a new section 5 to authorize $2,500,000 for each year to carry out the Act, including $2,000,000 for the purposes of section 3, and $500,000 for the purposes of section 4 of the Act. Section 3. Effective date Section 3 states that the amendments made in section 2 shall take effect at the beginning of the fiscal year immediately following the date of the enactment of this Act. 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. Constitutional Authority Statement Article I, section 8 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, this bill 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. As required by clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective of this bill is to amend the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 to authorize additional funding to carry out the Act, and for other purposes. 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. 1239--National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Amendments Act of 2007 Summary: H.R. 1239 would authorize the appropriation of $2.5 million a year to carry out activities of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, a program administered by the National Park Service (NPS) that is dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, and dissemination of Underground Railroad history. Under the legislation, $2 million of the amounts authorized for each year would be spent on NPS projects and $0.5 million would be provided to nonfederal entities for historic preservation of eligible sites. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1239 would cost $2 million in 2008 and $12.5 million over the 2008-2012 period. Enacting the legislation would have no effect on direct spending or revenues. H.R. 1239 contains no private-sector or intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 1239 is shown in the following table. The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By fiscal year, in millions of dollars-- -------------------------------------------- 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION Authorization Level................................................ 3 3 3 3 3 Estimated Outlays.................................................. 2 3 3 3 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be enacted before the start of fiscal year 2008 and that the authorized amount will be appropriated for each year. H.R. 1239 would amend the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act to authorize the appropriation of $2.5 million per year to carry out activities under the program. The Network to Freedom encompasses over 250 programs, sites, and partners in 27 States and the District of Columbia. For fiscal year 2007, NPS received an appropriation of $500,000 for that purpose. Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1239 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis and David Reynolds; Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Leo Lex; Impact on the Private Sector: Amy Petz. Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. Compliance With Public Law 104-4 This bill contains no unfunded mandates. Earmark Statement H.R. 1239 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e) or 9(f) of rule XXI. 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): NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM ACT OF 1998 * * * * * * * SEC. 3. NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM PROGRAM. (a) * * * * * * * * * * [(d) Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act not more than $500,000 for each fiscal year. No amounts may be appropriated for the purposes of this Act except to the Secretary for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary as set forth in section 3(a).] SEC. 4. PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC SITES OR STRUCTURES. (a) * * * * * * * * * * [(d) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for purposes of this section $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2001 and each subsequent fiscal year. Amounts authorized but not appropriated in a fiscal year shall be available for appropriation in subsequent fiscal years.] SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) Amounts.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $2,500,000 for each fiscal year, to be allocated as follows: (1) $2,000,000 is to be used for the purposes of section 3. (2) $500,000 is to be used for the purposes of section 4. (b) Restrictions.--No amounts may be appropriated for the purposes of this Act except to the Secretary for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary as set forth in this Act. <all>