[House Report 106-679]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 106-679
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ESTABLISHMENT OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN INTERPRETIVE CENTER
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June 19, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3084]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 3084) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
contribute funds for the establishment of an interpretative
center on the life and contributions of President Abraham
Lincoln, having considered the same, report favorably thereon
with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do
pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu
thereof the following:
SECTION 1. CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD ESTABLISHMENT OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
INTERPRETIVE CENTER.
(a) Grants Authorized.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the
Secretary of the Interior shall make grants to contribute funds for the
establishment in Springfield, Illinois, of an interpretive center to
preserve and make available to the public materials related to the life
of President Abraham Lincoln and to provide interpretive and
educational services which communicate the meaning of the life of
Abraham Lincoln.
(b) Plan and Design.--
(1) Submission.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the entity selected by the Secretary of
the Interior to receive grants under subsection (a) shall
submit to the Secretary a plan and design for the interpretive
center, including a description of the following:
(A) The design of the facility and site.
(B) The method of acquisition.
(C) The estimated cost of acquisition, construction,
operation, and maintenance.
(D) The manner and extent to which non-Federal
entities will participate in the acquisition,
construction, operation, and maintenance of the center.
(2) Consultation and cooperation.--The plan and design for
the interpretive center shall be prepared in consultation with
the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Illinois and
in cooperation with such other public, municipal, and private
entities as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(c) Conditions on Grant.--
(1) Matching requirement.--A grant under subsection (a) may
not be made until such time as the entity selected to receive
the grant certifies to the Secretary of the Interior that funds
have been contributed by the State of Illinois or raised from
non-Federal sources for use to establish the interpretive
center in an amount equal to at least double the amount of that
grant.
(2) Relation to other lincoln-related sites and museums.--The
Secretary of the Interior shall further condition the grant
under subsection (a) on the agreement of the grant recipient to
operate the resulting interpretive center in cooperation with
other Federal and non-Federal historic sites, parks, and
museums that represent significant locations or events in the
life of Abraham Lincoln. Cooperative efforts to promote and
interpret the life of Abraham Lincoln may include the use of
cooperative agreements, cross references, cross promotion, and
shared exhibits.
(d) Prohibition on Contribution of Operating Funds.--Grant amounts
may not be used for the maintenance or operation of the interpretive
center.
(e) Non-Federal Operation.--The Secretary of Interior shall have no
involvement in the actual operation of the interpretive center, except
at the request of the non-Federal entity responsible for the operation
of the center.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior a total of $50,000,000 to
make grants under subsection (a). Amounts so appropriated shall remain
available for expenditure through fiscal year 2006.
purpose of the bill
The purpose of H.R. 3084 is to authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to contribute funds for the establishment of an
interpretive center on the life and contributions of President
Abraham Lincoln.
background and need for legislation
H.R. 3084 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to
contribute up to $50,000,000 in matching funds for the
construction of an interpretive center on the life and
contributions of President Abraham Lincoln in Springfield,
Illinois. The planned two-part Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library and interpretive center will consist of a museum
portion and a library and archives. Some of the more well-known
artifacts include a manuscript of the Gettysburg Address
written in Lincoln's hand, a signed copy of the Emancipation
Proclamation, the tablecloth from his wedding reception, and
the desk and inkwell Lincoln used to write his first Inaugural
Address.
H.R. 3084 would authorize the Secretary to contribute up to
$50,000,000 for the construction of the center, and specifies
that all non-federal funds be in an amount equal to at least
double the amount of the matching federal grant. The bill does
not provide funding for maintenance or operation of the
facility.
committee action
H.R. 3084 was introduced on October 14, 1999, by
Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. On March 14,
2000, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On April 13,
2000, the Subcommittee met to consider the bill. No amendments
were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the
Full Committee by voice vote. On June 7, 2000, the Full
Committee met to consider the bill. An amendment was offered by
Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN) which conditions the grants
given for the Lincoln Interpretive Center by ensuring that the
recipient operate the Center in cooperation with other sites in
promoting or interpreting Abraham Lincoln. The amendment was
adopted by voice vote. No further amendments were offered and
the bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the
House of Representatives by voice vote.
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 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. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee has received no report of
oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on
Government Reform on this bill.
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:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Wahington, DC, June 16, 2000.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3084, a bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contribute funds for
the establishment of an interpretive center on the life and
contributions of President Abraham Lincoln.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
H.R. 3084--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
contribute funds for the establishment of an interpretive
center on the life and contributions of President Abraham
Lincoln
H.R. 3084 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to
contribute up to $50 million toward the construction of an
interpretive center in Illinois on the life and contributions
of President Abraham Lincoln. Any grants, to be made to a
nonfederal entity chosen by the Secretary, would be contingent
on nonfederal groups raising twice the amount of the federal
contribution. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $50
million, to be available through fiscal year 2006. No federal
funds would be used to operate or maintain the center.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO
estimates that the federal government would spend $47 million
over the next five years, if nonfederal contributions become
available to match the federal funding. (In fiscal year 2000,
$3 million was appropriated for the center.)
H.R. 3084 would not affect direct spending or receipts;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. The bill
contains no private-sector or intergovernmental mandates as
defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
The CBO staff contact 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
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.