[House Report 108-268]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 108-268
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DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT A SPECIAL RESOURCE
STUDY TO DETERMINE THE NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MIAMI CIRCLE SITE
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AS WELL AS THE SUITABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF
ITS INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AS PART OF BISCAYNE NATIONAL
PARK, AND FOUR OTHER PURPOSES
_______
September 11, 2003.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 111]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(S. 111) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
special resource study to determine the national significance
of the Miami Circle site in the State of Florida as well as the
suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the National
Park System as part of Biscayne National Park, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon
without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of S. 111 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the
national significance of the Miami Circle site in the State of
Florida as well as the suitability and feasibility of its
inclusion in the National Park System as part of Biscayne
National Park and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Miami Circle, discovered in 1999, is an archaeological
ceremonial site presumed to have been constructed by the
Tequesta Indians approximately 2000 years ago. The site is
approximately 2.2 acres and located in Miami-Dade County,
Florida, and is possibly the only one of its kind. The site is
also reasonably close to Biscayne National Park, which
currently protects several prehistoric Tequesta sites. The
Tequesta Indians are thought to be among the first people to
establish permanent villages in southeast Florida, where
studies have shown that the Tequesta maintained a sophisticated
agrarian society. It has been proposed that a study be
conducted to assess the feasibility of including Miami Circle
into an existing park unit, Biscayne National Park, due to its
rarity and archaeological value. The site is currently owned by
the State of Florida who acquired the property late in 1999 for
approximately $26.7 million. The study, to be conducted by the
Secretary of the Interior through the National Park Service,
would include analysis and recommendation with respect to
including the Miami Circle as part of Biscayne National Park.
The feasibility study would also assess additional resources
needed, if any, to administer the acquisition of Miami Circle
and the local impact that would result from the inclusion. S.
111 would require the Secretary to submit a report to Congress
detailing the findings and recommendations in the study.
COMMITTEE ACTION
S. 111 was introduced on January 9, 2003, by Senator Bob
Graham (D-FL). The bill passed the Senate on March 4, 2003, by
unanimous consent. The bill was then referred to the Committee
on Resources. Within the Committee, the bill was referred to
the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public
Lands. On July 15, 2003, the Full Resources Committee met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks,
Recreation and Public Lands 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 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. 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 direct the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the
national significance of the Miami Circle site in the State of
Florida as well as the suitability and feasibility of its
inclusion in the National Park System as part of Biscayne
National Park 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:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, August 11, 2003.
Hon. Richard Pombo,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 111, an act to
direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special
resource study to determine the national significance of the
Miami Circle site in the state of Florida as well as the
suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the National
Park System as part of Biscayne National Park.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact for this
estimate is Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director.
Enclosure.
S. 111--An act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
special resource study to determine the national significance
of the Miami Circle site in the state of Florida as well as the
suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the National
Park System as part of Biscayne National Park
S. 111 would direct the Department of the Interior to
conduct a study of the Miami Circle, a recently discovered
archaeological site in Miami, Florida. The study would
determine the national significance of the site as well as the
feasibility and suitability of including it within Biscayne
National Park. The act would authorize the appropriation of
whatever sums are necessary to conduct the study and would
require the department to report its findings and
recommendations within three years of receiving funds.
Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO
estimates that implementing S. 111 would cost the federal
government $150,000 over the next year to complete the required
study and report. The legislation would not affect direct
spending or revenues.
S. 111 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would have no significant impact on the budgets of state,
local, or tribal governments.
On February 7, 2003, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S.
111 as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources on February 5, 2003. The two versions of the
legislation are identical, as are the estimated costs.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis.
The 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.