[House Report 111-153]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 111-153
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DIRECTING THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL TO PLACE A MARKER IN
EMANCIPATION HALL IN THE CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER WHICH ACKNOWLEDGES THE
ROLE THAT SLAVE LABOR PLAYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNITED STATES
CAPITOL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
_______
June 12, 2009.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, from the Committee on House Administration,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Con. Res. 135]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on House Administration, to whom was referred
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 135) directing the
Architect of the Capitol to place a marker in Emancipation Hall
in the Capitol Visitor Center which acknowledges the role that
slave labor played in the construction of the United States
Capitol, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that
the concurrent resolution be agreed to.
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
In May of 2005, House and Senate Leadership announced
appointments to a Task Force to study the contributions of
enslaved African Americans in building the U.S. Capitol. The
Task Force was also charged with the task of developing
recommendations to the Congress concerning appropriate
recognition of these efforts. In support of this effort, in
June 2005, the Architectural Historian of the Architect of the
Capitol provided a report on the contributions of slave
laborers to the construction of the Capitol. On November 7,
2007, during the 110th Congress, the Committee on House
Administration held a hearing to receive the recommendations of
the Slave Labor Task Force Working Group, chaired by
Representative John Lewis of Georgia. The Task Force spent
several years exploring the extensive role played by slaves in
the construction of the Capitol.
Of course, Americans now living cannot rectify these sins
of the past, nor can we even thank the slave laborers for their
sacrifice. But we can acknowledge those sins and the sacrifices
of the laborers. The Task Force's report recommended a number
of steps be taken to do what we can. Several of their
recommendations, including the naming of Emancipation Hall in
the new Capitol Visitor Center, have already been achieved.
However, the placement of a new marker in Emancipation
Hall, as proposed by this concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res.
135) requires further legislative action. This resolution will
provide for the installation of such a marker by the Architect
of the Capitol, under the supervision of this Committee and the
Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. As the resolution
contemplates, the committees will make every effort to use some
of the original slave-quarried stones that were removed from
the original walls of the Capitol during previous renovations.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On June 10, 2009, the Committee considered H. Con. Res.
135, introduced May 21, 2009, by Representative John Lewis of
Georgia. By voice vote, the Committee ordered the concurrent
resolution reported without amendment. No recorded votes were
taken during the Committee's consideration of the resolution.
DESCRIPTION OF H. CON. RES. 135
Section 1. Provides for placement of a marker in the
Capitol Visitor Center to acknowledge the role of slave labor
in the construction of the Capitol.
(a) Requires the Architect of the Capitol, subject to the
approval of the Committee on House Administration and the
Senate Rules and Administration Committee, to design, procure,
and place in a prominent location in Emancipation Hall in the
Capitol Visitor Center a marker that acknowledges the role that
slave labor played in the construction of the United States
Capitol.
(b) In the development of the marker, the Architect must
consider the recommendations of the Slave Labor Task Force
Working Group; ensure that the marker includes stone quarried
by slaves in the construction of the Capitol to the greatest
extent possible; and ensure that the marker includes a plaque
or inscription that describes the purpose of the marker.
MATTERS REQUIRED UNDER THE RULES OF THE HOUSE
Committee votes
Clause 3(b) of House Rule XIII requires the results of each
recorded vote on an amendment or motion to report, together
with the names of those voting for and against, to be printed
in the committee report. No recorded votes were taken during
the Committee's consideration of H. Con. Res. 135.
Oversight findings
Clause 3(c)(1) of Rule XIII requires each committee report
to contain oversight findings and recommendations required
pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of House rule X. The Committee has
general oversight responsibility for the House wing of the
Capitol and the Capitol Visitor Center.
In the exercise of oversight of these historic structures
and those who manage them, the Committee finds that the absence
of an appropriate marker acknowledging the role of slave
laborers in the Capitol's construction omits this important
aspect of the building's and the country's history. The
Committee therefore recommends the adoption of H. Con. Res.
135.
Statement of new budget authority and related items
Clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and Section 308(a)(1) of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA) require most bills
and resolutions providing new budget authority, new spending
authority, new credit authority or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures to include such information. H.
Con. Res. 135 provides no budget, spending or credit authority
or any change in revenues or tax expenditures.
Congressional Budget Office estimate
Clause 3(c)(3) of House rule XIII requires the report of a
committee on a measure which has been approved by the committee
to include a cost estimate prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the CBA,
if timely submitted. The Director submitted the following
estimate:
June 11, 2009.
Hon. Robert A. Brady,
Chairman, Committee on House Administration,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H. Con. Res. 135,
directing the Architect of the Capitol to place a marker in
Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center which
acknowledges the role that slave labor played in the
construction of the United States Capitol, and for other
purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
H. Con. Res. 135--Directing the Architect of the Capitol to place a
marker in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center which
acknowledges the role that slave labor played in the
construction of the United States Capitol, and for other
purposes
H. Con. Res. 135 would direct the Architect of the Capitol
(AOC), with the approval of the Committee on House
Administration and the Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration, to design, procure, and place in a prominent
location in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center a
marker acknowledging the role that slave labor played in
constructing the United States Capitol. Based on information
from the AOC, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation
would cost less than $300,000, subject to the availability of
appropriated amounts. The legislation would have no affect on
direct spending or revenues.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew
Pickford. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Statement of general performance goals and objectives
Clause 3(c)(4) of House rule XIII requires committee
reports to include a statement of general performance goals and
objectives for which the measure authorizes funding. House
Concurrent Resolution 135 authorizes no appropriations. The
Committee believes that adoption of the concurrent resolution
will advance the Congress' goal of promoting widespread
knowledge and understanding among the American people of this
aspect of the history of their Capitol and their country.
Federal mandates
Section 423 of the CBA requires committee reports on bills
or resolutions to include specific information about federal
mandates. The concurrent resolution imposes no federal
mandates.