[House Report 107-124]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
107th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 107-124
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EL CAMINO REAL DE LOS TEJAS NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL ACT OF 2001
_______
July 10, 2001.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Hansen, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 1628]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 1628) to amend the National Trails System Act to
designate El Camino Real de los Tejas as a National Historic
Trail, 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. 1628 is to amend the National Trails
System Act to designate El Camino Real de los Tejas as a
National Historic Trail.
Background and Need for Legislation
The El Camino Real de los Tejas trail is a combination of
historic routes and trails totaling 2,600 miles. The trails
extend from the border of Mexico and Texas along the Rio Grande
River to Natchitoches, Louisiana. The trails were first
established as American Indian trails and trade routes between
communities and trading areas. The Camino Real (``royal road'')
was used by the Spanish to connect them to Spanish Capitols.
The Spanish used the trails beginning sometime in the late
1600s and were used until the mid to late 1800s. These roads
were the primary transportation routes, and the trail had
significant influences on the cultural and political identity
of south-central Texas and western Louisiana.
Aside from designating the El Camino Real de los Tejas as a
National Historic Trail, H.R. 1628 authorizes the Secretary of
the Interior to coordinate an international effort to recognize
the significance of this trail, and foster education and
research of its history with the country of Mexico. The
Secretary of the Interior will administer the trail and may
coordinate with public and non-governmental institutions from
the United States and Mexico to exchange information and
promote trail preservation.
H.R. 1628 assures that segments of the trail on non-federal
lands will be established only when landowners voluntarily
request certification of the segment. H.R. 1628 also exempts
this addition from the land condemnation provision of the
National Trails System Act (Section 7(g)) and specifies that
the acquisition of privately-owned land or interests in land
will occur only with the willing consent of the owner.
During the 106th Congress, H.R. 2409, a bill identical to
H.R. 1628, was approved by the Subcommittee on National Parks
and Public Lands without opposition, but was not considered by
the full Resources Committee prior to adjournment.
Committee Action
H.R. 1628 was introduced on April 26, 2001, by
Representative Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX). The bill was referred to
the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands.
On June 26, 2001, the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. No
amendments were offered and the bill was forwarded to the Full
Committee by voice vote. On June 27, 2001, the Full Resources
Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered
and the bill was then 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. 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:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, July 2, 2001.
Hon. James V. Hansen,
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. 1628, the El
Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Act of 2001.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan
Carroll.
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
H.R. 1628--El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Act of
2001
CBO estimates that implementing this legislation would cost
less than $500,000 annually, assuming appropriation of the
necessary amounts. The bill would not affect direct spending or
receipts; therefore pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
H.R. 1628 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.
H.R. 1628 would amend the national Trails System Act to
designate El Camino Real de los Tejas (the Royal Road to the
Tejas) as a National Historic Trail. The segment of the El
Camino Real considered for designation extends from the Rio
Grande near Laredo, Texas, to Natchitoches, Louisiana, a
distance of 2,580 miles. The Secretary of the Interior would
administer the trail and coordinate the efforts of U.S. and
Mexican public and private entities on various preservation and
enhancement projects.
Based on information provided by the National Park Service
(NPS), CBO estimates that the agency would spend $300,000,
mostly in fiscal years 2002 and 2003, to prepare a
comprehensive management plan. Also, the NPS would incur
ongoing costs to administer and preserve the trail--about
$100,000 in fiscal year 2001 and increasing to $400,000
annually by fiscal year 2003. In total, assuming appropriation
of the necessary sums, CBO estimates that implementing this
legislation would cost $250,000 in fiscal year 2002 and between
$350,000 and $450,000 annually thereafter.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Deborah Reis
and Melissa Zimmerman. 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 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 (new matter is
printed in italic and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
SECTION 5 OF THE NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT
national scenic and national historical trails
Sec. 5. (a) National scenic and national historic trails
shall be authorized and designated only by Act of Congress.
There are hereby established the following National Scenic and
National Historic Trails:
(1) * * *
* * * * * * *
(23) El camino real de los tejas.--
(A) In general.--El Camino Real de los Tejas
(The Royal Road to the Tejas) National Historic
Trail, a combination of routes totaling 2,580
miles in length from the Rio Grande near Eagle
Pass and Laredo, Texas to Natchitoches,
Louisiana, and including the Old San Antonio
Road, as generally depicted on the maps
entitled ``El Camino Real de los Tejas'',
contained in the report prepared pursuant to
subsection (b) entitled ``National Historic
Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental
Assessment: El Camino Real de los Tejas, Texas-
Louisiana'', dated July 1998. A map generally
depicting the trail shall be on file and
available for public inspection in the Office
of the National Park Service, Department of the
Interior. The trail shall be administered by
the Secretary of the Interior.
(B) Coordination of activities.--The
Secretary of the Interior may coordinate with
United States and Mexican public and non-
governmental organizations, academic
institutions, and, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, the government of Mexico
and its political subdivisions, for the purpose
of exchanging trail information and research,
fostering trail preservation and educational
programs, providing technical assistance, and
working to establish an international historic
trail with complementary preservation and
education programs in each nation.
* * * * * * *