[House Report 108-135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 108-135
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DESIGNATION OF THE CARL T. CURTIS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MIDWEST
REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS BUILDING
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June 2, 2003.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 703]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (S. 703) to designate the regional
headquarters building for the National Park Service under
construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T. Curtis
National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building'',
having considered the same, report favorably thereon without
amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of this legislation is to designate the
regional headquarters building for the National Park Service
under construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T. Curtis
National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building.''
BACKGROUND AND THE NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION
S. 703 designates a building under construction in Omaha,
Nebraska as the ``Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest
Regional Headquarters Building.'' The facility to be named will
be occupied under a 20-year lease, the owner having given
permission for the naming.
Carl T. Curtis served Nebraska and the Country in Congress
for 40 years, 24 of those on the Senate side and 16 in the
House--his combined service in Congress is longer than any
other Nebraskan. He was born on March 15, 1905 in Minden,
Nebraska. Curtis grew up in a Democratic family and was a
registered Democrat until 1936 when he changed parties. As a
young boy Curtis's desire to serve the public became evident
when he would practice his speech-making skills on the barn
animals. Curtis became known for his ardent conservative
Republican ideals, but garnered great respect and admiration on
both sides of the aisle and all across Nebraska.
Curtis demonstrated the heart of hard work and
determination. While Curtis never attended law school, he
obtained his law degree by ``reading the law'' on his own and
passed the bar exam. Curtis also is the only elected official
in state history to win office statewide while losing both
Omaha and Lincoln. In Nebraska politics, he was known as a
giant-killer, defeating two incumbent governors, one former
governor, one governor-to-be, and two former House members.
Curtis remained victorious in the Senate when in 1975 he waged
a successful battle against Senator Jacob Javits, a Republican
from New York, for the chairmanship of the Senate Republican
Conference. As the new chairman of the Republican Conference he
changed its role to be that of a research body providing
Republican Senators with relevant information on emerging
national issues. The function of the current Senate Republican
Conference began under Curtis' leadership.
In the 40 years that Curtis served in Congress, he sat on
many Congressional Committees--Finance, Agriculture, Rules, and
Space. While serving in the House, one of Curtis's greatest
accomplishments came from sponsoring a resolution which led to
the creation of the Pick-Sloan Plan for the Missouri basin,
which was the blueprint for flood control and irrigation along
the Missouri River. Curtis also served as the Ranking
Republican on the Senate Finance Committee and worked
tirelessly to enact the energy tax bill and the Tax Reform Act
of 1976. Within the Senate and House chambers he was highly
regarded as an authority on taxation.
Among Curtis's political highlights, he was selected by
Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona to serve as his floor
manager at the Republican National Convention in SanFrancisco
in 1964. With Curtis' help, Goldwater won the GOP presidential
nomination that year.
In 1931, Curtis married Lois Wylie-Atwater who championed
him throughout his political career. They adopted two children.
In 1970 Lois died. Curtis then married Mildred Genier Baker. He
is survived by his wife, son Carl Thomas Curtis, Jr., four
grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Curtis Sr. and
Mildred were able to spend many healthy years together
traveling throughout Nebraska and spending time with family and
friends. Curtis' journey ended on January 24, 2000, but his
legacy lives on.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Designation
Section one designates the building under construction in
Omaha, Nebraska for the National Park Service as the ``Carl T.
Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters
Building.''
Section 2. References
This section clarifies that any reference in a law, map,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United
States to the building under construction in Omaha, Nebraska
for the National Park Service shall be deemed a reference to
the ``Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional
Headquarters Building.''
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
No hearings were held in conjunction with ordering reported
S. 703.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On May 21, 2003, the Full Committee met in open session and
ordered reported S. 703, a bill designating the regional
headquarters building for the National Park Service under
construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T. Curtis
National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building.''
A motion by Mr. LaTourette to order S. 703 favorably reported
to the House was agreed to by the Full Committee unanimously,
by voice vote, with a quorum present. There were no recorded
votes taken during Committee consideration of S. 703.
ROLLCALL VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives
requires each committee report to include the total number of
votes cast for and against on each rollcall vote on a motion to
report and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter,
and the names of those members voting for and against. There
were no rollcall votes taken in connection with ordering S. 703
reported. A motion by Mr. LaTourette to order S. 703 favorably
reported to the House was agreed to by voice vote, a quorum
being present.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in this report.
COST OF LEGISLATION
Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is
included in this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee
references the report of the Congressional Budget Office
included below.
2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee advises that the bill contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no statement of general performance and
objectives for which any measure that authorizes funding is
required.
3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Committee has received the following cost estimate for S. 703
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 22, 2003.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
reviewed the following legislation, as ordered reported by the
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on May 21,
2003:
S. 703, an act to designate the regional
headquarters building for the National Park Service
under construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T.
Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional
Headquarters Building''; and
H.R. 1082, a bill to designate the federal
building and United States courthouse located at 46
East Ohio Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, as the
``Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States
Courthouse.''
CBO estimates that their enactment would have no
significant impact on the federal budget and would not affect
direct spending or revenues. These pieces of legislation
contain 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.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin,
Director.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT
Pursuant to clause (3)(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, committee reports on a bill or
joint resolution of a public character shall include a
statement citing the specific powers granted to the Congress in
the Constitution to enact the measure. The Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure finds that Congress has the
authority to enact this measure pursuant to its powers granted
under article I, section 8 of the Constitution.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act. (Public Law 104-4).
PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local or
tribal law. The Committee states that S. 703 does not preempt
any State, local, or Tribal law.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this
legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. (Public Law
104-1).
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
S. 703 makes no changes in existing law.