[House Report 108-201] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 108th Congress Report 1st Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 108-201 ====================================================================== TO AUTHORIZE AN EXCHANGE OF LAND AT FORT FREDERICA NATIONAL MONUMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES _______ July 14, 2003.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 1113] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 1113) to authorize an exchange of land at Fort Frederica National Monument, and for other purposes, 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 all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. EXCHANGE OF LANDS. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to convey to Christ Church of St. Simons Island, Georgia, the approximately 6.0 acres of land within the boundary of Fort Frederica National Monument adjacent to Christ Church and depicted as ``NPS Lands for Exchange'' on the map entitled ``Fort Frederica National Monument 2003 Boundary Revision'' numbered 369/80016, and dated April 2003, in exchange for approximately 8.7 acres of land to be acquired by Christ Church, which is depicted as ``Private Lands for Addition'' on the same map. (b) Map Availability.--The map referred to in subsection (a) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. (c) Boundary Adjustment.--Upon completion of the land exchange under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall revise the boundary of Fort Frederica National Monument to reflect the exchange and shall administer the land acquired through the exchange as part of that monument. PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of H.R. 1113 is to authorize an exchange of land at Fort Frederica National Monument, and for other purposes. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION Located adjacent to the Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simons Island, Georgia, The Christ Church has doubled in size over the last nine years. To address its need to expand, the Church has arranged to acquire, then exchange, 8.7 acres of historically significant land to the National Park Service for 4.8 acres in the Monument. The 8.7 acres to be exchanged is contiguous to the Monument. COMMITTEE ACTION H.R. 1113 was introduced on March 6, 2003, by Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. On April 8, 2003, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 11, 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. Congressman Radanovich offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute that increased the acreage to be conveyed by the Secretary of the Interior to Christ Church of St. Simons Island from 4.6 to 6.0 acres, and revised the map date and boundary cited in the bill to reflect the changes made my amendment. The amendment was agreed to by unanimous consent. The bill as amended was ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. 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 and Article IV, section 3 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, June 19, 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 H.R. 1113, a bill to authorize an exchange of land at Fort Frederica National Monument. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. Sincerely, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director. Enclosure. H.R. 1113--A bill to authorize the exchange of land at Fort Frederica National Monument H.R. 1113 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to exchange 6 acres of land within the boundary of the Fort Frederica National Monument in Georgia for 8.7 acres of nearby property owned by the Christ Church. The bill would direct the NPS to adjust the boundaries of the monument to reflect the exchange when completed. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that the NPS would spend about $200,000 over the year or two following acquisition of the 8.7-acre site to identify possible historic resources and determine how to exhibit them. Depending on the outcome of the archaeological studies and the level of future appropriations, the NPS might spend additional funds to develop the new parcel. Based on information provided by the agency, CBO estimates that such development costs would not exceed $1 million. We estimate that additional costs to operate and maintain any facilities that might be developed (such as access roads and interpretive kiosks) would be less than $200,000 annually. Although final appraisals have not been completed, CBO expects that the properties to be exchanged under H.R. 1113 would be determined by NPS to be roughly equal in value. If the appraisals indicate that the parcels' values are different, however, existing law would require that the party receiving the more valuable land provide a cash equalization payment. CBO estimates that any such payment, whether a receipt to the government from Christ Church or an appropriated payment to the church, would not be substantial. H.R. 1113 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. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. This estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, 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.