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89–010 Calendar No. 648 115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 115–361 THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT EXTENSION NOVEMBER 14, 2018.—Ordered to be printed Ms. MURKOWSKI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 4446] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was referred the bill (H.R. 4446) to amend the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the Commission, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and rec- ommends that the bill do pass. PURPOSE The purpose of H.R. 4446 is to amend the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the Commission. BACKGROUND AND NEED The transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States in 1917 was a significant historic and culture event. Public Law 114–224 established a bipartisan Federal commission, known as the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission (Commission), to develop, plan, and execute formal commemorative activities to honor the rich heritage of the U.S. Virgin Islands and celebrate the 100th anniversary of its status as a U.S. territory. While the Commission was established on September 29, 2016, with the enactment of Public Law 114–224, the appointment of two of the Commission’s members was delayed by over one year. Addi- tionally, the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 made VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:55 Nov 20, 2018 Jkt 089010 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR361.XXX SR361 2 any Commission activities extremely difficult. The Commission did not hold its first official meeting until June 13, 2018. Because there has only been one meeting, at which the Executive Director was se- lected, the Commission has not submitted a report to the President and Congress on its activities. H.R. 4446 provides the Commission with an additional year to fulfill its responsibilities and further ex- tends the timeline for submission of its final report. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY H.R. 4446 was introduced by Representative Plaskett (D–VI) in the House of Representatives on November 16, 2017, and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. On March 15, 2018, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform or- dered H.R. 4446 favorably reported, as amended, by voice vote. On July 16, 2018, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4446 by voice vote. On July 17, 2018, H.R. 4446 was received in the Senate and re- ferred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open business session on October 2, 2018, and ordered H.R. 4446 favor- ably reported. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on October 2, 2018, by a majority voice vote of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 4446. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS Section 1. Amendment Section 1 amends the Virgin Islands of the United States Centen- nial Commission Act (Public Law 114–224) to extend the deadline for the submission of the Commission’s final report by one-year to January 31, 2019. This section also extends the Commission’s ter- mination date by one-year to September 30, 2019. COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS The following estimate of the costs of this measure has been pro- vided by the Congressional Budget Office: H.R. 4446 would extend the authority for the Virgin Islands of the United States Centen- nial Commission, to act for one additional year (through September 30, 2019). The Commission, whose members have been selected but have not met, is prohibited from using appropriated funds. Enacting the legislation would affect direct spending because it would allow the commission to continue to accept and spend mone- tary gifts for an additional year. Therefore, pay-as-you-go proce- dures apply. However, CBO estimates that the net effect on direct spending would be negligible. Enacting H.R. 4446 would not affect revenues. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4446 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029. H.R. 4446 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector man- dates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:55 Nov 20, 2018 Jkt 089010 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR361.XXX SR361 3 On March, 20, 2018, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 4446 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on March 15, 2018. On February 20, 2018, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 4446, an amendment in the Nature of a Substitute as posted on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s website on February 6, 2018. The three pieces of legislation are identical and CBO’s estimates of their budgetary effects are the same. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out H.R. 4446. The Act is not a regulatory measure in the sense of im- posing Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. No personal information would be collected in administering the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy. Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enact- ment of H.R. 4446, as ordered reported. CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING H.R. 4446, as ordered reported, does not contain any congression- ally directed spending items, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Sen- ate. EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS The Committee did not request Executive Communications for H.R. 4446. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the Act, H.R. 4446, as ordered reported, are shown as follows (existing law pro- posed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT Public Law 114–224 * * * * * * * SEC. 7. REPORTS (a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than January 31 of each year, and annually thereafter until the final report is submitted pursu- ant to subsection (b), the Commission shall submit to the President and the Congress a report on— (1) The activities of the Commission; and VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:55 Nov 20, 2018 Jkt 089010 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR361.XXX SR361 4 (2) The revenue and expenditures of the Commission, includ- ing a list of each gift, bequest, or devise to the Commission with a value of more than $250, including the identity of the donor of each gift, bequest, or devise. (b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than øJanuary 31, 2018¿ January 31, 2019, the Commission shall submit a final report to the Presi- dent and the Congress containing— (1) A summary of the activities of the Commission; and (2) A final accounting of funds received and expended by the Commission * * * * * * * SEC. 10. TERMINATION The Commission shall terminate on øSeptember 30, 2018¿ Sep- tember 30, 2019, or may terminate at an earlier date determined by the Commission after the final report is submitted pursuant to section 7(b). * * * * * * * Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:55 Nov 20, 2018 Jkt 089010 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6611 E:\HR\OC\SR361.XXX SR361