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79–006 115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 115–822 AMENDING THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT TO EXTEND THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE COMMISSION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES JULY 16, 2018.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. GOWDY, from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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 Oversight and Government Reform, to whom 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, report favorably thereon with an amendment and rec- ommend that the bill as amended do pass. CONTENTS Page Summary and Purpose of Legislation .................................................................... 2 Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee ...... 2 Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 2 Legislative History .................................................................................................. 2 Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 Roll Call Votes ......................................................................................................... 3 Explanation of Amendments ................................................................................... 3 Application of Law to the Legislative Branch ....................................................... 3 Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 3 Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 3 Federal Advisory Committee Act ............................................................................ 3 Unfunded Mandates Statement .............................................................................. 4 Earmark Identification ............................................................................................ 4 Committee Estimate ................................................................................................ 4 New Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate ........... 4 Section-by-Section Analysis .................................................................................... 5 Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Jul 21, 2018 Jkt 079006 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6646 E:\HR\OC\HR822.XXX HR822 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REPORTS 2 1 Pub. L. No. 114–224 (2016). The amendment is as follows: Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SEC. 1. AMENDMENT. The Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act (Public Law 114–224) is amended— (1) in section 7(b), by striking ‘‘January 31, 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘January 31, 2019’’; and (2) in section 10, by striking ‘‘September 30, 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2019’’. SUMMARY AND PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION H.R. 4446 extends the Virgin Islands of the United States Cen- tennial Commission to September 30, 2019, and delays the dead- line for the final report of the Commission to January 31, 2019. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION The Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act was signed into law on September 29, 2016.1 The Commission’s charge is to plan and carry out events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States. The Centennial occurred on March 31, 2017. However, the appointment of two members of the Commission was delayed by more than one year, and hurricane recovery efforts made Centennial celebrations impossible in the latter part of 2017. As a result, the Commission has not convened, and no events have been planned or carried out to date. Because the Commission has not held any meetings or events, there is no final report available detailing the Commission’s activities. H.R. 4446 delays the expira- tion of the Commission and the deadline for submitting the final report by one year to give the Commission more time to plan events celebrating this important event in American history. STATEMENT OF OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause (2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Commit- tee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the previous section. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s performance goal or ob- jective for this bill is to extend the duration of the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission by one year. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY On November 16, 2017, Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D–VI) intro- duced H.R. 4446, a bill to amend the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the Commission, and for other purposes. H.R. 4446 was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The Com- mittee considered H.R. 4446 at a business meeting on March 15, VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Jul 21, 2018 Jkt 079006 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR822.XXX HR822 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REPORTS 3 2018 and ordered the bill favorably reported, as amended, by voice vote. COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION On March 15, 2018, the Committee met in open session and, with a quorum being present, ordered the bill favorably reported, as amended, by voice vote. ROLL CALL VOTES There were no roll call votes requested or conducted during Com- mittee consideration of H.R. 4446. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS During Committee consideration of the bill, Representative Glenn Grothman (R–WI), offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to remove a provision allowing the Delegate from the Virgin Islands to appoint a member of the Commission, if the Gov- ernor of the Virgin Islands fails to do so by the required deadline. The amendment also removes a provision repealing the prohibition on authorization or obligation of federal funds to carry out the Act. The Grothman amendment was adopted by a voice vote. APPLICATION OF LAW TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104–1 requires a description of the application of this bill to the legislative branch where the bill relates to the terms and conditions of employment or access to pub- lic services and accommodations. This bill extends the duration of the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission by one year. As such, this bill does not relate to employment or access to public services and accommodations. DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS In accordance with clause 2(c)(5) of rule XIII no provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal Govern- ment known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a pro- gram that was included in any report from the Government Ac- countability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS This bill does not direct the completion of any specific rule mak- ings within the meaning of section 551 of title 5, United States Code. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish or authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within the definition of Section 5(b) of the appendix to title 5, United States Code. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Jul 21, 2018 Jkt 079006 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR822.XXX HR822 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REPORTS 4 UNFUNDED MANDATES STATEMENT Pursuant to section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Im- poundment Control Act (Pub. L. 113–67) the Committee has in- cluded a letter received from the Congressional Budget Office below. EARMARK IDENTIFICATION This bill does not include any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule XXI of the House of Representatives. COMMITTEE ESTIMATE Pursuant to clause 3(d)(2)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee includes below a cost es- timate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the House of Represent- atives, the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Of- fice and submitted pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is as follows: U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, March 20, 2018. Hon. TREY GOWDY, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has pre- pared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4446, a bill to amend the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the Commission, and for other pur- poses. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew Pickford. Sincerely, KEITH HALL, Director. Enclosure. H.R. 4446—A bill to amend the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the Commission, and for other purposes H.R. 4446 would extend the authority for the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission to act for one additional year. The Commission whose members have been selected but have not met, is prohibited from using appropriated funds. Enacting H.R. 4446 would affect direct spending because it would allow the commission to continue to accept and spend monetary gifts for an additional year. Therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Jul 21, 2018 Jkt 079006 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR822.XXX HR822 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REPORTS 5 apply. However, CBO estimates that the net effect on direct spend- ing would be negligible. Enacting H.R. 4446 would not affect reve- nues. 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 2028. H.R. 4446 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector man- dates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. On February 20, 2018, CBO transmitted a revised cost estimate for H.R. 4446, an amendment in the Nature of a Substitute posted on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s website on February 6, 2018. The two pieces of legislation are simi- lar and CBO’s estimates of their costs are the same. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 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 submis- sion deadline for the final report of the Commission to January 31, 2019 and delay the termination date of the Commission to Sep- tember 30, 2019. 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 (existing law proposed to be omit- ted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT * * * * * * * 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 (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. * * * * * * * VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Jul 21, 2018 Jkt 079006 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR822.XXX HR822 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REPORTS 6 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 00:53 Jul 21, 2018 Jkt 079006 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6611 E:\HR\OC\HR822.XXX HR822 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REPORTS