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[House Report 109-135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

109th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    109-135

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DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT A BOUNDARY STUDY TO 
  EVALUATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COLONEL JAMES BARRETT FARM IN THE 
 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS AND THE SUITABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF 
  ITS INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AS PART OF THE MINUTE MAN 
            NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

 June 16, 2005.--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. 394]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 394) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
boundary study to evaluate the significance of the Colonel 
James Barrett Farm in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the 
suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the National 
Park System as part of the Minute Man National Historical Park, 
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. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT STUDY.

  (a) Definitions.--For the purposes of this Act:
          (1) Barrett's farm.--The term ``Barrett's Farm'' means the 
        Colonel James Barrett Farm listed on the National Register of 
        Historic Places, including the house and buildings on the 
        approximately 6 acres of land in Concord, Massachusetts.
          (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        the Interior.
  (b) Study.--Not later than 2 years after the date that funds are made 
available for this section, the Secretary shall conduct a boundary 
study to evaluate the significance of Barrett's Farm in Concord, 
Massachusetts, as well as the suitability and feasibility of its 
inclusion in the National Park System as part of Minute Man National 
Historical Park.
  (c) Content of Study.--The study shall include an analysis of the 
following:
          (1) The significance of Barrett's Farm in relation to the 
        Revolutionary War.
          (2) Opportunities for public enjoyment of the site as part of 
        the Minute Man National Historical Park.
          (3) Any operational, management, and private property issues 
        that need to be considered if Barrett's Farm were added to the 
        Minute Man National Historical Park.
          (4) A determination of the feasibility of administering 
        Barrett's Farm considering its size, configuration, ownership, 
        costs, and other factors, as part of Minute Man National 
        Historical Park.
          (5) An evaluation of the adequacy of other alternatives for 
        management and resource protection of Barrett's Farm.
  (d) Submission of Report.--Upon completion of the study, the 
Secretary shall submit a report on the findings of the study to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 394 is to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a boundary study to evaluate the 
significance of the Colonel James Barrett Farm in the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the suitability and 
feasibility of its inclusion in the National Park System as 
part of the Minute Man National Historical Park, and for other 
purposes.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Barrett's Farm is a five acre parcel listed in the National 
Register of Historic Places and is recognized as a nationally 
significant site. The farm, once owned by Colonel James 
Barrett, stored cannons, powder and other munitions during the 
Revolutionary War. The study authorized by this bill would 
consider the opportunities for public enjoyment, operational 
and management issues, and the feasability of administration 
should Barrett's Farm be added to Minute Man National 
Historical Park. In addition, the study would analyze the role 
of Barrett's Farm during the Revolutionary War, and other 
possibilities for management and protection of the area. A 
local conservation organization, Save our Heritage, is leading 
the effort for the preservation of Barrett's Farm. It has 
privately financed the purchase of 3.45 acres around the 
perimeter of the site, and is attempting to raise funds to 
purchase the property's farmhouse.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 394 was introduced on January 26, 2005, by Congressman 
Martin Meehan (D-MA). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
National Parks. On May 18, 2005, the Full Resources Committee 
met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks 
was discharged from further consideration of the bill by 
unanimous consent. Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA) offered an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute that directs the 
Secretary to consider private property issues as part of the 
boundary expansion study, extends the deadline to complete the 
study from one to two years from when funds are made available, 
and removes the authorization for appropriations. The Pombo 
amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. The bill, as 
amended, was then 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 grant 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:

H.R. 394--A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
        boundary study to evaluate the significance of the Colonel 
        James Barrett Farm in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the 
        suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the National 
        Park System as part of the Minute Man National Historical Park, 
        and for other purposes

    H.R. 394 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
study, within two years, the suitability and feasibility of 
adding the Colonel James Barrett Farm to the Minute Man 
National Historical Park in Massachusetts. The proposed study 
would consider the significance of the farm during the 
Revolutionary War, opportunities for public enjoyment, and 
other operational and management issues.
    Based on information from the National Park Service, CBO 
estimates that the proposed study would cost less than $100,000 
over the 2006-2007 period, assuming appropriation of the 
necessary amounts. Enacting H.R. 394 would not affect direct 
spending or revenues.
    H.R. 394 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.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew 
Pickford. This 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

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing 
law.

                                  
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