19–010

Calendar No. 208

108TH CONGRESS REPORT " SENATE ! 1st Session 108–100

ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT

JULY 11, 2003.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. DOMENICI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1577]

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the Act (H.R. 1577) to designate the visitor center in 

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona as the ‘‘Kris 

Eggle Visitor Center’’, and for other purposes, having considered 

the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the Act do pass.

PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE

The purpose of H.R. 1577 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to designate the visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus National 

Monument, Arizona, as the ‘‘Kris Eggle Visitor Center,’’ in honor 

of a park ranger killed in the line of duty in August 2002. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

Kris Eggle, a 28-year-old park ranger at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the State of Arizona, was killed in the line of 

duty along the international border between the United States and 

Mexico. 

This bill dedicates the visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to Kris Eggle and promotes awareness of the 

risks taken each day by public land management law enforcement 

officers. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 1577 was introduced by Representative Tancredo and others 

on April 2, 2003 and was passed by the House of Representatives 

on May 14, 2003. Companion legislation, S. 1060, was introduced 

by Senator McCain on May 14, 2003. Senators Stabenow and Levin 

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are cosponsors. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on H.R. 1577 and S. 1060 on June 10, 2003. 

At the business meeting on June 25, 2003, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered H.R. 1577 favorably reported. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on June 25, 2003, by unanimous vote of a quorum 

present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 1577

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 designates the visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument as the ‘‘Kris Eggle Visitor Center’’ and directs the 

Secretary of the Interior to appropriately memorialize Kris Eggle 

and promote awareness of the risks taken each day by public land 

management law enforcement officers. 

Section 2 authorizes the appropriations necessary to carry out 

this Act. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of costs of this measure has been provided 

by the Congressional Budget Office.

U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, June 26, 2003. 

Hon. PETE V. DOMENICI, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1577, a bill to designate 

the visitor center in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona as the ‘‘Kris Eggle Visitor Center. 

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. 1577—A bill to designate the visitor center in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona as the ‘‘Kris Eggle Visitor 

Center’’

H.R. 1577 would dedicate the visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus 

National Monument to Kris Eggle, a park ranger at the monument 

who was killed in the line of duty. The act would designate the visitor center as the Kris Eggle Visitor Center and direct the Secretary of the Interior to post interpretive signs at the monument 

to explain the designation. For these purposes, the act would authorize the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary. 

Based on information provided by the National Park Service, 

CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1577 would cost less than 

$50,000. Moreover, some of the cost of installing interpretive signs 

may have been incurred even in the absence of legislation. 

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H.R. 1577 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 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. 1577. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing 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 enactment of H.R. 1577, as ordered reported. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

On May 29, 2003, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources requested legislative reports from the Department of the 

Interior and the Office of Management and Budget setting forth 

Executive agency recommendations on H.R. 1577. These reports 

had not been received at the time the report on H.R. 1577 was 

filed. When the reports become available, the Chairman will request that they be printed in the Congressional Record for the advice of the Senate. The testimony provided by the National Park 

Service at the Subcommittee hearing follows:

STATEMENT OF D. THOMAS ROSS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, 

RECREATION AND CONSERVATION, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present 

the Department of the Interior’s views on S. 1060 and H.R. 

1577, to designate the visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus 

National Monument in Arizona as the ‘‘Kris Eggle Visitor 

Center’’. 

The Department supports the legislation and appreciates 

the recognition by members of Congress for the work of all 

National Park Service (NPS) employees, especially those 

involved in law enforcement. 

Both bills call for the visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to be named for Kris Eggle. Kris 

was an outstanding young man, a dedicated NPS law enforcement officer, who died in the line of duty nearly a 

year ago while assisting in the arrest and capture of drug 

smugglers crossing into the United States from Mexico. 

The legislation also calls for installing an interpretive 

sign at the visitor center and one at the Baker Mine-Milton Mine Loop trailhead. The signs will help inform and 

educate the public to the critical role law enforcement officers have in protecting visitors and resources on public 

lands. The signs will also dedicate the trail and center to 

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Kris. The NPS has determined that the costs to add the 

appropriate signage to the visitor center and install the 

two exhibits will be approximately $15,000. Further costs 

to change maps, documents and other references to the 

visitor center will be incorporated when reprints are needed. None of these costs are presently part of the park’s 

budget. 

Much has been said and talked about Kris’ death. The 

death of anyone so young is tragic, and to lose someone 

under these circumstances is even more so—for his family, 

friends, co-workers and all who care for and about National Parks. By helping the public understand the work 

and dedication of NPS law enforcement rangers and all 

NPS employees—through well-planned and designed educational exhibits and signs, perhaps we can prevent or 

minimize some of the dangers we all face in protecting 

these great American places and stories. 

S. 1060 and H.R. 1577 are nearly identical. There are 

some differences in style and format. S. 1060 does contain 

a grammatical error that was corrected in the House bill. 

All references to ‘‘visitors’ center’’ should read ‘‘visitor center’’. We look forward to working with this committee and 

the House to reach consensus on the language that will 

allow us to remember this fine young man. 

That concludes my testimony. I would be glad to answer 

any questions that you or the members of the subcommittee may have.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no changes in existing law are made by the Act H.R. 1577, as ordered reported.

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