89–006 

111TH CONGRESS REPT. 111–526 " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session Part 1 

NATIONAL GREAT BLACK AMERICANS COMMEMORATION 

ACT OF 2004 AMENDMENT 

JULY 13, 2010.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. RAHALL, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 3967] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 3967) to amend the National Great Black Americans 

Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations through 

fiscal year 2015, having considered the same, report favorably 

thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 3967 is to amend the National Great Black 

Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations 

through fiscal year 2015. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

In 1983, Drs. Joanne and Elmer Martin founded a small, storefront museum in downtown Baltimore to inspire young people 

about the role of African Americans in United States history. The 

success of the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum allowed them 

to expand their operation and eventually open up a considerably 

larger facility in one of Baltimore’s most financially impoverished 

neighborhoods. Since that time, the museum has served as a focal 

point for business, helping to create a safe, interesting, and motivational tourist destination for both local residents and visitors from 

around the world. 

In the last decade, the museum has established a partnership 

with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department’s Office 


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of Justice Programs. Through the creation of a Justice Learning 

Center, the museum has begun targeting young people with a variety of programs to help fight criminal activity in the area. Using 

innovative programs tied to the materials in the wax museum and 

effective outreach, the Justice Learning Center is proactive in 

fighting the fundamental causes of crime and providing a safe center for education and historical tourism. 

In 2004, Congress authorized the Department of Justice to fund 

the Justice Learning Center at the Great Blacks in Wax Museum 

as part of their Office of Justice Programs (P.L. 108–238). The authorization expired in 2009 with no funds being appropriated for 

the Justice Learning Center. H.R. 3967 would amend P.L. 108–238 

to authorize appropriations until 2015. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 3967 was introduced on October 29, 2009 by Representative 

Elijah Cummings (D–MD). The bill was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. The bill 

was also referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. On April 27, 

2010, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. Representative 

Cummings and museum founder Dr. Joanne Martin testified in 

favor of the legislation. 

On June 16, 2010, the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 

and Public Lands was discharged from further consideration of 

H.R. 3967 and the full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. Representative Chaffetz (R–UT) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to strike the funding authorization completely from the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004. The amendment was subsequently withdrawn. The bill was then ordered favorably reported to the House 

of Representatives by voice vote. 

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 

Natural Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8 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. 


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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. As required by 

clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective 

of this bill is to amend the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations through fiscal 

year 2015. 

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. 3967—A bill to amend the National Great Black Americans 

Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations 

through fiscal year 2015 

Summary: H.R. 3967 would authorize the appropriation of $5 

million to the Department of Justice for grants to the Great Blacks 

in Wax Museum, Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3967 would cost $5 million over the 2011–2015 period. This legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. 

H.R. 3967 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 

and would not affect the budgets of State, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 3967 is shown in the following table. The costs 

of the bill fall within budget function 750 (administration of justice). 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011– 

2015 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Estimated Authorization Level .......................................... 1 1 1 1 1 5 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................ 1 1 1 1 1 5 

Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 

3967 will be enacted in 2010 and that the authorized amounts will 

be appropriated as needed beginning in 2011. Estimated outlays 

are based on historical spending rates for similar grant programs. H.R. 3967 would reauthorize the appropriation of $5 million for 

grants to the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., a nonprofit organization in Baltimore, Maryland. (The $5 million authorization for 

this program expired at the end of fiscal year 2009. No funds were 

ever appropriated under the original authorization.) The $5 million 

would be used to expand the museum and establish a learning center at the site. 

Pay-As-You-Go considerations: None. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 3967 contains 

no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in 


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UMRA and would not affect the budgets of State, local, or tribal 

governments. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal spending: Alan Eder and Deborah 

Reis; Impact on State, local, and tribal governments: Melissa 

Merrell; Impact on the private sector: Amy Petz. 

Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director 

for Budget Analysis. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4 

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

H.R. 3967 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule 

XXI. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. 

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 omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 

existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

NATIONAL GREAT BLACK AMERICANS 

COMMEMORATION ACT OF 2004 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR NATIONAL GREAT BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM 

AND JUSTICE LEARNING CENTER. 

(a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to 

be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000, to remain 

available through the end of fiscal year ø2009¿ 2015. 

Æ 


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