89–006 

111TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 111–540 

TO DEAUTHORIZE A PORTION OF THE PROJECT FOR NAVIGATION, POTOMAC RIVER, WASHINGTON CHANNEL, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNDER 

THE JURISDICTION OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS 

JULY 15, 2010.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. OBERSTAR, from the Committee on Transportation and 

Infrastructure, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 5545] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 5545) to deauthorize a portion of the 

project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington Channel, District of Columbia, under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers, 

having considered the same, report favorably thereon without 

amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

H.R. 5545 deauthorizes a portion of the Federal project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington Channel, District of Columbia, 

under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Civil 

Works). 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

H.R. 5545 deauthorizes a portion of project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington Channel, District of Columbia. The project 

for navigation, Potomac River, north side of Washington Channel, 

District of Columbia, was initially authorized by the River and 

Harbor Improvement Act, dated August 30, 1935 (chapter 831; 49 

Stat. 1028). 

H.R. 5545 deauthorizes one-half of the Federal navigation project 

width of the Washington Channel. The channel deauthorization 

runs from the northern limit of the Federal navigation project to 

just south of the Marine Police pier, which includes the Spirit Ship 

Dock. 


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The Committee solicited the views of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Navy regarding the 

proposed deauthorization. Based on communications from each of 

these agencies, the Committee is not aware of any opposition to the 

proposed deauthorization of this segment of the Washington Channel, District of Columbia. 

SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

H.R. 5545 deauthorizes a designated portion of the Federal 

project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington Channel, District of Columbia. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On June 16, 2010, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced 

H.R. 5545. 

On July 1, 2010, the Committee met in open session to consider 

H.R. 5545. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

ordered H.R. 5545 reported favorably to the House by voice vote 

with a quorum present. 

RECORD VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires each committee report to include the total number of 

votes cast for and against on each record vote on a motion to report 

and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter, and the 

names of those members voting for and against. There were no recorded votes taken in connection with consideration of H.R 5545 or 

ordering the bill reported. A motion to order H.R. 5545 reported favorably to the House was agreed to by voice vote with a quorum 

present. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in this report. 

COST OF LEGISLATION

Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been timely 

submitted prior to the filing of the report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is included in this report. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. With respect to the requirement of 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, the Committee references 

the report of the Congressional Budget Office included in the report. 

2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the performance goals 

and objectives of this legislation are to deauthorize a designated 


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portion of the project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington 

Channel, District of Columbia. 

3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the 

enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5545 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office. 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, July 13, 2010. 

Hon. JAMES L. OBERSTAR, 

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5545, a bill to deauthorize 

a portion of the project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington 

Channel, District of Columbia, under the jurisdiction of the Corps 

of Engineers. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Aurora Swanson. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS W. ELMENDORF. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 5545—A bill to deauthorize a portion of the project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington Channel, District of Columbia, under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers 

H.R. 5545 would deauthorize a portion of the navigation project 

currently under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers located 

in the Washington Channel of the Potomac River in the District of 

Columbia. Based on information from the Corps of Engineers and 

the National Park Service, CBO estimates that enacting this legislation would have no effect on the federal budget. 

Pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply to this legislation because 

it would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

This federal navigation project was authorized in 1935 and includes three channels in the Potomac River in the Washington, 

D.C., area. The bill would deauthorize the navigation project for 

about 50 percent of one of the channels. The area includes a 200– 

foot-wide band stretching from south of Interstate 395 in the Washington Channel to just past Fireboat Pier 5, covering 777,284 

square feet. Deauthorizing this area could reduce the need for appropriated funds for any future dredging in the area; however, the 

Corps of Engineers has no plans to dredge the area in the next few 

years. 

H.R. 5545 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 Aurora Swanson, The 

estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 


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COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI

Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 

Representatives, the Committee is required to include a list of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits, 

as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 

the House of Representatives. H.R. 5545 does not contain any earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits under clause 

9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI. However, in the interests of full disclosure and transparency, the Committee, under the leadership of 

Chairman James L. Oberstar, requires Members of Congress to 

comply with all of the requirements of clause 9 of rule XXI and 

clause 17 of rule XXIII if the Member of Congress requests that the 

Committee take legislative action targeted to a specific State, locality, or Congressional district. 

H.R. 5545 is sponsored by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, committee reports on a bill or joint resolution 

of a public character shall include a statement citing the specific 

powers granted to the Congress in the Constitution to enact the 

measure. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

finds that Congress has the authority to enact this measure pursuant to its powers granted under article I, section 8 of the Constitution. 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

(P.L. 104–4). 

PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION

Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the 

report of any Committee on a bill or joint resolution to include a 

statement on the extent to which the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local, or tribal law. The Committee states 

that H.R. 5545 does not preempt any state, local, or tribal law. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this legislation. 

APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (P.L. 104–1). 


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CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

H.R. 5545 makes no changes in existing law. 

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