69–010 

Calendar No. 59 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 115–46 

MEDGAR EVERS HOUSE STUDY ACT 

MAY 9, 2017.—Ordered to be printed 

Ms. MURKOWSKI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 644] 

[Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 644) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resource study of the Medgar Evers House, located in Jackson, Mississippi, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports with an amendment in the nature of a 

substitute and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass. 

The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medgar Evers House Study Act’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the Interior. 

(2) STUDY AREA.—The term ‘‘study area’’ means the home of the late civil 

rights activist Medgar Evers, located at 2332 Margaret Walker Alexander Drive 

in Jackson, Mississippi. 

SEC. 3. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

(a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a special resource study of the study 

area. 

(b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary 

shall— 

(1) evaluate the national significance of the study area; 

(2) determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as 

a unit of the National Park System; 

(3) consider other alternatives for preservation, protection, and interpretation 

of the study area by the Federal Government, State or local government entities, or private and nonprofit organizations; 

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(4) consult with interested Federal agencies, State or local governmental entities, private and nonprofit organizations, or any other interested individuals; 

and 

(5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance associated with the alternatives. 

(c) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study required under subsection (a) shall be conducted 

in accordance with section 100507 of title 54, United States Code. 

(d) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first made 

available for the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that describes— 

(1) the results of the study; and 

(2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 644 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resource study of the Medgar Evers House, located in Jackson, Mississippi. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

Medgar Evers was a prominent civil rights leader from Decatur, 

Mississippi, who fought to end the racial injustice he experienced 

growing up in the South. He was the first field secretary for the 

National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples 

(NAACP) in the South and helped integrate the University of Mississippi. 

The Evers family home located in Jackson, Mississippi, was the 

site of his assassination in 1963 by Byron De La Beckwith, a member of the White Citizens’ Council. The home, now a museum operated by Tougaloo College, contains period furnishings, exhibits, and 

family photographs. 

The legislation would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) 

to undertake a special resource study to examine the national significance of the home of the late civil rights activist, Medgar Evers; 

its suitability and feasibility for potential designation as a unit of 

the National Park System; and the need for NPS management of 

the site versus management by other public or private entities. 

During the study, the NPS will also consult and collaborate with 

various public and private entities to determine costs and other factors associated with the acquisition, preservation, and maintenance 

of the site. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Senators Cochran and Wicker introduced S. 644 on March 15, 

2017. 

On March 23, 2017, a related bill, H.R. 1715, was introduced in 

the House of Representatives by Representative Thompson. 

In the 114th Congress, Senators Cochran and Wicker introduced 

similar legislation, S. 2177, on October 8, 2015. The Subcommittee 

on National Parks held a hearing on S. 2177 and its companion 

measure, H.R. 959, on March 17, 2016. The Committee on Energy 

and Natural Resources met in open business session on July 13, 

2016, and ordered S. 2177 favorably reported (S. Rept. 114–324). 

Representative Thompson introduced H.R. 959 on February 12, 

2015. The bill was reported favorably by the House Committee on 

Natural Resources on September 8, 2015 (H. Rept. 114–251), and 

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was passed by voice vote in the House of Representatives on September 16, 2015. 

In the 113th Congress, in the House of Representatives, Representative Thompson introduced H.R. 2326 on June 18, 2013. 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open 

business session on March 30, 2017, and ordered S. 644 favorably 

reported as amended. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 

open business session on July 13, 2016, by a majority voice vote of 

a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 644, if 

amended as described herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

During its consideration of S. 644, the Committee adopted an 

amendment in the nature of a substitute to conform the language 

to the version reported by the Committee during the 114th Congress. The amendment is further described in the section-by-section 

analysis. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 contains the short title. 

Section 2. Definitions 

Section 2 provides definitions. 

Section 3. Special resource study 

Section 3(a) directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the home of late civil rights activist Medgar 

Evers in Jackson, Mississippi. 

Subsection (b) requires the Secretary to evaluate the national 

significance of the study area; determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the site to the National Park System; consider 

other alternatives; consult with interested Federal, State, or local 

government entities, or private or nonprofit organizations; determine the effect of designating the site on existing commercial and 

recreational uses and the impact on State and local governments 

to manage those activities; identify authorities that will compel or 

permit the Secretary to influence or participate in local land use 

decisions or place restrictions on non-Federal land; and identify 

Federal cost estimates for various site-relation actions. 

Subsection (c) requires the study to be conducted in accordance 

with applicable law. 

Subsection (d) directs the Secretary to submit a report that describes the study’s findings and conclusions, and any recommendations to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources within three 

years after funds are made available. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of costs of this measure has been provided 

by the Congressional Budget Office. 

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S. 644 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to study the 

suitability and feasibility of designating the Medgar Evers House 

in Jackson, Mississippi, as a unit of the National Park System. Assuming the availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that 

carrying out the proposed study would cost about $200,000. 

Enacting S. 644 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates 

that enacting S. 644 would not increase net direct spending or onbudget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. 

S. 644 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates 

as defined in 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 Jon Sperl. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 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 

S. 644. 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 S. 644, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

S. 644, as ordered reported, does not contain any congressionally 

directed spending items, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

Because S. 644 is similar to legislation considered by the Committee in the 114th Congress, the Committee did not request Executive Agency views. The testimony provided by the National Park 

Service at the hearing before the Subcommittee on National Parks 

on March 17, 2016, follows: 

STATEMENT OF PEGGY O’DELL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT

OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank 

you for the opportunity to present the Department of the 

Interior’s testimony regarding S. 2177 and H.R. 959, bills 

to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the Medgar Evers 

House in Jackson, Mississippi, as a unit of the National 

Park System, and for other purposes. 

The Department supports S. 2177 and H.R. 959 with 

amendments described later in this testimony. Priority 

should be given, however, to the 25 previously authorized 

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studies for potential units of the National Park System, 

potential new National Heritage Areas, and potential additions to the National Trails System and National Wild and 

Scenic River System that have not yet been transmitted to 

Congress. 

S. 2177 and H.R. 959 would authorize the Secretary of 

the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the 

Medgar Evers House in Jackson, Mississippi, for potential 

inclusion in the National Park System. We estimate that 

this study will cost approximately $200,000 to $300,000. 

Funding for this proposed study would need to be allocated 

from the set amount of funding that Congress appropriates 

for all special resource studies. 

Medgar Evers was born in 1925 in Decatur, Mississippi. 

He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, fought in both 

France and Germany during World War II, and received 

an honorable discharge in 1946. He met his future wife, 

Myrlie Beasley, while a student at Alcorn College in 

Lorman, Mississippi. Eventually, they had three children: 

Darrell, Reena, and James. 

Mr. Evers’ first job following graduation was as an insurance salesman in 1952. He gradually became involved 

in civil rights causes and action through the Regional 

Council of Negro Leadership, a society in Mississippi 

founded in 1951 to promote a program of civil rights, selfhelp, and business ownership. He later worked on behalf 

of the NAACP by organizing local affiliates. 

In 1954 Medgar Evers applied for admission to the University of Mississippi Law School but was rejected. He 

filed a discrimination lawsuit against the university with 

the aid of his attorney, Thurgood Marshall, who later became the first African-American justice on the United 

States Supreme Court. Even though the lawsuit failed to 

gain Mr. Evers admittance to the law school, he gained national attention and in the same year became state field 

secretary for the NAACP. His activities included recruiting 

new members, organizing voter-registration drives, and 

leading economic boycotts of companies that practiced discrimination. 

Ultimately, these activities attracted the attention of 

those who opposed racial equality and desegregation, including those willing to resort to violence to maintain the 

status quo. These opponents of equal rights began to subject Medgar Evers and his family to threats, intimidation, 

and other forms of violence. His house was firebombed in 

May 1963 and he was assassinated by a gunshot in the 

back in his driveway on June 12, 1963. Subsequently, he 

was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. 

Mrs. Evers and her children lived in the house for a year 

following the murder of her husband, but she decided that 

she could not remain there and moved her family to California. Subsequently, she donated the house to Tougaloo 

College in Tougaloo, Mississippi. The house had deteriorated over the years so the Mississippi Department of ArVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:37 May 10, 2017 Jkt 069010 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6969 E:\HR\OC\SR046.XXX SR046
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chives and History and Tougaloo College decided to restore 

it as a museum commemorating the life and tragic death 

of one of the icons of the Civil Rights movement in America. Guided tours of the house are available to the public 

by appointment. 

S. 2177 and H.R. 959 include certain requirements for 

the study which we recommend deleting. Specifically, we 

urge deleting section 2(b)(5) of both bills, which would require an analysis of the effect of designation as a unit of 

the National Park System on existing commercial and recreational activities, and on the authority of state and local 

governments to manage those activities. We also urge deleting section 2(b)(6) of both bills, which would require an 

identification of any authorities that would compel or permit the Secretary of the Interior to influence or participate 

in local land use decisions or place restrictions on non-federal lands. 

H.R. 959, as introduced in the House, did not include 

these requirements. 

The purpose of conducting a special resource study is to 

determine whether a resource meets the criteria for inclusion in the National Park System and, if it does not, to 

provide information on alternative means to protect the resource. We believe that the special resource study requirements under existing law result in a sufficient amount of 

information and analysis of the effects of including a resource in the National Park System. These additional requirements could potentially increase the cost of the study 

and the time required to complete it. 

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be 

pleased to answer questions that you or other members of 

the subcommittee might 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 bill as ordered reported. 

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