U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

69–010 

" ! SENATE 115TH CONGRESS

1st Session 

REPORT

2017

115–119 

Calendar No. 156 

TO DESIGNATE THE AREA BETWEEN THE 

INTERSECTIONS OF WISCONSIN AVENUE, 

NORTHWEST AND DAVIS STREET, NORTHWEST AND WISCONSIN AVENUE, NORTHWEST AND EDMUNDS STREET, NORTHWEST IN WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF 

COLUMBIA, AS ‘‘BORIS NEMTSOV PLAZA’’, 

AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND 

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

TO ACCOMPANY

S. 459 

JUNE 26, 2017.—Ordered to be printed 


congress.#13
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin, Chairman 

JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona 

ROB PORTMAN, Ohio 

RAND PAUL, Kentucky 

JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma 

MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming 

JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota 

STEVE DAINES, Montana 

CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri 

THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware 

JON TESTER, Montana 

HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota 

GARY C. PETERS, Michigan 

MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire 

KAMALA D. HARRIS, California 

CHRISTOPHER R. HIXON, Staff Director 

GABRIELLE D’ADAMO SINGER, Chief Counsel 

LYDIA M. WESTLAKE, Senior Policy Advisor 

PATRICK J. BAILEY, Chief Counsel for Governmental Affairs 

MARGARET E. DAUM, Minority Staff Director 

STACIA M. CARDILLE, Minority Chief Counsel 

KATHERINE C. SYBENGA, Minority Counsel 

LAURA W. KILBRIDE, Chief Clerk 

Calendar No. 156 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 115–119 

TO DESIGNATE THE AREA BETWEEN THE INTERSECTIONS OF WISCONSIN 

AVENUE, NORTHWEST AND DAVIS STREET, NORTHWEST AND WISCONSIN AVENUE, NORTHWEST AND EDMUNDS STREET, NORTHWEST IN 

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS ‘‘BORIS NEMTSOV PLAZA’’, 

AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

JUNE 26, 2017.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. JOHNSON, from the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 459] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 

to which was referred the bill (S. 459), to designate the area between the intersections of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Davis 

Street, Northwest and Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Edmunds 

Street, Northwest in Washington, District of Columbia, as ‘‘Boris 

Nemtsov Plaza’’, and for other purposes, having considered the 

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

CONTENTS 

Page 

I. Purpose and Summary .................................................................................. 1 

II. Background and Need for the Legislation ................................................... 2 

III. Legislative History ......................................................................................... 2 

IV. Section-by-Section Analysis .......................................................................... 3 

V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact .................................................................. 3 

VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate ................................................ 3 

VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ........................... 4 

I. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

S. 459, to designate the area between the intersections of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Davis Street, Northwest and Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Edmunds Street, Northwest in 

Washington, District of Columbia, as ‘‘Boris Nemtsov Plaza’’, and 

for other purposes, renames a section of the street in front of the 

embassy of the Russian Federation to honor Boris Nemtsov, who 

was a courageous advocate for the Russian people. 

2 

1 Andrew E. Kramer, Boris Nemtsov, Putin Foe, Is Shot Dead in Shadow of Kremlin, New 

York Times, Feb. 27, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/world/europe/boris-nemtsov-russian-opposition-leader-is-shot-dead.html. 2 Id. 

3 Id; see also S. Res. 93, a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the courageous work and life of Russian leader Boris Nemtsov, and calling for a swift and transparent 

investigation into his tragic murder in Moscow on February 27, 2015 (passed by the Senate on 

March 10, 2015). 4 Andrew E. Kramer, Boris Nemtsov, Putin Foe, Is Shot Dead in Shadow of Kremlin, New 

York Times, Feb. 27, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/world/europe/boris-nemtsov-russian-opposition-leader-is-shot-dead.html; Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead, 

BBC News, Feb. 28, 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31669061. 5 Id. 

6 Neil MacFarquhar and Andrew E. Kramer, Memorial for Nemtsov, Assassinated Critic of 

Putin, Draws Thousands, New York Times, Mar. 3, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/ 

world/europe/thousands-honor-boris-nemtsov-opposition-leader-killed-in-russia.html?_r=0. 7The U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 17. 

8Pub. L. No. 93–198. 

II. BACKGROUND AND THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Boris Nemtsov was a former deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation and an opposition leader who dedicated himself to 

improving the lives of the Russian people.1 Despite the danger that 

he faced for his work, he continued to fight for individual liberty, 

democracy, and adherence to the rule of law.2 At great personal 

risk, Boris Nemtsov helped to expose pervasive Russian government corruption; he was an advocate for transparency, freedom of 

speech and press, and anti-corruption measures.3

In 2015, Boris Nemtsov was murdered in Moscow.4 Mr. Nemtsov 

was shot multiple times in the back while he was walking on a 

bridge within view of the Kremlin.5 His death was a great loss to 

the Russian people.6

S. 459 would rename a portion of the street outside the Russian 

embassy in honor of Boris Nemtsov. It will serve as a reminder 

that Americans will not forget Boris Nemtsov’s courage, his murder, or the values for which he fought. The plaza will be a symbol 

of American support for the many brave Russians who continue the 

fight against corruption and for the cause of freedom. 

The Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to exercise 

legislation over the District of Columbia.7 Nevertheless, some of 

that authority has been delegated under the District of Columbia 

Home Rule Act of 1973,8 and the Committee recognizes that the 

city has its own street naming process and encourages its use for 

this and other efforts to rename streets in the District. 

III. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Senator Rubio (R–FL) introduced S. 459 on February 27, 2017. 

The bill was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs. Senators Ron Johnson (R–WI), Christopher 

Coons (D–DE), Richard Durbin (D–IL), John McCain (R–AZ), Robert Menendez (D–NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D–NH), and Roger Wicker 

(R–MS) subsequently joined as cosponsors. 

The Committee considered S. 459 at a business meeting on May 

17, 2017. The bill, without amendment, was ordered reported favorably by voice vote. Senator present for the vote were Johnson, 

McCain, Portman, Paul, Lankford, Enzi, Hoeven, Daines, McCaskill, Tester, Heitkamp, Peters, Hassan, and Harris. 

3 

IV. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE BILL, AS REPORTED

Section 1. Boris Nemtsov Plaza 

Subsections (a), (b), and (c) designate the plaza name, the street 

address, and the signage, respectively, for Boris Nemtsov Plaza. 

V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT

Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of 

the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has considered 

the regulatory impact of this bill and determined that the bill will 

have no regulatory impact within the meaning of the rules. The 

Committee agrees with the Congressional Budget Office’s statement that the bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 

mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

(UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

VI. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

JUNE 13, 2017. 

Hon. RON JOHNSON, 

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 459, a bill to designate the 

area between the intersections of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest 

and Davis Street, Northwest and Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest 

and Edmunds Street, Northwest in Washington, District of Columbia, as ‘‘Boris Nemtsov Plaza’’, and for other purposes. 

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew Pickford. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL. 

Enclosure. 

S. 459—A bill to designate the area between the intersections of 

Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Davis Street, Northwest and 

Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and Edmunds Street, Northwest 

in Washington, District of Columbia, as ‘‘Boris Nemtsov Plaza’’, 

and for other purposes 

S. 459 would designate the address of the Embassy of the Russian Federation at 2650 Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest in the District of Columbia as ‘‘1 Boris Nemtsov Plaza’’. The bill also would 

authorize the General Services Administration (GSA) to post signs 

indicating the new address on streets near the new address. 

Based on information from GSA and the costs for similar tasks, 

CBO estimates that placing signs around the new address would 

cost less than $500,000; such spending would be subject to the 

availability of appropriated funds. 

Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

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

that enacting S. 459 would not increase net direct spending or onbudget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. 

4 

S. 459 would impose an intergovernmental mandate as defined 

in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by changing the 

address name of a property in Washington, D.C. and effectively 

preempting the authority of the District of Columbia to name its 

own street in this case. CBO estimates that any costs incurred by 

the government of the District of Columbia as a result of renaming 

the street would be negligible. 

S. 459 contains no private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The 

estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant 

Director for Budget Analysis. 

VII. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

Because S. 459 would not repeal or amend any provision of current law, it would make no changes in existing law within the 

meaning of clauses (a) and (b) of paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 

Standing Rules of the Senate. 

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