69–006 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 115–113 

TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO ESTABLISH A 

STRUCTURE FOR VISITOR SERVICES ON THE ARLINGTON RIDGE TRACT, 

IN THE AREA OF THE U.S. MARINE CORPS WAR MEMORIAL, AND FOR 

OTHER PURPOSES 

MAY 11, 2017.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1073] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 1073) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a structure for visitor services on the Arlington Ridge tract, in 

the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, and for other 

purposes, 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. 1073 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a structure for visitor services on the Arlington 

Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial located in Arlington, Virginia, honors United States Marine Corps members who have given 

their lives to their country since November 10, 1775. Based on the 

iconic image by Joe Rosenthal, the Memorial depicts five U.S Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the American flag on the 

island of Iwo Jima during World War II. The Memorial attracts 

over one million visitors annually and hosts several popular events 

including Summer Sunset Parades and the Marine Corps Marathon. Despite this popularity, the Memorial lacks basic visitor services such as permanent restroom facilities. Due to the high visitation numbers at the Memorial, the National Park Service (NPS) 

identified a clear need to replace the existing temporary portable 


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bathroom facilities in favor of a more respectful and permanent solution. 

H.R. 1073 authorizes the construction of a visitor services center 

that includes permanent restroom facilities and a small area for interpretative signage and materials near the Memorial. When Congress authorized the United States Air Force Memorial in 2001, the 

legislation prohibited the creation of additional structures on the 

25.32 acre parcel of land surrounding the Memorial. Congress did 

not intend to restrict a facility for public restrooms but rather 

wanted to keep the area surrounding the Memorial open and potentially available for future use by Arlington National Cemetery. 

Given the prohibition on construction, this legislation is necessary 

for NPS to move forward with the creation of a new visitor services 

facility. NPS intends to construct a non-staffed facility, designed to 

ensure a minimal impact on the open space around the Memorial, 

funded by a recent $5.37 million donation from philanthropist 

David Rubenstein. 

In the 114th Congress, Congressman Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D– 

VA) introduced identical legislation as H.R. 4789. On May 24, 

2016, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on that 

bill. At the hearing, NPS testified in support of the legislation. Subsequently, on July 14, 2016, the Committee on Natural Resources 

favorably reported the bill (House Report 114–690), and on September 6, 2016, the bill passed the House by voice vote. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 1073 was introduced on February 15, 2017, by Congressman 

Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D–VA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the 

Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On April 26, 2017, the Natural 

Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee 

was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of 

Representatives by unanimous consent on April 27, 2017. 

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. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET

ACT

1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives and sections 308(a) and 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has 

received the following estimate for the bill from the Director of the 

Congressional Budget Office: 


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U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, May 5, 2017. 

Hon. ROB BISHOP, 

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1073, a bill to authorize 

the Secretary of the Interior to establish a structure for visitor 

services on the Arlington Ridge tract, in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, and for other purposes. 

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl. 

Sinerely, 

KEITH HALL. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 1073—A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a structure for visitor services on the Arlington Ridge tract, 

in the area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, and for 

other purposes 

H.R. 1073 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to 

construct a small structure for visitor services on the Arlington 

Ridge tract of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, 

Virginia. Based on information from the NPS about the design and 

construction of the structure, CBO estimates that implementing 

the bill would cost about $1 million over the 2018–2022 period. 

Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated 

funds. 

Enacting H.R. 1073 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

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

that enacting H.R. 1073 would not increase net direct spending or 

on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. 

H.R. 1073 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. 

2. 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 authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish 

a structure for visitor services on the Arlington Ridge tract, in the 

area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e), 

9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 


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COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5

Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any directed 

rule makings. 

Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not establish or 

reauthorize a program of the federal government known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was not included in 

any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 

pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111–139 or identified in the 

most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program Information Act (Public Law 95–220, 

as amended by Public Law 98–169) as relating to other programs. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

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

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law. 

Æ 


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