89–010 

Calendar No. 597 

111TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 111–311 

GEORGE C. MARSHALL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE STUDY 

ACT 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. BINGAMAN, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 1750] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 1750) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resource study of the General of the Army 

George Catlett Marshall National Historic Site at Dodona Manor in 

Leesburg, Virginia, and for other purposes, having considered the 

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

PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 1750 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Dodona Manor in Leesburg, Virginia, the former residence of General of the Army George 

Catlett Marshall. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

Dodona Manor in Leesburg, Virginia, was the primary residence 

of George C. Marshall from 1941 until his death in 1959, a time 

that includes the most important period of his career and his many 

military and diplomatic accomplishments. From 1939 to 1945, Marshall served as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, organizing the largest 

military expansion in U.S. history and preparing the Army for the 

invasion of Europe. He was named the nation’s first 5-star general 

in 1944. He served as Secretary of State from 1947 to 1949, during 

which time he planned and helped implement the Marshall Plan, 

the U.S.-sponsored program to provide economic aid to European 

countries after World War II. Marshall also served as President of 


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the American Red Cross from 1949 to 1950 and as Secretary of Defense from 1950 to 1951 during the Korean War. 

Dodona Manor was designated a National Historic Landmark in 

1996. It contains nearly all furnishings original to the Marshall 

residence, including oriental rugs, books, personal belongings, and 

Chinese furniture and artwork. The George C. Marshall International Center operates the Dodona Manor museum and gardens. 

S. 1750 would permit the consideration of affiliate status with 

the National Park Service for Dodona Manor through a special resource study. Should the NPS study determine that affiliate status 

would be appropriate, it could establish a public-private partnership with the George C. Marshall International Center in order to 

preserve and protect the home and interpret the life and accomplishment of George C. Marshall. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 1750 was introduced by Senator Webb on October 5, 2009. The 

Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on the bill on May 

19, 2010. At its business meeting on July 21, 2010, the Committee 

on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 1750 favorably reported without amendment. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on July 21, 2010, by a voice vote of a quorum present, 

recommends that the Senate pass S. 1750. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 provides the short title as the ‘‘George C. Marshall National Historic Site Study Act’’. 

Section 2 contain Congressional findings regarding George C. 

Marshall and the Dodona Manor. 

Section 3(a) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) 

to conduct a special resource study of Dodona Manor and gardens 

in Leesburg, Virginia. 

Subsection (b) directs the Secretary, in conducting the study, to 

evaluate Dodona Manor and gardens to determine the suitability 

and feasibility of adding the site as an affiliated area of the National Park System, including consideration of alternatives for the 

preservation, protection, and interpretation of the home by Federal, 

State, or local government entities or any other interested individuals, and to identify the costs estimates for any Federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance associated with the range of management alternatives. 

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

with section 8 of Public Law 91–383, which sets forth requirements 

for National Park Service studies. 

Subsection (d) requires the Secretary to prepare and submit for 

review the results, conclusions, and recommendations of the study. 

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. 1750—George C. Marshall National Historic Site Study Act 

S. 1750 would require the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct a special resource study of the Dodona Manor and other property in Leesburg, Virginia, the home of George C. Marshall during 

an important part of his career. In the study, the NPS would evaluate the resources of the site and determine the suitability and feasibility of designating it as a unit of the National Park System. The 

NPS would have three years to complete the study and report to 

the Congress on its results. 

Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming the 

availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that carrying out 

the study required by S. 1750 would cost about $250,000 over the 

next three years. Enacting S. 1750 would not affect direct spending 

or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

S. 1750 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 Deborah Reis. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, 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. 1750. 

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. 1750, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

S. 1750, 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

The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the May 

19, 2010 Subcommittee hearing on S. 1750 follows: 

STATEMENT OF STEPHEN E. WHITESELL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PARK PLANNING, FACILITIES AND LANDS, NATIONAL

PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear 

before you to provide the Department of the Interior’s 

views on S. 1750, a bill to authorize a special resource 

study to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the General of the Army George Catlett Marshall 

National Historic Site at Dodona Manor in Leesburg, Virginia and for other purposes. 


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The Department supports enactment of S. 1750. However, we recommend that the title of the bill be amended 

to refer to the ‘‘General George C. Marshall House (Dodona 

Manor)’’ rather than the ‘‘General of the Army George 

Catlett Marshall National Historic Site,’’ as the former is 

consistent with the landmark’s current listing on the National Register of Historic Places. We also believe that priority should be given to the 45 previously authorized 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 the 

Congress. 

S. 1750 authorizes a special resource study for General 

George C. Marshall’s home, Dodona Manor. One of the options that the study would consider is making the site an 

affiliated area of the National Park System. The study 

would also consider other alternatives for preservation and 

protection of the home and interpretation of the life and 

accomplishments of George C. Marshall. The home was 

designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996. We estimate the cost of this study to range from $200,000 to 

$300,000, based on similar types of studies conducted in 

recent years. 

Born in 1880 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, George Marshall attended the Virginia Military Institute to prepare 

for a military career. He rose steadily through the ranks, 

serving with distinction in various posts in the United 

States, the Philippines, and China, and in Europe during 

World War I. In World War II, General Marshall led the 

Allied forces to victory in the Atlantic Theatre. Following 

the war, as Secretary of State, Marshall designed a humanitarian program for rebuilding war-ravaged Europe. 

For his ambitious European Recovery Plan, more broadly 

known as the Marshall Plan, Marshall was awarded the 

1953 Nobel Peace Prize. 

General Marshall enjoyed living at Dodona Manor for 18 

years from 1941 until his death in 1959. At the time of the 

Civil War, the house was called Oak Hill. Marshall, who 

likened the sound of the white oak leaves rustling in the 

wind to the ancient Greek oracle of Zeus speaking through 

the oak forest of Dodona Grove in Epirus, renamed the 

house ‘‘Dodona Manor.’’ While living there, he rose from 

being an Army officer respected for his military contributions to one of the most important and respected world figures of the 20th Century. Winston Churchill, recalling the 

years of World War II, said that the only individual on 

whom all the leaders conferred unqualified praise and admiration was General Marshall. 

Many military post houses across the United States 

were occupied by General Marshall and his first and second wives, but never for long. Dodona Manor was his residence for the last 18 years of his life, coinciding with his 

years of national and international achievement. General 

Marshall brought his best possessions to Dodona Manor— 


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oriental rugs purchased during duty in China, and books 

in large number, which he owned and read. He indulged 

his favorite pastime of tilling the earth and planting gardens. From there he commuted to Washington during his 

military service and later as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. Dodona Manor has survived almost entirely as he left it and no other site provides the opportunity for reflection on the years when Marshall rose to become one of the great figures of the 20th Century. 

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared statement. I 

would be happy to answer any questions that you or other 

Committee members may have regarding this bill. 

PROPOSED AMENDMENT FOR S. 1750, GEORGE C. MARSHALL NATIONAL

HISTORIC SITE STUDY ACT

On page 1, line 5, strike ‘‘National Historic Site’’ and insert 

‘‘House’’. 

Amend the title to read: ‘‘To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the General George C. 

Marshall House at Dodona Manor in Leesburg, Virginia, and for 

other purposes.’’ 

Justification: Changing the name of the site used in this bill will 

make it consistent with the name used in the site’s listing as a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic 

Places. Also, the study will determine if it is appropriate to designate the house as a national historic site. Naming the house as 

a national historic site in this bill is premature. 

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 S. 1750, as ordered reported. 

Æ 


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