89–006 

111TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 111–592 

ROBERT M. BALL FEDERAL BUILDING 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2010.—Referred to the House Calendar 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. 5773] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 5773) to designate the Federal building 

located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as the 

‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the 

bill as amended do pass. 

The amendments are as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION. 

The Federal building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, 

commonly known as the Social Security Administration Operations Building, shall 

be known and designated as the ‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’. 

SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 

Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the 

United States to the Federal building referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to 

be a reference to the ‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’. 

Amend the title so as to read: 

A bill to designate the Federal building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, commonly known as the Social Security Administration Operations Building, as the ‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’. 

PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

H.R. 5773, as amended, designates the Federal building located 

at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ‘‘Robert 

M. Ball Federal Building’’. 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with REPORTS
2 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

H.R. 5773, as amended, designates the Federal building located 

at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ‘‘Robert 

M. Ball Federal Building’’. Commissioner Robert M. Ball was the 

longest-serving head of the Social Security Administration (SSA) 

and one of its staunchest supporters throughout the Administration’s long history. Commissioner Ball was often described in press 

accounts as not only the longest-serving Social Security Commissioner, but also as chief advocate and defender of the SSA through 

the years. Commissioner Ball joined the Social Security Administration just four years after it was created by President Franklin 

D. Roosevelt. 

Robert M. Ball was born in New York, New York, on March 28, 

1914. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1935 with a B.A. 

in English and in 1936 obtained a Masters degree in Economics. 

Commissioner Ball got his start with the SSA as a field assistant 

in New Jersey in 1939. He then began his rise through the ranks 

at SSA by helping to implement the disability insurance program 

beginning in 1956, orchestrating the developments that produced 

the 1972 amendments to link benefits to inflation, and helping to 

develop and implement Medicare. From 1947 to 1948, he served as 

Staff Director for the Senate Finance Committee’s Advisory Council. After his time on Capitol Hill, Commissioner Ball returned to 

the SSA and served in several positions before he was appointed 

as Commissioner by President John F. Kennedy in 1962. 

Commissioner Ball also served as Commissioner under President 

Lyndon B. Johnson and President Richard M. Nixon. After Commissioner Ball left the Social Security Administration, he continued 

to have a significant role in shaping the program. In 1981, he 

served as a Member of the National Commission on Social Security 

Reform. Commissioner Ball remained an outspoken opponent of 

any attempts to dismantle Social Security or privatize Social Security throughout the 1990s. Commissioner Robert M. Ball passed 

away on January 29, 2008, and is survived by his wife of 71 years, 

Doris McCord Ball. 

SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Designation 

Section 1 designates the Federal building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’. 

Sec. 2. References 

Section 2 indicates that any reference in a law, map, regulation, 

document, paper, or other record of the United States to the Federal building referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On July 19, 2010, Representative Elijah E. Cummings introduced 

H.R. 5773. This bill has not been introduced in a previous Congress. On July 29, 2010, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to consider H.R. 5773. The Committee adopted by voice vote an amendment in the nature of a subVerDate Mar 15 2010 05:28 Sep 15, 2010 Jkt 089006 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR592.XXX HR592

sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with REPORTS
3 

stitute. The Committee ordered the bill, as amended, 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. 5773 

or ordering the bill reported. A motion to order H.R. 5773, as 

amended, 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 designate the Federal building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as 

the ‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’. 

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. 5773, as amended, from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, August 3, 2010. 

Hon. JAMES L. OBERSTAR, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has reviewed the following legislation ordered reported by the House 

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July 29, 2010: 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with REPORTS
4 

• H.R. 4387, a bill to designate the federal building located 

at 100 North Palafox Street in Pensacola, Florida, as the ‘‘Winston E. Arnow Federal Building’’; 

• H.R. 5651, a bill to designate the federal building and 

United States courthouse located at 515 9th Street in Rapid 

City, South Dakota, as the ‘‘Andrew W. Bogue Federal Building and United States Courthouse’’; 

• H.R. 5706, a bill to designate the building occupied by the 

Government Printing Office located at 31451 East United Avenue in Pueblo, Colorado, as the ‘‘Frank Evans Government 

Printing Office Building’’; 

• H.R. 5773, a bill to redesignate the federal building located 

at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, commonly 

known as the Social Security Operations Building, as the ‘‘Robert M. Ball Federal Building’’; and 

• H.R. 5591, a bill to designate the airport traffic control 

tower located at Spokane International Airport in Spokane, 

Washington, as the ‘‘Ray Daves Airport Traffic Control Tower.’’ 

CBO estimates that enacting those pieces of legislation would 

have no significant impact on the federal budget and would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. The bills contain 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. 

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

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

Sincerely, 

ROBERT A. SUNSHINE

(For Douglas W. Elmendorf, Director). 

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. 5773, as amended, does not 

contain any earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits under clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI. 

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 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with REPORTS
5 

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. 5773, as amended, 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). 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

H.R. 5773, as amended, makes no changes in existing law. 

Æ 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with REPORTS