89–006

107TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 107–124

EL CAMINO REAL DE LOS TEJAS NATIONAL HISTORIC

TRAIL ACT OF 2001

JULY 10, 2001.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of

the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. HANSEN, from the Committee on Resources,

submitted the following

R E P O R T

[To accompany H.R. 1628]

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill

(H.R. 1628) to amend the National Trails System Act to designate

El Camino Real de los Tejas as a National Historic Trail, 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. 1628 is to amend the National Trails System

Act to designate El Camino Real de los Tejas as a National Historic

Trail.

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The El Camino Real de los Tejas trail is a combination of historic

routes and trails totaling 2,600 miles. The trails extend from the

border of Mexico and Texas along the Rio Grande River to

Natchitoches, Louisiana. The trails were first established as American Indian trails and trade routes between communities and trading areas. The Camino Real (‘‘royal road’’) was used by the Spanish

to connect them to Spanish Capitols. The Spanish used the trails

beginning sometime in the late 1600s and were used until the mid

to late 1800s. These roads were the primary transportation routes,

and the trail had significant influences on the cultural and political

identity of south-central Texas and western Louisiana.

Aside from designating the El Camino Real de los Tejas as a National Historic Trail, H.R. 1628 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate an international effort to recognize the signifi-
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cance of this trail, and foster education and research of its history

with the country of Mexico. The Secretary of the Interior will administer the trail and may coordinate with public and non-governmental institutions from the United States and Mexico to exchange

information and promote trail preservation.

H.R. 1628 assures that segments of the trail on non-federal lands

will be established only when landowners voluntarily request certification of the segment. H.R. 1628 also exempts this addition from

the land condemnation provision of the National Trails System Act

(Section 7(g)) and specifies that the acquisition of privately-owned

land or interests in land will occur only with the willing consent

of the owner.

During the 106th Congress, H.R. 2409, a bill identical to H.R.

1628, was approved by the Subcommittee on National Parks and

Public Lands without opposition, but was not considered by the full

Resources Committee prior to adjournment.

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 1628 was introduced on April 26, 2001, by Representative

Ciro Rodriguez (D–TX). The bill was referred to the Committee on

Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands. On June 26, 2001, the

Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was forwarded to the Full Committee by voice

vote. On June 27, 2001, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was then

ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice

vote.

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 Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in

the body of this report.

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States

grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of

the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides

that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by 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, this bill does not

contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures.
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3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. This bill does not

authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the

Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply.

4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause

3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and

section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the

Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

U.S. CONGRESS,

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE,

Washington, DC, July 2, 2001.

Hon. JAMES V. HANSEN,

Chairman, Committee on Resources,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1628, the El Camino Real

de los Tejas National Historic Trail Act of 2001.

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan Carroll.

Sincerely,

BARRY B. ANDERSON

(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).

Enclosure.

H.R. 1628—El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail

Act of 2001

CBO estimates that implementing this legislation would cost less

than $500,000 annually, assuming appropriation of the necessary

amounts. The bill would not affect direct spending or receipts;

therefore pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. H.R. 1628 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.

H.R. 1628 would amend the national Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de los Tejas (the Royal Road to the Tejas)

as a National Historic Trail. The segment of the El Camino Real

considered for designation extends from the Rio Grande near Laredo, Texas, to Natchitoches, Louisiana, a distance of 2,580 miles.

The Secretary of the Interior would administer the trail and coordinate the efforts of U.S. and Mexican public and private entities on

various preservation and enhancement projects.

Based on information provided by the National Park Service

(NPS), CBO estimates that the agency would spend $300,000,

mostly in fiscal years 2002 and 2003, to prepare a comprehensive

management plan. Also, the NPS would incur ongoing costs to administer and preserve the trail—about $100,000 in fiscal year 2001

and increasing to $400,000 annually by fiscal year 2003. In total,

assuming appropriation of the necessary sums, CBO estimates that

implementing this legislation would cost $250,000 in fiscal year

2002 and between $350,000 and $450,000 annually thereafter.

The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Deborah Reis and

Melissa Zimmerman. The estimate was approved by Peter H.

Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
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COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

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

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill,

as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is printed in italic

and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in

roman):

SECTION 5 OF THE NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT

NATIONAL SCENIC AND NATIONAL HISTORICAL TRAILS

SEC. 5. (a) National scenic and national historic trails shall be

authorized and designated only by Act of Congress. There are hereby established the following National Scenic and National Historic

Trails:

(1) * * *

* * * * * * *

(23) EL CAMINO REAL DE LOS TEJAS.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—El Camino Real de los Tejas (The

Royal Road to the Tejas) National Historic Trail, a combination of routes totaling 2,580 miles in length from the

Rio Grande near Eagle Pass and Laredo, Texas to

Natchitoches, Louisiana, and including the Old San Antonio Road, as generally depicted on the maps entitled ‘‘El

Camino Real de los Tejas’’, contained in the report prepared pursuant to subsection (b) entitled ‘‘National Historic

Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment: El

Camino Real de los Tejas, Texas-Louisiana’’, dated July

1998. A map generally depicting the trail shall be on file

and available for public inspection in the Office of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. The trail

shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior.

(B) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary of the

Interior may coordinate with United States and Mexican

public and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and, in consultation with the Secretary of State,

the government of Mexico and its political subdivisions, for

the purpose of exchanging trail information and research,

fostering trail preservation and educational programs, providing technical assistance, and working to establish an

international historic trail with complementary preservation and education programs in each nation.

* * * * * * *

Æ