69–006

106TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 106–137

ROUTE 66 CORRIDOR ACT

MAY 13, 1999.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of

the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources,

submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H.R. 66]

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill

(H.R. 66) to preserve the cultural resources of the Route 66 corridor

and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance,

having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an

amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.

The amendment is as follows:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof

the following:

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act, the following definitions apply:

(1) ROUTE 66 CORRIDOR.—The term ‘‘Route 66 corridor’’ means structures and

other cultural resources described in paragraph (3), including—

(A) lands owned by the Federal Government and lands owned by a State

or local government within the immediate vicinity of those portions of the

highway formerly designated as United States Route 66; and

(B) private land within that immediate vicinity that is owned by persons

or entities that are willing to participate in the programs authorized by this

Act.

(2) CULTURAL RESOURCE PROGRAMS.—The term ‘‘Cultural Resource Programs’’

means the programs established and administered by the National Park Service

for the benefit of and in support of preservation of the Route 66 corridor, either

directly or indirectly.

(3) PRESERVATION OF THE ROUTE 66 CORRIDOR.—The term ‘‘preservation of the

Route 66 corridor’’ means the preservation or restoration of structures or other

cultural resources of businesses, sites of interest, and other contributing resources that—

(A) are located within the land described in paragraph (1);

(B) existed during the route’s period of outstanding historic significance

(principally between 1926 and 1970), as defined by the study prepared by

the National Park Service and entitled ‘‘Special Resource Study of Route

66’’, dated July 1995; and
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(C) remain in existence as of the date of enactment of this Act.

(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the Interior,

acting through the Cultural Resource Programs at the National Park Service.

(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means a State in which a portion of the Route

66 corridor is located.

SEC. 2. MANAGEMENT.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collaboration with the entities described in

subsection (c), shall facilitate the development of guidelines and a program of technical assistance and grants that will set priorities for the preservation of the Route

66 corridor.

(b) DESIGNATION OF OFFICIALS.—The Secretary shall designate officials of the National Park Service stationed at locations convenient to the States to perform the

functions of the Cultural Resource Programs under this Act.

(c) GENERAL FUNCTIONS.—The Secretary shall—

(1) support efforts of State and local public and private persons, nonprofit

Route 66 preservation entities, Indian tribes, State Historic Preservation Offices, and entities in the States for the preservation of the Route 66 corridor

by providing technical assistance, participating in cost-sharing programs, and

making grants;

(2) act as a clearinghouse for communication among Federal, State, and local

agencies, nonprofit Route 66 preservation entities, Indian tribes, State historic

preservation offices, and private persons and entities interested in the preservation of the Route 66 corridor; and

(3) assist the States in determining the appropriate form of and establishing

and supporting a non-Federal entity or entities to perform the functions of the

Cultural Resource Programs after those programs are terminated.

(d) AUTHORITIES.—In carrying out this Act, the Secretary may—

(1) enter into cooperative agreements, including (but not limited to) cooperative agreements for study, planning, preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration related to the Route 66 corridor;

(2) accept donations of funds, equipment, supplies, and services as appropriate;

(3) provide cost-share grants for projects for the preservation of the Route 66

corridor (but not to exceed 50 percent of total project costs) and information

about existing cost-share opportunities;

(4) provide technical assistance in historic preservation and interpretation of

the Route 66 corridor; and

(5) coordinate, promote, and stimulate research by other persons and entities

regarding the Route 66 corridor.

(e) PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide assistance in the preservation

of the Route 66 corridor in a manner that is compatible with the idiosyncratic

nature of the Route 66 corridor.

(2) PLANNING.—The Secretary shall not prepare or require preparation of an

overall management plan for the Route 66 corridor, but shall cooperate with the

States and local public and private persons and entities, State historic preservation offices, nonprofit Route 66 preservation entities, and Indian tribes in developing local preservation plans to guide efforts to protect the most important or

representative resources of the Route 66 corridor.

SEC. 3. RESOURCE TREATMENT.

(a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—

(1) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall develop a program of technical

assistance in the preservation of the Route 66 corridor and interpretation of the

Route 66 corridor.

(2) PROGRAM GUIDELINES.—As part of the technical assistance program under

paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish guidelines for setting priorities for

preservation needs for the Route 66 corridor. The Secretary shall base the

guidelines on the Secretary’s standards for historic preservation.

(b) PROGRAM FOR COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall coordinate a program of historic research, curation, preservation strategies, and the collection of oral and video

histories of events that occurred along the Route 66 corridor.

(2) DESIGN.—The program under paragraph (1) shall be designed for continuing use and implementation by other organizations after the Cultural Resource

Programs are terminated.
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SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years

2000 through 2009 to carry out the purposes of this Act.

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 66 is to preserve the cultural resources of

the Route 66 corridor and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior

to provide assistance.

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The highway formerly known as Route 66, extending from Chicago to Los Angeles, is a nationally significant part of American

history, foremost among the early highways that helped change

and shape America as it entered the twentieth century. Beginning

with the Dust Bowl migration to California, Route 66 enabled

American businesses to move commerce, individuals to seek better

lives, and the government to move troops and war supplies. It also

opened up the Southwestern landscape to tourism and post-war migration of families to the booming job market of California.

Through books, television, songs, and movies, Route 66 has become

an enduring part of American culture.

Unfortunately, as Americans became more mobile, this two-lane

roadway could not handle the increasing volume of truck and vehicle traffic. Route 66 became so fragmented and confusing that in

1979 it lost its official U.S. Highway ‘‘Route 66’’ designation. The

remaining portions of the former Route 66 have been incorporated

into state and local highway systems.

H.R. 66 would preserve the cultural resources along the historic

Route 66 by allowing the Secretary of the Interior to support and

collaborate with state, local, and private institutions to preserve

these resources. The preservation of Route 66 would include the

preservation or restoration of portions of the highway, businesses

and sites of interest and other contributing resources along the

highway during its period of outstanding historical significance

(principally between 1933 and 1970). The Secretary would do so

through cost-share grants, information services, and technical assistance.

Many portions of Route 66 continue to serve as regional highways connecting cities, towns and open spaces. The Committee believes that the preservation efforts outlined in this legislation

should consider Department of Transportation highway safety and

maintenance standards and that the Departments of the Interior

and Transportation should work cooperatively when and where feasible and mutually beneficial.

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 66 was introduced on January 6, 1999, by Congresswoman

Heather Wilson (R–NM). The bill was referred to the Committee on

Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. On March 11, 1999, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill, where the Administration testified in support of H.R. 66, contingent on a few minor technical

amendments. On March 18, 1999, the Subcommittee met to mark

up the bill. Chairman James V. Hansen (R–UT) offered en bloc
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amendments to change the beginning of the period of historical significance from 1933 to 1926, to clarify the role that the Secretary

of the Interior would play in Route 66 preservation and interpretation, to clarify that the Secretary should base the technical assistance program on the Secretary’s standards for historic preservation, and to clarify what types of federal lands the bill would apply

to. The amendment was adopted by voice vote. The bill was then

ordered favorably reported to the Full Committee by voice vote. On

April 28, 1999, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the

bill. No further amendments were offered. 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 tax expenditures. According

to the Congressional Budget Office, because H.R. 66 would allow

the National Park Service to accept donations, the bill could affect

federal revenues, but ‘‘any amounts collected would be insignificant.’’

3. Government Reform Oversight Findings.—Under clause 3(c)(4)

of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee has received no report of oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform on this

bill.

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:
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U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, April 30, 1999.

Hon. DON YOUNG,

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. 66, a bill to preserve the

cultural resources of the Route 66 corridor and to authorize the

Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance.

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

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.

Sincerely,

BARRY B. ANDERSON

(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).

Enclosure.

H.R. 66—A bill to preserve the cultural resources of the Route 66

corridor and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide

assistance

Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that the National Park Service (NPS) would spend $5 million over the next five years to implement H.R. 66. The government would spend another $5 million over the following five years.

Because H.R. 66 would allow the NPS to accept donations, the bill

could affect federal revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures

would apply. We estimate, however, that any amounts collected

would be insignificant. The bill contains no intergovernmental or

private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. State, local, and tribal governments might incur some

costs as a result of the bill’s enactment, but these costs would be

voluntary.

H.R. 66 would direct the Secretary of the Interior (acting through

the NPS) to create a program for preserving the Route 66 corridor.

For that purpose, the NPS would be authorized to accept donations, conduct research, make grants, execute cost-sharing agreements, and provide technical assistance to nonfederal parties. The

bill would authorize the appropriation of a total of $10 million over

the 2000–2009 period for these purposes.

Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming appropriation of the $10 million authorized, CBO estimates that the

agency would spend about $5 million between 2000 and 2004. We

estimate that about $3 million would be used to establish guidelines and programs required by the bill in 2000 and 2001. The NPS

would need about $1 million annually thereafter to carry out the

new programs.

On March 11, 1999, CBO prepared a cost estimte for S. 292, a

similar bill that was ordered reported by the Senate Committee on

Energy and Natural Resources on March 4, 1999. The estimated

costs of these bills are identical.

The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. This estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
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COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

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

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