99–010

Calendar No. 476

107TH CONGRESS REPORT " SENATE ! 2d Session 107–199

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON NATIONAL MONUMENT 

BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2001

JUNE 28, 2002.—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 H.R. 1456] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the Act (H.R. 1456) to expand the boundary of the Booker 

T. Washington National Monument, and for the other purposes, 

having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 

amendment and recommends that the Act do pass. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of H.R. 1456 is to expand the boundaries of the 

Booker T. Washington National Monument to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire an approximately 15-acre parcel for 

inclusion in the Monument. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

On April 2, 1956, the Booker T. Washington National Monument 

was established in order to create a public national memorial to the 

great advocate for African-Americans. The Monument preserves 

and protects the birth site and childhood home of Booker T. Washington while interpreting his life and his significance in American 

history. 

In 1998, the National Park Service conducted a viewshed study 

for the Monument. The purpose of the study was to survey the surrounding lands in the highly visited areas of the park to determine 

the impact urban development would have on the preservation of 

this site. The study identified a 15-acre parcel of land for addition 

to the boundary based on its proximity to the birthplace site. The 

parcel has been on and off the real estate market for several years 

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and is currently for sale. The land is currently in agricultural use. 

Acquisition of this parcel would provide a buffer zone between 

nearby development and the park. The expansion has widespread 

support from the surrounding communities in southwestern Virginia. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 1456 passed the House of Representatives by voice vote on 

September 12, 2001. S. 1051, an identical companion measure, was 

introduced by Senators Warner and Allen on June 14, 2001. The 

Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on S. 1051 and 

H.R. 1456 on February 14, 2002. The Committee on Energy and 

Natural Resources ordered H.R. 1456 favorably reported at its 

business meeting on June 5, 2002. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 

open business session on June 5, 2002, by a voice vote of a quorum 

present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 1456. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 entitles the Act the ‘‘Booker T. Washington National 

Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 2001.’’

Section 2 amends the enabling legislation for the Booker T. 

Washington National Monument (16 U.S.C. 450ll et seq.) to modify 

its boundaries to include approximately 15 acres. The Secretary of 

the Interior is authorized to acquire the land or interests in the 

land from willing sellers by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of the costs of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office:

U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, June 11, 2002. 

Hon. JEFF BINGAMAN, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1456, the Booker T. 

Washington National Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 

2001. 

If you wish further details on this 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. 

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H.R. 1456—Booker T. Washington National Monument Boundary 

Adjustment Act of 2001

H.R. 1456 would revise the boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation 

would cost the federal government less than $500,000. The act 

would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-yougo procedures would not apply. The legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would have not significant impact on the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

H.R. 1456 would expand the boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument to include above 15 acres of adjacent 

land, which the National Park Service (NPS) could then acquire by 

purchase, donation, or exchange. The acquired acreage would be 

administered by the NPS. 

Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that the cost of 

acquiring the property that would be added to the monument 

would be less than $500,000 in fiscal year 2003. We estimate that 

there would be no significant additional cost to develop or manage 

the new acreage. 

On September 21, 2001, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for 

H.R. 1456 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Resources on September 12, 2001. The two versions of the legislation 

are identical, as are our cost estimates. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 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 

H.R. 1456. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant 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 H.R. 1456. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the Subcommittee hearing follows:

STATEMENT OF DURAND JONES, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present 

the Department of the Interior’s views on H.R. 1456 and 

S. 1051, identical bills, both of which would expand the 

boundary of Booker T. Washington National Monument, 

Franklin County, Virginia. 

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The Department gave testimony on H.R. 1456 before the 

House Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and 

Public Land on July 24, 2001. The Department supports 

both H.R. 1456 and S. 1051. The addition would not contribute to the National Park Service (NPS) maintenance 

backlog because the land would be added to the park agricultural permit program, and no additional facilities, operating funds or staffing will be needed. The current owners 

have indicated that they would be willing to sell the property to the United States. If authorized, this acquisition 

would be subject to NPS servicewide priorities and the 

availability of appropriations. 

The legislation will adjust the boundary of Booker T. 

Washington National Monument to authorize acquiring 

from willing sellers a parcel of approximately 15 acres 

abutting the northeast boundary of the park. The addition 

and preservation of this 15-acre tract will ensure that park 

visitors may experience an agricultural landscape while inside the park, in a region that is subject to extreme development pressure. Seven of the 15 acres were part of the 

original Burrough’s farm where Booker T. Washington 

grew up. 

Booker T. Washington National Monument was authorized on April 2, 1956, to create a ‘‘public national memorial 

to Booker T. Washington, noted Negro educator and apostle of good will * * *.’’ Booker T. Washington National 

Monument preserves and protects the birth site and childhood home of Booker T. Washington while interpreting his 

life experiences and significance in American history as 

the most powerful African American between 1895 and 

1915. The park provides a resource for public education 

and a focal point of continuing discussions about the legacy 

of Booker T. Washington and the evolving context of race 

in American society. 

The park is 224 acres of rolling hills, woodlands, and agricultural fields. The primary archaeological resources include the Burrough’s house site, or ‘‘Big House,’’ two slave 

cabin sites with a 1960’s reconstructed cabin on one of the 

sites. The agricultural landscape plays a critical role in the 

park’s interpretation of Washington’s life as an enslaved 

child during the Civil War. Many of his stories and experiences are centered on this small tobacco farm. In his autobiography, Up From Slavery, Washington frequently refers 

to the ‘‘rural’’ life and the influences it had upon him. 

A 1998 Viewshed Study conducted as a component of the 

park’s March 2000 General Management Plan (GMP) identified this land as the most critical for addition to the 

boundary based on its elevation and proximity to the birthplace site. The parcel has been on and off the market for 

several years and is currently for sale. The land is currently used for open agricultural fields. 

The park is located near the regional recreation area of 

Smith Mountain Lake, which has growth in population 

and development in the last ten years. The park lies a 

half-mile from a commercial crossroads called Westlake 

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Corner. This area has become the primary hub of services 

for the Smith Mountain Lake community and continues to 

grow. Acquisition of this parcel would provide the necessary buffer between this development and the park so 

that the visitors will be able to experience the area as it 

was during Booker T. Washington’s life. 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. This concludes my prepared remarks. I would be glad to answer 

any question that you or members of the subcommittee 

might have.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the Act H.R. 

1456, as ordered reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is 

printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is 

shown in roman): 

Public Law 464

AN ACT To provide for the establishment of the Booker T. Washington National 

Monument 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 

United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to acquire, on behalf of the United States, by gift, purchase, or condemnation, all 

right, title, and interest in and to the real property located at Booker Washington Birthplace, Virginia. 

* * * * * * *

SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL LANDS. 

(a) LANDS ADDED TO MONUMENT.—The boundary of the Booker T. 

Washington National Monument is modified to include the approximately 15 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Boundary Map, Booker T. Washington National Monument, Franklin 

County, Virginia’’, numbered BOWA 404/80,024, and dated February 2001. The map shall be on file and available for inspection 

in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service, Department 

of the Interior. 

(b) ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL LANDS.—The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to acquire from willing owners the land or interests in land described in subsection (a) by donation, purchase with 

donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. 

(c) ADMINISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL LANDS.—Lands added to the 

Booker T. Washington National Monument by subsection (a) shall 

be administered by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the monument in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

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