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[House Report 114-249]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

114th Congress   }                                        {     Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session     }                                        {    114-249

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  PROVIDING FUNDS TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO HIRE VETERANS AND 
   MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO ASSIST THE CORPS WITH CURATION AND 
        HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

 September 8, 2015.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Shuster, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 3114]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 3114) to provide funds to the Army 
Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the Armed 
Forces to assist the Corps with curation and historic 
preservation activities, and for other purposes, having 
considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment 
and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose of Legislation...........................................     2
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Hearings.........................................................     3
Legislative History and Consideration............................     4
Committee Votes..................................................     4
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     4
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................     4
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................     4
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................     5
Advisory of Earmarks.............................................     6
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     6
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings..............................     6
Federal Mandate Statement........................................     6
Preemption Clarification.........................................     6
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     6
Applicability of Legislative Branch..............................     6
Section-by-Section Analysis of Legislation.......................     7
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     7

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

  Congress finds the following:
          (1) The Corps of Engineers and other Federal agencies are 
        required to preserve and catalogue artifacts and other items of 
        national historical significance that are uncovered during the 
        course of their work (notably under part 79 of title 36, Code 
        of Federal Regulations).
          (2) Uncatalogued artifacts within the care of Federal 
        agencies are stored in hundreds of repositories and museums 
        across the Nation.
          (3) In October 2009, the Corps of Engineers, Center of 
        Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological 
        Collections, initiated the Veterans' Curation Program to employ 
        and train Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in archaeological 
        processing.
          (4) The Veterans' Curation Program employs veterans and 
        members of the Armed Forces in the sorting, cleaning, and 
        cataloguing of artifacts managed by the Corps of Engineers.
          (5) Employees of the Veterans' Curation Program gain valuable 
        work skills, including computer database management, records 
        management, photographic and scanning techniques, computer 
        software proficiency, vocabulary and writing skills, and 
        interpersonal communication skills, as well as knowledge and 
        training in archaeology and history.
          (6) Since 2009, a total of 241 veterans have participated in 
        the Veterans' Curation Program, including the current class of 
        38 participants. Of the 203 graduates of the program, 87 
        percent have received permanent employment in a field related 
        to training received under the program or chosen to continue 
        their education.
          (7) Experience in archaeological curation gained through the 
        Veterans' Curation Program is valuable training and experience 
        for the museum, forensics, administrative, records management, 
        and other fields.
          (8) Veterans' Curation Program participants may assist the 
        Corps of Engineers in developing a more efficient and 
        comprehensive collections management program and also may 
        provide the workforce to meet the records management needs at 
        other agencies and departments, including the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 2. TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT FOR VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF ARMED 
                    FORCES IN CURATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

  Using available funds, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the 
Chief of Engineers, shall carry out a Veterans' Curation Program to 
hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Secretary 
in carrying out curation and historic preservation activities.

                         PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION

    The purpose of H.R. 3114 is to authorize funds to the Army 
Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the Armed 
Forces to assist the Corps with curation and historic 
preservation activities.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Federal interest in water resources development in the 
United States stems from the Commerce Clause of the 
Constitution. The history of federal water resources 
improvements in the United States dates back to the 1820's when 
Congress authorized construction of a canal connecting Lake 
Michigan to the Illinois River and authorized the United States 
Army Corps of Engineers to remove snags, debris, and other 
obstructions from the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
    Today, the United States Army Corps of Engineers operates 
and maintains approximately $250 billion worth of water 
resources infrastructure assets. This includes a network of 
11,000 miles of the ``fuel-taxed'' Inland Waterways 
Transportation System, 13,000 miles of deep draft coastal 
navigation channels, 236 lock chambers, more than 700 dams, 
approximately 15,000 miles of levees, and 25 percent of the 
Nation's hydropower generation. The Corps is also the Nation's 
largest provider of recreation opportunities. In addition, the 
Corps of Engineers is responsible for the planning and 
construction of the majority of the Nation's water resources 
development projects related to navigation, flood damage 
reduction, and aquatic ecosystem restoration.
    As part of its construction and operation, and maintenance 
portfolios, the Corps of Engineers often discovers historical 
artifacts, sacred objects, dinosaur bones, and other cultural 
items that require preservation. Numerous laws, including the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and the 
National Historic Preservation Act, govern the treatment and 
preservation of these historical and cultural items. The Corps 
of Engineers is responsible for carrying out the requirements 
of these laws with respect to assets within the Corps' 
portfolio.
    The Veterans Curation Program was created in 2009 to 
utilize veterans to help process archaeological collections 
belonging to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Stewardship of 
archaeological collections, including both artifacts and 
associated records, is the responsibility of landowning 
agencies such as the Corps. Processing these collections to 
federal standards for long-term storage and public access is 
undertaken by cultural resource management firms familiar with 
the work. Archaeological collections that were excavated using 
public funds during construction of the country's many 
reservoirs and associated water control systems are required to 
be stored in a manner that ensures their long-term preservation 
and facilitates access by the public for scientific research 
and education.
    The Corps' Veterans Curation Program provides veterans with 
both vocational training and short-term employment managing the 
archaeological collections of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 
Overseas contingency operations have increased the number of 
veterans and wounded warriors who can benefit from the 
additional vocational training provided through the Corps' 
Veterans Curation Program to better compete in the mainstream 
job market.
    Through its investment in service members, the Corps' 
Veterans Curation Program builds on the skills that veterans 
acquire during military service, including leadership, 
teamwork, and attention to detail. Working under the direct 
supervision of professionals in the field of archaeology, 
veterans receive competitive pay while learning through 
technical training in a peer-to-peer environment. The program 
provides a bridging experience to the public and private 
sector, and facilitates transitions into permanent employment 
or enrollment in institutions of higher education.

                                HEARINGS

    No legislative hearings were held on H.R. 3114; however, 
the Corps' Veterans Curation Program was discussed on April 22, 
2015 at a Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment 
hearing entitled, ``A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 
2016 Budget Request for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and 
Tennessee Valley Authority.''

                 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION

    On July 20, 2015, Representative Grace Napolitano of 
California introduced H.R. 3114, a bill to authorize funds to 
the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the 
Armed Forces to assist the Corps with curation and historic 
preservation activities, and for other purposes.
    On July 23 2015, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure met in open session to consider H.R. 3114, and 
ordered the bill, as amended, reported favorably to the House 
by voice vote with a quorum present.
    Representative Grace Napolitano and Representative Rodney 
Davis offered an amendment in Committee. The amendment modified 
the authorization of appropriations section for the bill to 
authorize the Corps of Engineers to use available funds to 
carry out the Veterans Curation Program. The amendment was 
adopted by voice vote with a quorum present.

                            COMMITTEE 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 recorded 
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. 3114, or ordering the bill, as 
amended, reported. A motion to order H.R. 3114, 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.

               NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    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.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

    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. 3114, as amended, 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, August 6, 2015.
Hon. Bill Shuster, Chairman,
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3114, a bill to 
provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans 
and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with 
curation and historic preservation activities, and for other 
purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Aurora 
Swanson.
            Sincerely,
                                                        Keith Hall.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 3114--A bill to provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to 
        hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the 
        Corps with curation and historic preservation activities, and 
        for other purposes

    H.R. 3114 would clarify that the Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps) has the authority to hire veterans to catalogue 
artifacts and historic items. Based on information from the 
Corps, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would not affect 
the federal budget. Because enacting H.R. 3114 would not affect 
direct spending or revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures do not 
apply.
    Under current law, agencies are required to preserve and 
catalogue artifacts discovered during the course of their work. 
In 2009, the Corps began hiring veterans to process 
uncatalogued artifacts with funding provided by the American 
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The initial funding of 
$3.5 million provided by ARRA was used to purchase equipment, 
rent facilities, negotiate contracts, and hire veterans. Since 
then, expenditures for the program have increased to about $4.5 
million annually and under current law the Corps expects to 
continue hiring veterans to perform the work. H.R. 3114 would 
provide specific authority for the Corps to continue those 
activities.
    H.R. 3114 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aurora Swanson. 
This estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Assistant Director 
for Budget Analysis.

                    PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
performance goal and objective of this legislation, as amended, 
is to authorize the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans to 
assist in curation and historic preservation activities.

                          ADVISORY OF EARMARKS

    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. No 
provision in the bill, as amended, includes an earmark, limited 
tax benefit, or limited tariff benefit under clause 9(e), 9(f), 
or 9(g) of rule XXI.

                    DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

    Pursuant to section 3(g) of H. Res. 5, 114th Cong. (2015), 
the Committee finds that no provision of H.R. 3114, as amended, 
establishes or reauthorizes a program of the federal government 
known to be duplicative of another federal program, a program 
that was included in any report from the Government 
Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of 
Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a program 
identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance.

                  DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

    Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, 114th Cong. (2015), 
the Committee estimates that H.R. 3114, as amended, directs no 
rule makings.

                       FEDERAL MANDATE STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office 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. 3114, 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, as amended.

                APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation, as amended, 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).

               SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF LEGISLATION

Section 1. Findings

    Section 1 provides a history of the Veterans Curation 
Program, references current requirements on the Corps of 
Engineers related to historic preservation, and describes the 
benefits of the Veterans Curation Program.

Section 2. Training and employment for veterans and members of Armed 
        Forces in curation and historic preservation

    Section 2 authorizes the Corps of Engineers to carry out 
the Veterans Curation Program using funds made available to the 
Secretary of the Army.

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    H.R. 3114 makes no changes in existing law.

                                  [all]
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