69–010 

Calendar No. 657 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 110–305 

ALEXANDER HAMILTON BOYHOOD HOME STUDY 

ACT OF 2007 

APRIL 10, 2008.—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 S. 1969] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 1969) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and 

feasibility of designating Estate Grange and other sites related to 

Alexander Hamilton’s life on the island of St. Croix in the United 

States Virgin Islands as a unit of the National Park System, and 

for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably 

thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill, as 

amended, do pass. 

The amendment is as follows: 

1. On page 2, strike lines 1 through 22 and insert the following: 

SEC. 2. STUDY. 

2. On page 4, strike line 1 and insert the following: 

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 1969 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability 

and feasibility of designating Alexander Hamilton’s boyhood home, 

Estate Grange, and other sites related to his life on the island of 

St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park 

System, and for other purposes. 


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BACKGROUND AND NEED

Alexander Hamilton (c. 1755–1804) was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, principal author of the Federalist Papers, 

and was appointed by George Washington as the first Secretary of 

the Treasury. Hamilton was killed in a shooting duel with Vice 

President Aaron Burr in 1804. 

Hamilton was born on the Caribbean island of Nevis, and moved 

as a young boy to Estate Grange, his mother’s home on the island 

of St. Croix in what is now the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is here that 

young Alexander Hamilton gained valuable skills in banking and 

writing that later led to his role as a founding father of the United 

States of America. 

S. 1969 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 

a special resource study to determine if the site—and others on the 

islands associated with the early life of Alexander Hamilton—is appropriate for addition to the National Park System. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 1969 was introduced by Senator Hatch and others on August 

2, 2007. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on S. 

1969 on September 27, 2007. (S. Hrg. 110–266.) 

At its business meeting on January 30, 2008, the Committee on 

Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 1969 favorably reported, 

with amendments. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on January 30, 2008, by a voice vote of a quorum 

present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 1969, if amended as 

described herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

During the consideration of S. 1969, the Committee on Energy 

and Natural Resources amended the bill to strike the section containing findings and to renumber the subsequent section accordingly. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 contains the short title, the ‘‘Alexander Hamilton Boyhood Home Study Act of 2008’’. Section 2(a) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 

a special resource study of Alexander Hamilton’s boyhood home 

and other sites and resources associated with his life on St. Croix 

in the United States Virgin Islands. 

Subsection (b) directs the Secretary to evaluate the national significance of the sites and resources; and the suitability and feasibility of designating the sites and resources as a unit of the National Park System. 

Subsection 2(c) describes the criteria for the study shall conform 

to Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5). 

Subsection 2(d) requires the Secretary to submit the study to the 

Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives 

and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 

containing the results of the study and any findings, conclusions, 


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and recommendations of the Secretary within 3 years after the 

date on which funds are first made available for the study. 

Section 3 authorizes the appropriation of such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of costs of this measure has been provided 

by the Congressional Budget Office: 

S. 1969—Alexander Hamilton Boyhood Home Study Act of 2007 

S. 1969 would direct the National Park Service (NPS) to study 

the suitability and feasibility of designating Estate Grange and 

other sites associated with Alexander Hamilton’s life on St. Croix, 

U.S. Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System. Based 

on information provided by the NPS and assuming the availability 

of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that enacting S. 1969 would 

cost $250,000 over the next three years. Enacting S. 1969 would 

not affect direct spending or revenues. 

S. 1969 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 Deborah Reis. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, 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 

S. 1969. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant economic 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 S. 1969, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

S. 1969, as reported, does not contain any congressionally directed spending items, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the September 27, 2007 Subcommittee on National Parks hearing follows: 

STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to provide 

the Department of the Interior’s views on S. 1969, a bill 

to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating Estate Grange and other sites related 

to Alexander Hamilton’s life on the island of St. Croix in 


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the United States Virgin Islands as a unit of the National 

Park System, and for other purposes. 

The Department supports S. 1969. However, the Department feels that priority should be given to the 37 previously authorized studies for potential units of the National Park System, potential new National Heritage 

Areas, and potential additions to the National Trails System and National Wild and Scenic River System that have 

not yet been transmitted to the Congress. 

Studies of this type typically take approximately three 

years to complete after funds are made available. We estimate the cost for this study to be approximately $250,000. 

S. 1969 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in 

consultation with the Governor of the Virgin Islands, to 

conduct a special resource study of Estate Grange and 

other sites and resources associated with the life of Alexander Hamilton on St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

The study would evaluate the sites according to established criteria to determine whether it is appropriate for 

addition to the National Park System, or whether it is better suited to protection by another entity. 

Hamilton was born out of wedlock in Charlestown, 

Nevis, the capital of the island of Nevis, Saint Kitts and 

Nevis, Leeward Islands, West Indies to James A. Hamilton, the fourth son of a Scottish laird, and Rachel Faucett 

Lavien, of part French Huguenot descent. There is, however, some evidence that Hamilton’s biological father may 

have been a Nevis merchant named Thomas Stevens. 

In 1765, a business assignment led James Hamilton to 

move the family to Christiansted, St. Croix. James then 

abandoned Rachel and their two sons. After James left, 

Rachel supported the family by keeping a small store in 

Christiansted. She contracted a ‘‘severe fever’’ and died on 

February 19, 1768, leaving Hamilton effectively orphaned. 

After his mother’s death, Hamilton was twice adopted 

and worked as a clerk with a local import-export firm with 

ties to the New York area. Impressed with his writings, 

the local community created a fund to send him to New 

Jersey for a formal education. He was attending King’s 

College in New York when the Revolutionary War began. 

During the Revolutionary War, Hamilton served as an 

artillery captain, was an aide-de-camp to General George 

Washington, and led three battalions at the Battle of Yorktown. 

One of America’s first constitutional lawyers, he was a 

leader in calling the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 

1787 and was one of the two chief authors of the Federalist Papers, the most cited contemporary interpretation 

of intent for the United States Constitution. Under President Washington, Hamilton became the first Secretary of 

the Treasury. 

The Estate Grange, a former rum factory and sugar 

plantation, was once the home of Hamilton’s mother and 

she is buried on the premises. The 115-acre estate is situated approximately 1.5 to 2 miles southwest of ChristianVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:54 Apr 12, 2008 Jkt 069010 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6969 E:\HR\OC\SR305.XXX SR305

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sted National Historic Site and is owned by the Armstrong 

Trust. 

In 1886, the Great House, which has five bedrooms and 

four baths, was used as a convalescent home for Danish 

gendarmes stricken by yellow fever at the Christiansted 

barracks. In later years the Great house was modified, by 

subsequent owners, by adding a grand staircase on the 

southwest corner of the building and converting the gallery 

to a dining room. The basement, with arched window openings and passageways, includes stone and coral-walled 

bedrooms, as-well-as storage areas. 

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my testimony. I would be 

pleased to answer any questions you or the other members 

of the subcommittee may have. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 1969, as ordered reported. 

Æ 


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