69–010 

Calendar No. 665 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 110–313 

BOB HOPE MEMORIAL LIBRARY 

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 H.R. 759] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the Act (H.R. 759) to redesignate the Ellis Island Library 

on the third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, located 

on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, as the ‘‘Bob Hope Memorial 

Library’’, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 

without amendment and recommends that the Act do pass. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of H.R. 759 is to redesignate the Ellis Island Library on the third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, 

located on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, as the ‘‘Bob Hope Memorial Library.’’ 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the 

United States through immigration facilities located on Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is located in 

the upper bay just off the New Jersey coast, near the Statue of Liberty. Today, over 40 percent of America’s population can trace their 

ancestry through Ellis Island. 

The main building of the Immigration Station was restored after 

30 years of abandonment and opened as a museum in 1990, administered by the National Park Service. The Ellis Island Library is 

located on the third floor of the museum and houses the historical 

and ethnological resources collection, including over 1,000 oral histories. 


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Noted entertainer Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in 

England in 1903. His parents emigrated from England to Cleveland 

in 1908, entering the United States through Ellis Island. Bob 

Hope’s life story exemplifies the story of many who came to this 

country through Ellis Island, entering the country with little, but 

who then became successful citizens. Bob Hope died in 2003 at the 

age of 100. 

In recognition of his many decades of work entertaining American troops overseas, Congress enacted Public Law 105–67 in 1997, 

which conferred on him status as an honorary U.S. Armed Forces 

Veteran. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1962, 

the Medal of Freedom in 1969, and the National Medal of Arts in 

1995. 

In commemoration of Bob Hope’s lifetime achievements as someone who entered the country through Ellis Island, H.R. 759 would 

redesignate the Ellis Island Library as the ‘‘Bob Hope Memorial Library.’’

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 759, sponsored by Congressman Engel and others, passed 

the House of Representatives by a vote of 420–1 on March 20, 

2007. There is no Senate companion measure. During the 109th 

Congress, the House of Representatives passed a similar measure, 

H.R. 323. The Senate did not take any action on that bill. 

The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on H.R. 759 

on September 11, 2007. (S. Hrg. 110–213.) At its business meeting 

on January 30, 2008, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered H.R. 759 favorably reported without amendment. 

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 H.R. 759. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 provides that the Ellis Island Library, located on the 

third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum on Ellis Island, 

shall be known and redesignated as the ‘‘Bob Hope Memorial Library.’’

Section 2 states that any legal reference to the Ellis Island Library shall be deemed to be a reference to the Bob Hope Memorial 

Library. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of costs of this measure has been provided 

by the Congressional Budget Office: 

H.R. 759—An act to redesignate the Ellis Island Library on the 

third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, located on 

Ellis Island in New York Harbor, as the ‘‘Bob Hope Memorial 

Library’’ 

H.R. 759 would redesignate the Ellis Island Library in New York 

as the Bob Hope Memorial Library. CBO estimates that implementing this legislation would have no significant effect on the opVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:44 Apr 12, 2008 Jkt 069010 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR313.XXX SR313

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erating budget of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, which is 

administered by the National Park Service (NPS). We expect that 

one-time costs to revise NPS brochures, maps, and signs would be 

minimal because most such revisions would take place in conjunction with scheduled reprinting and other routine maintenance. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 759 would not affect revenues 

or direct spending. 

H.R. 759 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. This 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 

H.R. 759. The Act 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 H.R. 759, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

H.R. 759, 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 11, 2007 subcommittee hearing on H.R. 759 follows: 

STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, thank 

you for the opportunity to appear before you to present the 

views of the Department of the Interior on H.R. 759, a bill 

to redesignate the Ellis Island library on the third floor of 

the Ellis Island Immigration Museum as the Bob Hope 

Memorial Library. 

The National Park Service believes there should be a 

strong association between the park and the person being 

commemorated, and that at least five years should have 

elapsed since the death of the person. This basic principle 

is reflected in our National Park Service Management 

Policies. Therefore, the Department cannot support this 

bill. On May 12, 2005, the Department also testified that 

we could not support H.R. 323, an identical bill from the 

109th Congress. 

A unique repository of resources in history, ethnology, 

and sociology is located on the third floor of the ImmigraVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:44 Apr 12, 2008 Jkt 069010 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6969 E:\HR\OC\SR313.XXX SR313

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tion Museum on Ellis Island. The space has been reconfigured to provide a reading room, a preschool children’s 

reading center, an archive for controlled storage of valuable paper artifacts, and a room designed to provide retrieval access to the library’s collection of more than 1,000 

oral histories. It is a resource devoted to the American immigration experience and the stories of those who came to 

America with hopes and dreams for a better life. The library provides important lessons to our citizens of the 

meaning of liberty and opportunity in the history of our 

nation. 

Although Bob Hope’s life story exemplifies the experience of many who came to the United States with little, 

rose to the heights of their professions, and gave back in 

abundance to their adopted nation, the Department cannot 

support H.R. 759. Bob Hope did enter the United States 

through Ellis Island, as did many other great Americans; 

however, there is no compelling connection between his life 

and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. 

Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope, the son of 

stonemason William Henry Hope and Avis Townes Hope. 

The family emigrated from England to Cleveland, Ohio in 

1908, when Leslie, one of seven children, was not yet five 

years old. In Cleveland, the Hope family struggled financially, as they had in England. Mrs. Hope took in boarders 

to supplement her husband’s erratic income. She gave 

singing lessons to Leslie, who entertained his family with 

song, impersonations, and dancing. When he left school at 

age 16, Leslie worked at a number of part-time jobs. He 

boxed for a short time under the name of ‘‘Packy East’’ but 

later changed his name to Lester Hope. His interest in entertainment and show business led him to take dancing 

lessons and to seek employment as a variety stage entertainer. Not until he had achieved considerable success on 

the stage did he begin using the name, ‘‘Bob Hope.’’

Bob Hope’s more than fifty-year commitment to public 

service has made him one of the most honored and esteemed performers in history. His charitable work and 

tours on behalf of the armed forces brought him the admiration and gratitude of millions and the friendship of every 

President of the United States since Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

National Park Service Management Policies 2006 states 

that the National Park Service will discourage and curtail 

commemorative works, especially commemorative naming, 

except when Congress specifically authorizes them or there 

is a compelling justification for the recognition, and the 

commemorative work is the best way to express the association between the park and the person, group, event, or 

other subject being commemorated. While Bob Hope had a 

distinguished career, we do not believe there is sufficient 

association between him and the Ellis Island Library to 

merit renaming the library. 

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement and I will 

be happy to answer any questions that members of the 

committee may have. 


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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 Act H.R. 759, as ordered reported. 

Æ 


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