69–010 

Calendar No. 783 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 110–351 

HARRIET BEECHER STOWE HOUSE SPECIAL RESOURCE 

STUDY ACT 

JUNE 16, 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. 662] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 662) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resource study to evaluate resources at the 

Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Brunswick, Maine, to determine 

the suitability and feasibility of establishing the site as a unit of 

the National Park System, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and 

recommends 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: 

SECTlON 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Harriet Beecher Stowe House Special Resource 

Study Act’’. 

SEC. 2. HARRIET BEECHER STOWE HOUSE SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made 

available to carry out this Act, the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this Act 

as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall complete a special resource study of the Harriet Beecher 

Stowe House in Brunswick, Maine, to evaluate— 

(1) the national significance of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House and surrounding land; and 

(2) the suitability and feasibility of designating the Harriet Beecher Stowe 

House and surrounding land as a unit of the National Park System. 

(b) STUDY GUIDELINES.—In conducting the study authorized under subsection (a), 

the Secretary shall use the criteria for the study of areas for potential inclusion in 

the National Park System contained in section 8(c) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 

1a–5(c)). 


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SEC. 3. REPORT. 

On completion of the study required under section 3, the Secretary shall submit 

to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report containing the 

findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study. 

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out 

this Act. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 662 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and 

feasibility of establishing the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in 

Brunswick, Maine, as a unit of the National Park System. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896) wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin 

while living at 63 Federal Street in Brunswick, Maine, from 1850–

1852. Her literary success established her as an important author, 

humanitarian, and abolitionist during the 19th century. Her famous novel introduced many American citizens to the horrors of 

slavery. The influence of that novel proved to be so great that it 

prompted President Lincoln, when meeting her, to remark ‘‘So 

you’re the little lady who wrote the book that started this Great 

War’’. Uncle Tom’s Cabin has been translated into 23 languages 

and is still considered by many to be the most famous example of 

antislavery literature. The Harriet Beecher Stowe House was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1963. 

S. 662 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to evaluate the national significance of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House and surrounding land, and the suitability and feasibility of designating the site as a unit of the National Park System. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 662 was introduced by Senator Snowe on February 16, 2007. 

Senator Collins is a cosponsor. The Subcommittee on National 

Parks held a hearing on the bill on April 23, 2008. 

At its business meeting on May 7, 2008, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 662 favorably reported, with 

an amendment in the nature of a substitute. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on May 7, 2008, by a voice vote of a quorum present, 

recommends that the Senate pass S. 662, if amended as described 

herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

During the consideration of S. 662, the Committee adopted an 

amendment in the nature of a substitute. The amendment removes 

the findings section and makes other clarifying and conforming 

amendments. The amendment is explained in detail in the sectionby-section analysis, below. 


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SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 contains the short title, the ‘‘Harriet Beecher Stowe 

House Resource Study Act’’. Section 2(a) directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete a 

special resource study of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the site for inclusion in the National Park System. The study is to be completed 

within 3 years after the date on which funds are made available 

to carry out this Act. 

Subsection (b) directs the Secretary to use the criteria for new 

area studies described in section 8(c) of Public Law 91–383 (16 

U.S.C. 1a–5(c)). 

Section 3 requires the Secretary to submit the results of the 

study to Congress, including any findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Secretary. 

Section 4 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. 662—Harriet Beecher Stowe House Special Resource Study Act 

S. 662 would require the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct 

a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing 

the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Maine 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 carrying out the proposed study would cost about $200,000 

over the 2009–2012 period. Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

S. 662 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 

S. 662. 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. 662, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

S. 662, as reported, does not contain any congressionally directed 

spending items, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined by rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate. 


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EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the April 

23, 2008 hearing on S. 662 follows: 

STATEMENT OF DANIEL N. WENK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear 

before your committee to present the views of the Department of the Interior on S. 662, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to evaluate resources at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Brunswick, 

Maine. 

The Department supports the enactment of this bill. 

However, the Department feels that priority should be 

given to the 29 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. 

If enacted, the bill would direct the Secretary to conduct 

a special resource study to evaluate the national significance of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House and surrounding land, and to assess the suitability and feasibility 

of including the site as a unit of the National Park System. 

The study, which is to be completed within three years 

after funds are made available for it, will follow the criteria for potential new areas contained in section 8(c) of 

Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(c)) which require such 

studies to address four areas: significance, suitability, feasibility, and management options. 

The Harriet Beecher Stowe House, located at 63 Federal 

Street, Brunswick, Maine, is a National Historic Landmark whose oldest portion, a 2-story wood frame house, 

dates from 1807. It was the residence from 1850 to 1852 

of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the influential indictment of slavery, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which was written 

here. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark 

in 1962, and is listed by the National Park Service in its 

Underground Railroad travel guides as a site of interest. 

Harriet Elizabeth Beecher (1811–1896) was born in Connecticut and moved with her family to Cincinnati, Ohio in 

1832 at the age of 21. There she was a teacher and author, 

and traveled to Kentucky where she interviewed fugitive 

slaves and witnessed the brutality of slavery firsthand. In 

1836 she married Calvin Ellis Stowe, who later became a 

professor at Bowdoin College, prompting her move to 

Brunswick, Maine. She used her personal experiences to 

develop Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published as a serial in 1851 

in an antislavery newspaper, and in book form the following year. An enormous popular success, its antislavery 

message provoked strong reactions throughout the South. 

In response to criticism, she wrote A Key to Uncle Tom’s 

Cabin, (1853), a collection of factual material on slavery intended to justify the charges implied in the novel. She conVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:17 Jun 17, 2008 Jkt 069010 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6969 E:\HR\OC\SR351.XXX SR351

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tinued to lead the life of an active writer, publishing a second anti-slavery novel, poetry, and numerous essays and 

fictional works about New England social life. 

The property at 63 Federal Street was operated as an 

inn for many years, and was expanded several times to include an attached barn, several ells, and a 54-unit motel. 

The complex was purchased several years ago by Bowdoin 

College, which rehabilitated the motel for use as a student 

dormitory. The main house is not currently in use or open 

to the public. The college has recently undertaken a study 

of the historic structure, to identify remaining elements 

that would have been present during Stowe’s era, and to 

explore various options for preserving it. The college is 

committed to preserving the building, but is reluctant to 

undertake the financial burdens of restoring and operating 

it as a house museum. 

The property is one of three former Stowe homes listed 

on the National Register of Historic Places. The others are 

houses at 2950 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio and 73 

Forest Street, Hartford, Connecticut, both of which are 

open to the public as sites honoring Harriet Beecher 

Stowe. The special resource study would allow National 

Park Service professionals to build upon the historic structure reports recently prepared for the Bowdoin College 

house through a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and to assist in the preparation of options for long-term preservation of the National 

Historic Landmark Harriet Beecher Stowe House. 

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to comment. This concludes my prepared remarks and I will be 

happy to answer any questions you or other committee 

members might 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. 662, as ordered reported. 

Æ 


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