89–010 

Calendar No. 648 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 115–361 

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES 

CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT EXTENSION 

NOVEMBER 14, 2018.—Ordered to be printed 

Ms. MURKOWSKI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 4446] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (H.R. 4446) to amend the Virgin Islands of the 

United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration 

date of the Commission, and for other purposes, having considered 

the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of H.R. 4446 is to amend the Virgin Islands of the 

United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration 

date of the Commission. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

The transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United 

States in 1917 was a significant historic and culture event. Public 

Law 114–224 established a bipartisan Federal commission, known 

as the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission 

(Commission), to develop, plan, and execute formal commemorative 

activities to honor the rich heritage of the U.S. Virgin Islands and 

celebrate the 100th anniversary of its status as a U.S. territory. 

While the Commission was established on September 29, 2016, 

with the enactment of Public Law 114–224, the appointment of two 

of the Commission’s members was delayed by over one year. Additionally, the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 made 

2 

any Commission activities extremely difficult. The Commission did 

not hold its first official meeting until June 13, 2018. Because there 

has only been one meeting, at which the Executive Director was selected, the Commission has not submitted a report to the President 

and Congress on its activities. H.R. 4446 provides the Commission 

with an additional year to fulfill its responsibilities and further extends the timeline for submission of its final report. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 4446 was introduced by Representative Plaskett (D–VI) in 

the House of Representatives on November 16, 2017, and referred 

to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. On March 

15, 2018, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ordered H.R. 4446 favorably reported, as amended, by voice vote. On 

July 16, 2018, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4446 by 

voice vote. 

On July 17, 2018, H.R. 4446 was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open 

business session on October 2, 2018, and ordered H.R. 4446 favorably reported. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 

open business session on October 2, 2018, by a majority voice vote 

of a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 4446. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Amendment 

Section 1 amends the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act (Public Law 114–224) to extend the deadline 

for the submission of the Commission’s final report by one-year to 

January 31, 2019. This section also extends the Commission’s termination date by one-year to September 30, 2019. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of the costs of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office: H.R. 4446 would extend 

the authority for the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission, to act for one additional year (through September 

30, 2019). The Commission, whose members have been selected but 

have not met, is prohibited from using appropriated funds. 

Enacting the legislation would affect direct spending because it 

would allow the commission to continue to accept and spend monetary gifts for an additional year. Therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that the net effect on direct 

spending would be negligible. Enacting H.R. 4446 would not affect 

revenues. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4446 would not increase net 

direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 

10-year periods beginning in 2029. 

H.R. 4446 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

3 

On March, 20, 2018, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 

4446 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight 

and Government Reform on March 15, 2018. On February 20, 2018, 

CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 4446, an amendment in 

the Nature of a Substitute as posted on the House Committee on 

Oversight and Government Reform’s website on February 6, 2018. 

The three pieces of legislation are identical and CBO’s estimates of 

their budgetary effects are the same. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The 

estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 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. 4446. 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. 4446, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

H.R. 4446, as ordered 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 Committee did not request Executive Communications for 

H.R. 4446. 

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. 

4446, 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): 

VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL 

COMMISSION ACT 

Public Law 114–224 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 7. REPORTS 

(a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than January 31 of each year, 

and annually thereafter until the final report is submitted pursuant to subsection (b), the Commission shall submit to the President 

and the Congress a report on— 

(1) The activities of the Commission; and 

4 

(2) The revenue and expenditures of the Commission, including a list of each gift, bequest, or devise to the Commission 

with a value of more than $250, including the identity of the 

donor of each gift, bequest, or devise. 

(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than øJanuary 31, 2018¿ January 

31, 2019, the Commission shall submit a final report to the President and the Congress containing— 

(1) A summary of the activities of the Commission; and 

(2) A final accounting of funds received and expended by the 

Commission 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 10. TERMINATION 

The Commission shall terminate on øSeptember 30, 2018¿ September 30, 2019, or may terminate at an earlier date determined 

by the Commission after the final report is submitted pursuant to 

section 7(b). 

* * * * * * * 

Æ