79–006 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 115–822 

AMENDING THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED 

STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT TO EXTEND 

THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE COMMISSION, AND FOR 

OTHER PURPOSES 

JULY 16, 2018.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. GOWDY, from the Committee on Oversight and Government 

Reform, 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 Oversight and Government Reform, to whom 

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, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Summary and Purpose of Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee ...... 2 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 2 

Legislative History .................................................................................................. 2 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 

Roll Call Votes ......................................................................................................... 3 

Explanation of Amendments ................................................................................... 3 

Application of Law to the Legislative Branch ....................................................... 3 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 3 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 3 

Federal Advisory Committee Act ............................................................................ 3 

Unfunded Mandates Statement .............................................................................. 4 

Earmark Identification ............................................................................................ 4 

Committee Estimate ................................................................................................ 4 

New Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate ........... 4 

Section-by-Section Analysis .................................................................................... 5 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 5 


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1Pub. L. No. 114–224 (2016). 

The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SEC. 1. AMENDMENT. 

The Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act (Public Law 

114–224) is amended— 

(1) in section 7(b), by striking ‘‘January 31, 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘January 31, 

2019’’; and 

(2) in section 10, by striking ‘‘September 30, 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘September 

30, 2019’’. 

SUMMARY AND PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION

H.R. 4446 extends the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission to September 30, 2019, and delays the deadline for the final report of the Commission to January 31, 2019. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission 

Act was signed into law on September 29, 2016.1 The Commission’s 

charge is to plan and carry out events commemorating the 100th 

anniversary of the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to 

the United States. The Centennial occurred on March 31, 2017. 

However, the appointment of two members of the Commission was 

delayed by more than one year, and hurricane recovery efforts 

made Centennial celebrations impossible in the latter part of 2017. 

As a result, the Commission has not convened, and no events have 

been planned or carried out to date. Because the Commission has 

not held any meetings or events, there is no final report available 

detailing the Commission’s activities. H.R. 4446 delays the expiration of the Commission and the deadline for submitting the final 

report by one year to give the Commission more time to plan 

events celebrating this important event in American history. 

STATEMENT OF OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF

THE COMMITTEE

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause (2)(b)(1) 

of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 

previous section. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee’s performance goal or objective for this bill is to extend the duration of the Virgin Islands 

of the United States Centennial Commission by one year. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

On November 16, 2017, Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D–VI) introduced H.R. 4446, a bill to amend the Virgin Islands of the United 

States Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of 

the Commission, and for other purposes. H.R. 4446 was referred to 

the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The Committee considered H.R. 4446 at a business meeting on March 15, 


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2018 and ordered the bill favorably reported, as amended, by voice 

vote. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On March 15, 2018, the Committee met in open session and, 

with a quorum being present, ordered the bill favorably reported, 

as amended, by voice vote. 

ROLL CALL VOTES

There were no roll call votes requested or conducted during Committee consideration of H.R. 4446. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

During Committee consideration of the bill, Representative 

Glenn Grothman (R–WI), offered an amendment in the nature of 

a substitute to remove a provision allowing the Delegate from the 

Virgin Islands to appoint a member of the Commission, if the Governor of the Virgin Islands fails to do so by the required deadline. 

The amendment also removes a provision repealing the prohibition 

on authorization or obligation of federal funds to carry out the Act. 

The Grothman amendment was adopted by a voice vote. 

APPLICATION OF LAW TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104–1 requires a description of 

the application of this bill to the legislative branch where the bill 

relates to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services and accommodations. This bill extends the duration of 

the Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission by 

one year. As such, this bill does not relate to employment or access 

to public services and accommodations. 

DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

In accordance with clause 2(c)(5) of rule XIII no provision of this 

bill 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

This bill does not direct the completion of any specific rule makings within the meaning of section 551 of title 5, United States 

Code. 

FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT

The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish or 

authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within the 

definition of Section 5(b) of the appendix to title 5, United States 

Code. 


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UNFUNDED MANDATES STATEMENT

Pursuant to section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (Pub. L. 113–67) the Committee has included a letter received from the Congressional Budget Office 

below. 

EARMARK IDENTIFICATION

This bill does not include any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule 

XXI of the House of Representatives. 

COMMITTEE ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(2)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee includes below a cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional 

Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act 

of 1974. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

COST ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives, the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office and submitted pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974 is as follows: 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, March 20, 2018. 

Hon. TREY GOWDY, 

Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4446, a bill to amend the 

Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act to 

extend the expiration date of the Commission, and for other purposes. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew Pickford. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL, Director. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 4446—A bill to amend the Virgin Islands of the United States 

Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the 

Commission, and for other purposes 

H.R. 4446 would extend the authority for the Virgin Islands of 

the United States Centennial Commission to act for one additional 

year. The Commission whose members have been selected but have 

not met, is prohibited from using appropriated funds. 

Enacting H.R. 4446 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 


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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 2028. 

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

On February 20, 2018, CBO transmitted a revised cost estimate 

for H.R. 4446, an amendment in the Nature of a Substitute posted 

on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s 

website on February 6, 2018. The two pieces of legislation are similar and CBO’s estimates of their costs are the same. 

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

estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant 

Director for Budget Analysis. 

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 submission deadline for the final report of the Commission to January 31, 

2019 and delay the termination date of the Commission to September 30, 2019. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 

and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in 

roman): 

VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL 

COMMISSION ACT 

* * * * * * * 

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 

(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. 

* * * * * * * 


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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 


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