79–010 

Calendar No. 510 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 115–296 

PRESIDENT STREET STATION STUDY ACT 

JULY 11, 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 S. 1646] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 1646), to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to conduct a special resource study of President Street Station in 

Baltimore, Maryland, and for other purposes, having considered 

the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and an 

amendment to the title and recommends that the bill, as amended, 

do pass. 

AMENDMENT

The amendment is as follows: 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to authorize the 

Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource 

study of President Street Station in Baltimore, Maryland, 

and for other purposes.’’. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 1646 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of President Street Station 

in Baltimore, Maryland. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

President Street Station in downtown Baltimore is the oldest 

surviving big-city railroad terminal and one of a few remaining historical structures along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. In addition to 

being architecturally significant, President Street Station has been 


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at the center of several historically significant events. The property 

is associated with the Baltimore riots of 1861, which saw the first 

blood shed in the Civil War when Massachusetts troops bound for 

Washington, D.C. were attacked by an angry mob of Southern sympathizers. President Street Station also played a role in the ‘‘Baltimore Plot’’ to assassinate President-elect Abraham Lincoln as he 

was en route to his inauguration. In addition, President Street Station has ties to the Underground Railroad and helps tell the stories 

of the growth of the railroad industry in the 19th century and the 

immigrant influx of the early 20th century. 

The legislation would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) 

to undertake a special resource study to examine the national significance of President Street Station, its suitability and feasibility 

for potential designation as a unit of the National Park System, 

and the potential need for NPS management of the site. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 1646 was introduced on July 27, 2017, by Senators Cardin and 

Van Hollen. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing 

on the bill on February 14, 2018. 

In the 114th Congress, similar legislation, S. 521, was introduced 

by Senators Cardin and Mikulski on February 12, 2015. The Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on S. 521 on June 10, 

2015. The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in 

open business session on July 30, 2015 and ordered S. 521 favorably reported as amended (S. Rept. 114–126). 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met in open 

business session on May 17, 2018 and ordered S. 1646 favorably reported as amended. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in 

open business session on May 17, 2018, by a majority voice vote of 

a quorum present recommends that the Senate pass S. 1646, if 

amended as described herein. Senator Lee asked to be recorded as 

voting no. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

During its consideration of S. 1646, the Committee adopted a 

technical amendment to the title. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 contains the short title, the ‘‘President Street Station 

Study Act.’’ 

Section 2. Definitions 

Section 2 contains definitions. 

Section 3. Special resource study 

Section 3 directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 

resource study of President Street Station. 

Subsection (b) requires the study to evaluate the national significance of the study area; determine the suitability and feasibility of 


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designating the study area as a unit of the National Park System; 

consider alternatives for the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the study area; consult with interested government entities, private and non-profit organizations or other interested individuals; and identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation and maintenance associated 

with the alternatives. 

Subsection (c) requires the study be conducted in accordance with 

applicable law. 

Subsection (d) requires the Secretary to submit a report on the 

study’s findings and conclusions, and provide any recommendations, to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources within three 

years after funds are made available to carry out the study. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of the costs of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office: 

S. 1646 would direct the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct 

a special resource study of the President Street Station in Baltimore, Maryland. As part of that study, the NPS would determine 

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

National Park System. 

Based on the costs of similar studies, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1646 would cost less than $500,000; such spending 

would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. 

Enacting S. 1646 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

CBO estimates that enacting S. 1646 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 

10-year periods beginning in 2029. 

S. 1646 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani Shankaran. 

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 

S. 1646. 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. 1646, as ordered reported. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

S. 1646, 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. 


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EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The testimony provided by the Department of the Interior at the 

February 14, 2018, hearing on S. 1646 follows: 

STATEMENT OF P. DANIEL SMITH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, EXERCISING THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Chairman Daines, Ranking Member King, and members 

of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to provide the Department of the Interior’s views on S. 1646, to 

conduct a special resource study of President Street Station in Baltimore, Maryland, and for other purposes. 

The Department recognizes that President Street Station would be an appropriate subject for a National Park 

special resource study. However, we do not support enactment of S. 1646 at this time. In order to focus resources 

on reducing the National Park Service’s $11.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog and addressing other critical 

national park needs, no increase in funding is requested 

for special resource studies in the Administration’s FY 

2019 budget. Currently, the National Park Service is conducting 22 previously authorized studies to determine if 

areas have potential for inclusion in the National Park 

System as new units, national heritage areas, national 

trails, or wild and scenic rivers. Under these circumstances, we believe it would be unwise to authorize a 

new special resource study. 

The President Street Station was built by the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad. Opened in 

1850, it served as the company’s passenger terminus with 

connections south to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad terminal via horse-drawn track through the City of Baltimore. Originally consisting of a headhouse, a 208-feet long 

barrel vaulted train shed, and a freight house, only the 

headhouse remains today. The property is associated with 

the Baltimore Riot of 1861, where members of the Massachusetts militia on their way to Washington were attacked 

by a mob as they transited the city, resulting in the deaths 

of four soldiers and twelve civilians. That event is considered the first act of the Civil War in which blood was shed. 

The station is also recognized by the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom program for its use by the General Vigilance Committee Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia, as well as other groups and individuals, to escape or 

to aid others in escaping slavery. 

President Street Station is owned by the City of Baltimore. It is listed on the National Register of Historic 

Places and is included in the Baltimore National Heritage 

Area. It houses the Baltimore Civil War Museum which is 

operated by a state-chartered organization, the Friends of 

President Street Station, and is open to the public. 

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be 

pleased to answer any questions you or other members of 

the Subcommittee 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 bill as ordered reported. 

Æ 


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