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116th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 116-490
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FREE VETERANS FROM FEES ACT
_______
September 8, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 1702]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 1702) to waive the application fee for any
special use permit for veterans demonstrations and special
events at war memorials on Federal land, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
with amendments and recommends that the bill as amended do
pass.
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Free Veterans from Fees Act''.
SEC. 2. WAIVER OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FEE FOR VETERANS
DEMONSTRATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
(a) Waiver.--The application fee for any special use permit solely
for a veterans' demonstration or special event at war memorials on land
administered by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia
and its environs shall be waived.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Demonstration; special event.--The terms
``demonstration'' and ``special events'' have the meanings
given those terms in section 7.96 of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations.
(2) District of columbia and its environs.--The term ``the
District of Columbia and its environs'' has the meaning given
that term in section 8902(a) of title 40, United States Code.
(3) Gold star family.--The term ``Gold Star Family'' includes
any individual described in section 3.2 of Department of
Defense Instruction 1348.36.
(4) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that
term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code.
(5) Veterans demonstration or special event.--The term
``veterans' demonstration or special event'' means a
demonstration or special event whose primary purpose is to
commemorate or honor individuals present at the demonstration
or special event, either because of their service as veterans
or their status as a Gold Star Family.
(6) War memorial.--The term ``war memorial'' means any
memorial or monument which has been erected or dedicated to
commemorate a military unit, military group, war, conflict,
victory, or peace.
(c) Applicability.--This section shall apply to any special use
permit application submitted after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(d) Applicability of Existing Laws.--Permit applicants remain subject
to all other laws, regulations, and policies regarding the application,
issuance and execution of special use permits for a veterans'
demonstration or special event at war memorials on land administered by
the National Park Service in the District of Columbia and its environs.
Amend the title so as to read:
A bill to waive the application fee for any special use
permit for veterans' demonstrations and special events at war
memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in
the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other
purposes.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 1702 is to waive the application fee
for any special use permit for veterans' demonstrations and
special events at war memorials on land administered by the
National Park Service in the District of Columbia and its
environs.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Typically, applications for special park use permits from
the National Park Service require applicants to pay a fee to
offset the initial costs of processing the application.
However, the National Park Service has a longstanding practice
of waiving application fees for special use permits for
veterans' demonstrations or special events at war memorials.\1\
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\1\Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Nat'l Parks, Forests, and Pub.
Lands of the H. Comm. on Nat. Res., 116th Cong. (2019) (not printed),
https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=110280,
(statement of David Vela, Deputy Dir., Nat'l Park Serv.), https://
docs.house.gov/meetings/II/II10/20191204/110280/HHRG-116-II10-Wstate-
VelaR-20191204.pdf.
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As reported, H.R. 1702 would codify a version of this
routine practice and policy, in particular by waiving special
use permit application fees for demonstrations or special
events at national war memorials located in the District of
Columbia and its environs when the primary purpose is to
commemorate or honor a group of people because of their service
as veterans or their status as a Gold Star Family.
It is likely that if H.R. 1702 is considered by the full
House of Representatives, the bill will be revised such that
the waiver applies only to special events at national war
memorials located in the District of Columbia and its environs
when a majority of attendees will be veterans or Gold Star
Families.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1702 was introduced on March 12, 2019, by
Representative Greg Steube (R-FL). The bill was referred solely
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee
to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public
Lands. On December 4, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing on
the bill. On January 15, 2020, the Natural Resources Committee
met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by
unanimous consent. Chair Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) offered an
amendment in the nature of a substitute. Chair Grijalva offered
an amendment designated Grijalva #110 to the amendment in the
nature of a substitute. The amendment was agreed to by
unanimous consent. The amendment in the nature of a substitute
offered by Chair Grijalva, as amended, was agreed to by
unanimous consent. The bill, as amended, was adopted and
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by
unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the
116th Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or
consider H.R. 1702: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on
National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held on December 4,
2019.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, February 14, 2020.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1702, the Free
Veterans From Fees Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is David Hughes.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director.
Enclosure.
{GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT}
H.R. 1702 would waive the application fee for special-use
permits that are obtained for veterans' demonstrations or
special events at war memorials on National Park Service (NPS)
land in Washington, D.C. Under current law, the NPS is
authorized to recover costs associated with providing special-
use permits; such recoveries are credited to the current fiscal
year appropriation as discretionary offsetting receipts.
The NPS does not currently charge application fees for
veterans' demonstrations in Washington, D.C., and usually
waives such fees for special events at war memorials that
commemorate veterans. Although implementing H.R. 1702 could
result in an insignificant reduction in discretionary
offsetting receipts, because those receipts would probably be
spent soon after their receipt, the net effect on spending
subject to appropriation would be negligible.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Hughes.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and
objectives of this bill are to waive the application fee for
any special use permit for veterans' demonstrations and special
events at war memorials on land administered by the National
Park Service in the District of Columbia and its environs.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of
the federal government known to be duplicative of another
program.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing
law.
SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS
None.
[all]