[Senate Report 110-362]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 794
110th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 110-362
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GREEN MCADOO SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE STUDY ACT
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June 16, 2008.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. Bingaman, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2207]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2207) to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of
designating Green McAdoo School in Clinton, Tennessee 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:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Green McAdoo School National Historic
Site Study Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. GREEN MCADOO SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE SPECIAL RESOURCE
STUDY.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct a special resource study of the
site of Green McAdoo School in Clinton, Tennessee, (referred to in this
Act as the ``site'') to evaluate--
(1) the national significance of the site; and
(2) the suitability and feasibility of designating the site
as a unit of the National Park System.
(b) Criteria.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall use the criteria for the study of areas for potential
inclusion in the National Park System under section 8(c) of Public Law
91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)).
(c) Contents.--The study authorized by this Act shall--
(1) determine the suitability and feasibility of designating
the site as a unit of the National Park System;
(2) include cost estimates for any necessary acquisition,
development, operation, and maintenance of the site; and
(3) identify alternatives for the management, administration,
and protection of the site.
(d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are
made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that
describes--
(1) the findings and conclusions of the study; and
(2) any recommendations of the Secretary.
PURPOSE
The purpose of S. 2207 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of
designating Green McAdoo School in Clinton, Tennessee, as a
unit of the National Park System.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
Green McAdoo School was the City of Clinton's only public
African American elementary school in the 1940s and 1950s.
Following the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of
Education, the school served as a strategy center and staging
area during the desegregation of the public high school in
Clinton. Once desegregation was underway in the fall of 1956,
local African American students would gather at the Green
McAdoo School to form a group before proceeding on their walk
to high school. The Green McAdoo School also hosted various
public meetings in 1955 and 1956 where the desegregation
process was explained and discussed within the African American
community. In 2005, Green McAdoo School was added to the
National Register of Historic Places.
S. 2207 directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
study of the site of Green McAdoo School in Clinton, Tennessee,
to evaluate the national significance of the site and the
suitability and feasibility of designating the site as a unit
of the National Park System.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 2207 was introduced by Senator Alexander on October 19,
2007. Senator Corker and Senator Salazar are cosponsors. The
Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on S. 2207 on
April 9, 2008.
At its business meeting on May 7, 2008, the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2207 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. 2207, if amended as
described herein.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
During the consideration of S. 2207, the Committee adopted
an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The amendment
removes the findings section, and makes other clarifying and
conforming changes. The amendment is described in detail in the
section-by-section analysis, below.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1 contains the short title ``Green McAdoo School
National Historic Site Study Act of 2008''.
Section 2(a) directs the Secretary of the Interior to
conduct a special resource study to assess the suitability and
feasibility of designating the Green McAdoo School for
inclusion in the National Park System.
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)).
Subsection (c) provides that the study shall include cost
estimates for any necessary acquisition, development,
operation, and maintenance of the site and shall identify
alternatives for the management, administration and protection
of the site.
Subsection (d) requires the Secretary to submit the study
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate
and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives containing the results of the study and any
findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Secretary,
not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are first
made available for the study.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of costs of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office:
S. 2207--Green McAdoo School National Historic Site Study Act of 2008
S. 2207 would require the National Park Service (NPS) to
conduct a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of
establishing the Green McAdoo School in Tennessee 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
$250,000 over the 2009-2012 period. Enacting the legislation
would not affect direct spending or revenues.
S. 2207 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. 2207. 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 paper work would result from the
enactment of S. 2207, as ordered reported.
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING
S. 2207, 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.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
The testimony provided by the National Park Service at the
April 23, 2008 hearing on S. 2207 follows:
Statement of Katherine H. Stevenson, Acting Assistant Director,
Business Services, National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the
views of the Department of the Interior on S. 2207, a bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to conduct
a study to evaluate the national significance and the
suitability and feasibility of designating the Green McAdoo
School in Clinton, Tennessee, as a unit of the National Park
System.
The Department supports S. 2207 with two technical
amendments described later in this testimony. However, the
Department feels that priority should be given to the 32
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.
The Secretary would use the criteria for the study under
section 8 of Public Law 91-383. Studies of this type typically
cost approximately $250,000 and take three years to complete
after funds are made available.
S. 2207 would direct the Secretary to carry out a study of
the formerly segregated African-American Green McAdoo School.
The Green McAdoo School and the nearby all-white Clinton High
School played an important role in school desegregation that
preceded and followed the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v.
Board of Education in 1954.
The Federal District Court in Tennessee issued an order on
January 4, 1956, requiring desegregation of Anderson County
schools no later than the fall term, 1956. On Aug. 25, 1956, 12
students from the Green McAdoo School, later dubbed the
``Clinton 12'' became the first African-American students to
effect the integration of a southern, state-operated school. On
September 1, 1956, Clinton was the first southern town to be
occupied by National Guard troops in an effort to suppress
violence sparked by protestors that were opposed to school
integration. In 1958, the newly integrated Clinton High School
was destroyed by explosives.
Anderson County rebuilt Clinton High School. Green McAdoo
and Clinton High are the only remaining schools associated with
the historic Clinton desegregation crisis. After closing as a
segregated school, the Green McAdoo School was reopened as a
museum and cultural center in 2006. The Green McAdoo School is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
We recommend amending the short title of the bill on page 1
line 5 by striking ``National Historic Site'' and inserting
``Special Resource'' before ``Study'' in order to not appear to
have already determined the outcome of the study. We also
recommend making a similar amendment on page 4 line 8 by
inserting ``special resource'' before ``study'' to use the term
for the proposed study that is normally used.
That concludes my testimony. I would be happy to answer any
questions you or other members of the subcommittee may 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. 2207, as
ordered reported.