Smithsonian National Zoological Park Central Parking Facility Authorization Act

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 4009) to authorize the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct a central parking facility on National Zoological Park property in the District of Columbia, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4009, which authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct a central parking facility on National Zoological Park property in the District of Columbia using non-appropriated funds.

Established by Congress in 1889, the National Zoo was incorporated as a unit of the Smithsonian Institution in 1890. Today, the National Zoo consists of two components: the 3,200-acre Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia and the public National Zoological Park (Zoo) located at the 163-acre Rock Creek campus in Washington, D.C. Admission is free of charge and with more than two million people visiting the Rock Creek facility in 2017, the Zoo remains a favorite tourist and local destination in the nation's Capital.

While public transit is an option for some visitors, many others rely on private vehicles to reach the Zoo. Currently, parking at the Zoo includes several paved surface lots spread across the campus, which often fill up early in the day during peak season. To better serve these visitors, the proposed new parking facility consolidates public parking into a multi-level parking garage located at the midpoint of the Zoo.

Included in the Zoo's 2008 Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan, the parking facility will provide a number of benefits that both further the Zoo's mission and improve the visitor experience. These benefits include expanding animal habitat space through repurposing existing surface lots; improving visitor access with a centralized and accessible arrival point; increasing security through consolidation of access points; improved pedestrian safety; and expanding the number of on-site visitor parking spaces which reduces the number of days the Zoo must turn away visitors due to lack of parking. The additional parking spaces will help accommodate a projected increase in the number of visitors to the Zoo.

No appropriated funds will be expended for the project. The Smithsonian intends to enter into a public-private-partnership for the construction and operation of the parking facility. The developer would be responsible for design, construction, maintenance, and operations for a fixed term of 35 years after which ownership is retained by the Zoo. Financing is the sole responsibility of the developer, with construction cost estimated at $70-75 million and annual operating costs at $1.5 million. As part of the agreement, the Zoo receives an initial annual payment of $7 million and a recurring annual payment based on revenues with a guaranteed minimum of $1 million. Design, construction, operations and maintenance will be conducted in accordance with the contract and plans approved by the Smithsonian.

The Committee on House Administration held a markup on this bill on December 13, 2017 and ordered the bill reported favorably to the House, by voice vote, with no amendments. In its December 21, 2017 cost estimate, the Congressional Budget Office states that enacting H.R. 4009 would not affect the federal budget and would not affect direct spending or revenues. Additionally, the Committee on House Administration exchanged jurisdiction letters with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4009.

U.S. Congress,

Congressional Budget Office,

Washington, DC, December 21, 2017.

Hon. Gregg Harper,

Chairman, Committee on House Administration,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4009, the

Smithsonian National Zoological Park Central Parking Facility

Authorization Act.

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

pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Meredith

Decker.

Sincerely,

Keith Hall,

Director.

Enclosure.

H.R. 4009--Smithsonian National Zoological Park Central Parking

Facility Authorization Act

As ordered reported by the House Committee on House Administration on

December 13, 2017

H.R. 4009 would authorize the Smithsonian Institution to

plan, design, and construct a central parking facility on the

National Zoological Park's property in the District of

Columbia. Construction would be financed with nonappropriated

funds.

CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4009 would not affect

the federal budget. Because enacting the legislation would

not affect direct spending or revenues, pay-as-you-go

procedures do not apply.

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4009 would not increase

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

consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.

H.R. 4009 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector

mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Meredith Decker.

The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy

Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be

discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4009 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 4009.