Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 1586, as ordered reported. EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS On February 15, 1994, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resource requested legislative reports from the Department of the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget setting forth Executive agency recommendations on S. 1586. These reports had not been received at the time the report on S. 1586 was filed. When the reports become available, the Chairman will request that they be printed in the Congressional Record for the advice of the Senate. The testimony provided by the Department of the Interior at the subcommittee hearing follows: STATEMENT OF ROGER KENNEDY, DIRECTOR OF THE Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to appear before the Mr. Chairman, we do not oppose enactment of this bill. However, with limited financial resources available to the National Park Service, we must make hard choices on any additions to the System. There are many potential worthwhile candidates for addition to the National Park System across the country as well as in the state of Louisiana. S. 1586 recognizes the value and importance of jazz music in our national heritage and the role of New Orleans as the "birthplace of jazz." It establishes a National Historical Park to preserve significant resources relating to the origins and early history of jazz and to allow the American public to appreciate the music and its history. The bill features an innovative partnership approach with public and private organizations involved with New Orleans jazz through cooperative agreements, grants, and technical assistance. It further establishes the New Orleans Jazz Commission with broad authorities to enter into partnerships, raise funds and accept donations, and acquire and lease properties. The jazz park would be administered by the Superintendent of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and would share administrative staff with Jean Lafitte for efficient operations and economic benefit. A primary element of the proposed jazz park would be an interpretive visitor center complex where live jazz interpretive programs could be presented, along with the educational and informational functions of traditional NPS visitor centers. The visitor center complex is envisioned as a partnership among the National Park Service, the City of New Orleans, the State of Louisiana, and other appropriate public and private organizations. The bill provides authority to enter into cooperative agreements with these entities, as well as authority to lease, construct, operate, or maintain an interpretive center and provides authority to acquire lands if necessary. In addition to the visitor center complex, the legislation allows the park to enter into cooperative agreements with the owners of appropriate sites for the purposes of interpretive demonstrations and programs associated with the purposes of this act. S. 1586 further directs the completion of a national historical landmark study of sites and structures related to early jazz. These properties include dance halls, theaters, and saloons where early jazz was played as well as the homes of early jazz musicians. The study would not only apply National Historic Landmark criteria and nominate appropriate properties, but would also determine the feasibility and suitability of nationally significant sites for addition to the National Historical Park. Feasibility analysis will be especially important since many of these structures or their immediate surroundings have been substantially modified through time. The proposed legislation also provides for technical assistance to the City of New Orleans and other appropriate entities in designating jazz heritage districts-areas in and around New Orleans which include an exceptional concentration of jazz historical sites and established community traditions of jazz street parades. The proposed legislation also recognizes that jazz is a living tradition in New Orleans and provides support for this tradition. This includes promotion of a broad range of educational activities, through cooperation with schools, universities, and organizations to develop programs that provide expanded public understanding of jazz and enhanced opportunities for public appreciation. The New Orleans Jazz Commission is also empowered to support jazz education through partnerships and to acquire and lease property. Another important provision will assist in the development of an information base, including archival material, audiovisual records, and objects relating to the history of jazz. Through the New Orleans Jazz Commission there is support for social and pleasure clubs and mutual aid and benevolent societies who continue the 100-year-old jazz street parade tradition. A general management plan is to be prepared within 3 years of the date funds are made available. It will include visitor use plans, preservation and use plans for sites and structures identified through the historic landmark study, location and cost of the visitor center and other facilities, identification of programs to be implemented through cooperative agreements, a transportation plan, plans for an archival system, and guidelines for cooperative agreements. A key element in the partnership approach is the establishment of the New Orleans Jazz Commission to consist of 15 members, including jazz musicians; representatives of local neighborhoods; members of local social and pleasure clubs and mutual aid and benefit societies; as well as experts in jazz education, historic preservation, jazz his- As a general policy, the Administration does not support The proposed legislation is based in part on the "New Orleans Jazz Special Resource Study," completed by the National Park Service at the request of Congress in 1993. The study was prepared in consultation with the Smithsonian Institution and the Preservation of Jazz Advisory Commission (established by the legislation authorizing the study, Public Law 101-499, November 2, 1990). The study found that the history of jazz is a nationally significant story and that New Orleans' location and multicultural history created an atmosphere in which jazz developed and flourished. The study also identified major interpretive themes and presented three management alternatives. The proposed legislation draws elements from all three alternatives. This concludes my prepared remarks, Mr. Chairman. I would be pleased to respond to your questions at this time. 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. 1586, as ordered reported. MARCH 25 (legislative day, FEBRUARY 22), 1994.-Ordered to be printed Mr. KENNEDY, from the Committee on Labor and Human REPORT [To accompany S. 725] The Committee on Labor and Human Resources, to which was referred the bill (S. 725), having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass. Authorizes $2 million for FY94 and such sums as may be necessary for FY95 and FY96. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research would conduct a study to determine the major causes of traumatic brain injury, identify and determine the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, identify preventive efforts at the State and local level, identify treatment and long-term rehabilitation service needs of individuals with traumatic brain injuries and recommend practice guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury. Not later than four years after enactment, the Secretary will issue a report containing the results of the studies. PREVENTION OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY Authorizes $2 million for FY94 and such sums as may be necessary for FY95 and FY96 for efforts to prevent traumatic brain injury. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would establish a unified reporting system under which hospitals, State, and local health-related agencies would report the occurrence of traumatic brain injury. Establishes a definition for trau matic brain injury. BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH Authorizes $5 million for FY94 and such sums as may be necessary for FY95 and FY96 for conducting basic and applied research at the National Institutes of Health. In addition, the Director of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation within the National Institutes of Health shall conduct a national consensus conference on managing head trauma. STATEWIDE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM Authorizes $20 million for FY94 and such sums as may be necessary for FY95 and FY96 for State demonstration projects promoting patient advocacy and service coordination systems in place, State traumatic brain injury registries and standards for the marketing of rehabilitation services to individuals with traumatic brain injury or their family members. Requires a State match of $1 State for every $3 Federal. II. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION Each year 2 million persons suffer serious head injuries, and nearly 100,000 die. Such injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among young Americans in the 15-24 year age group. Of the individuals who sustain head injuries each year, approximately 500,000 require hospitalization and 75,000 to 100,000 of those persons die within hours of the injury. For survivors, the picture is often grim. Every year over 90,000 people sustain a severe brain injury leading to irreversible and debilitating loss of function. Five thousand will develop epilepsy as a result of the injury and 2,000 will remain in a coma. A large number of TBI patients will have difficulty returning to a productive life in society and will require years of rehabilitation, medical follow-up, and integrated community services. Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) require coordinated and specialized services, including post-injury supervised programs facilitating reentry into the community. Many health and social service agencies, both public and private, overlook, exclude or inadequately serve TBI survivors. Medical treatment, rehabilitative efforts and disability payments for such injuries are as high as $25 billion a year. It is an enormous cost to society as well as a heavy emotional and financial burden for TBI patients and their families. |