[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2615 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2615

  To limit the acquisition by the United States of land located in a 
State in which 25 percent or more of the land in that State is owned by 
               the United States, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 1, 1993

 Mr. Thomas of Wyoming (for himself, Mrs. Vucanovich, Mr. Hefley, Mr. 
 Pombo, Mr. Crane, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Hansen, Mr. Smith of Oregon, Mr. 
 DeLay, Mr. Stump, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Herger, Mr. Skeen, and Mr. Young of 
   Alaska) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To limit the acquisition by the United States of land located in a 
State in which 25 percent or more of the land in that State is owned by 
               the United States, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``No Net Loss of Private Lands Act''.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON ACQUISITION OF LAND.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
United States may acquire an interest in 100 or more acres of land 
within a State described in subsection (c) only if, before any such 
acquisition, the United States disposes of the surface estate to land 
in that State in accordance with subsection (b).
    (b) Disposition of Surface Estate.--The disposition of the surface 
estate in land by the United States qualifies for the purposes of this 
section if--
            (1) the value of the surface estate of the land disposed of 
        by the United States is approximately equal to the value of the 
        interest in land subject to this section that is to be acquired 
        by the United States, as determined by the Secretary of the 
        Department concerned; and
            (2) the Secretary of the Department concerned certifies 
        that the United States has disposed of land for the purpose of 
        this section.
    (c) Affected States.--A State is described in this section if--
            (1) it is one of the States of the United States; and
            (2) 25 percent or more of the land within that State is 
        owned by the United States.
    (d) Acquisition.--For the purpose of this section, the term 
``acquire'' includes acquisition by donation, purchase with donated or 
appropriated funds, exchange, devise, and condemnation.
    (e) Applicability.--This section does not apply to--
            (1) any land held in trust for the benefit of an Indian 
        tribe or individual or held by an Indian tribe or individual 
        subject to a restriction by the United States against 
        alienation;
            (2) real property acquired pursuant to a foreclosure under 
        title 18, United States Code;
            (3) real property acquired by any department, agency, or 
        independent establishment in its capacity as a receiver, 
        conserver, or liquidating agent which is held by that 
        department, agency, or independent establishment in its 
        capacity as a receiver, conserver, or liquidating agent pending 
        disposal;
            (4) real property which is subject to seizure, levy, or 
        lien under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
            (5) real property that is securing a debt owed to the 
        United States.
The head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United 
States may also waive the requirements of this section with respect to 
the acquisition of land by that department, agency, or instrumentality 
during any period in which there is in effect a declaration of war or a 
national emergency declared by the President.

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