[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2615 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2615

   To authorize the exchange of certain land located in Gulf Islands 
 National Seashore, Jackson County, Mississippi, between the National 
 Park Service and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 23, 2017

 Mr. Palazzo introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the exchange of certain land located in Gulf Islands 
 National Seashore, Jackson County, Mississippi, between the National 
 Park Service and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 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 ``Gulf Islands National Seashore Land 
Exchange Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. LAND EXCHANGE, GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE, JACKSON COUNTY, 
              MISSISSIPPI.

    (a) Land Exchange Authorized.--The Secretary of the Interior, 
acting through the Director of the National Park Service (in this 
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') may convey to the Veterans of 
Foreign Wars Post 5699 (in this section referred to as the ``Post'') 
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to a parcel 
of real property, consisting of approximately 1.542 acres, located 
within the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Jackson County, 
Mississippi, and identified as ``NPS Exchange Area'' on the map 
entitled ``Gulf Islands National Seashore, Proposed Land Exchange with 
VFW, Davis Bayou Area--Jackson County, MS'', numbered 635/133309, and 
dated June 2016.
    (b) Land To Be Acquired.--In exchange for the property described in 
subsection (a), the Post shall convey to the Secretary all right, 
title, and interest of the Post in and to a parcel of real property, 
consisting of approximately 2.161 acres, located in Jackson County, 
Mississippi, and identified as ``VFW Exchange Area'' on the map 
described in subsection (a).
    (c) Equal Value Exchange.--
            (1) In general.--The values of the parcels of real property 
        to be exchanged under this section shall be determined by an 
        appraisal conducted--
                    (A) by a qualified and independent appraiser; and
                    (B) in accordance with nationally recognized 
                appraisal standards.
            (2) Equalization.--If the values of the parcels of real 
        property to be exchanged under this section, as determined 
        pursuant to paragraph (1), are not equal, the values shall be 
        equalized through--
                    (A) a cash payment; or
                    (B) adjustments to the acreage of the parcels of 
                real property to be exchanged.
    (d) Payment of Costs of Conveyance.--
            (1) Payment required.--The Secretary shall require the Post 
        to cover costs to be incurred by the Secretary, or to reimburse 
        the Secretary for such costs incurred by the Secretary, to 
        carry out the land exchange under this section, including 
        survey costs, costs related to environmental documentation, and 
        any other administrative costs related to the land exchange. If 
        amounts are collected from the Secretary in advance of the 
        Secretary incurring the actual costs and the amount collected 
        exceeds the costs actually incurred by the Secretary to carry 
        out the land exchange, the Secretary shall refund the excess 
        amount to the Post.
            (2) Treatment of amounts received.--Amounts received as 
        reimbursement under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the fund 
        or account that was used to cover those costs incurred by the 
        Secretary in carrying out the land exchange. Amounts so 
        credited shall be merged with amounts in such fund or account 
        and shall be available for the same purposes, and subject to 
        the same conditions and limitations, as amounts in such fund or 
        account.
    (e) Description of Property.--The exact acreage and legal 
description of property to be exchanged under this section shall be 
determined by surveys satisfactory to the Secretary and the Post.
    (f) Conveyance Agreement.--The exchange of real property under this 
section shall be accomplished using a quit claim deed or other legal 
instrument and upon terms and conditions mutually satisfactory to the 
Secretary and the Post, including such additional terms and conditions 
as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of the 
United States.
    (g) Valid Existing Rights.--The exchange authorized under this 
section shall be subject to valid existing rights.
    (h) Title Approval.--Title to the real property described in 
subsection (a) and the real property described in subsection (b) to be 
exchanged under this section shall be in a form acceptable to the 
Secretary.
    (i) Treatment of Acquired Land.--Land and interests in land 
acquired by the United States under subsection (b) shall be 
administered by the Secretary as part of the Gulf Islands National 
Seashore.
    (j) Modification of Boundary.--Upon completion of the land exchange 
under this section, the Secretary shall modify the boundary of the Gulf 
Islands National Seashore to reflect such land exchange.
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