[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 4 (Monday, January 9, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S653-S654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BUMPERS:
  S. 176. A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey the 
Corning National Fish Hatchery to the State of Arkansas; to the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works.


       the corning national fish hatchery conveyance act of 1995

  Mr. BUMPERS. Mr. President, today, I am introducing legislation that 
would transfer the property rights in the Corning National Fish 
Hatchery from the Federal Government to the State of Arkansas. In 1983, 
the Fish and Wildlife Service closed this hatchery because of budget 
constraints. Because the State of Arkansas was interested in 
maintaining the Corning facility as part of its State hatchery system, 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding 
with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission transferring the operation 
of the Corning Hatchery to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The 
hatchery has even been renamed the William H. Donham State Fish 
Hatchery.
  Mr. President, it is time to give the State of Arkansas clear title 
to this property. The State has been operating and maintaining it for 
over 10 years [[Page S654]] without any Federal funding and it has 
become an important component of the State's fisheries program. The 
proposed transfer not only has the support of the Arkansas Game and 
Fish Commission but also the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation and 
look forward to its speedy passage.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the bill 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 176

       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 ``Corning National Fish 
     Hatchery Conveyance Act of 1995''.

     SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF THE CORNING NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY TO 
                   THE STATE OF ARKANSAS.

       (a) Conveyance Requirement.--The Secretary of the Interior 
     shall convey to the State of Arkansas, without reimbursement 
     and by no later than December 31, 1995, all right, title, and 
     interest of the United States in and to the property 
     described in subsection (b), for use by the Arkansas Game and 
     Fish Commission as part of the State of Arkansas fish culture 
     program.
       (b) Property Described.--The property refereed to in 
     subsection (a) is the property formally known as the Corning 
     National Fish Hatchery, (popularly known as the William H. 
     Donham State Fish Hatchery), located one mile west of 
     Corning, Arkansas, on Arkansas State Highway 67 in Clay 
     County, Arkansas, consisting of 137.34 acres, (more or less) 
     and all improvements and related personal property under the 
     control of the Secretary that is located on that property, 
     including buildings, structures, and equipment.
       (c) Reversionary Interest of United States.--All right, 
     title, and interest in property described in subsection (b) 
     shall revert to the United States if the property ceases to 
     be used as part of the State of Arkansas fish culture 
     program. The State of Arkansas shall ensure that the property 
     reverting to the United States is in substantially the same 
     or better condition as the time of the transfer.
                                 ______