[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 30, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H8684-H8685]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MARION NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY CONVEYANCE ACT

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3557) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the 
Marion National Fish Hatchery to the State of Alabama, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3557

       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 ``Marion National Fish 
     Hatchery Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF MARION NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY AND 
                   CLAUDE HARRIS NATIONAL AQUACULTURAL RESEARCH 
                   CENTER TO THE STATE OF ALABAMA.

       (a) Conveyance Requirement.--Within 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior 
     shall convey to the State of Alabama without reimbursement 
     all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
     the property described in subsection (b) for use by the Game 
     and Fish Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation 
     and Natural Resources as part of the State of Alabama fish 
     culture program.
       (b) Property Described.--The property referred to in 
     subsection (a) consists of--
       (1) that portion of the Marion National Fish Hatchery 
     leased to the Alabama Game and Fish Division, located on 
     State Highway 175 seven miles northeast of Marion, Alabama, 
     as described in Amendment No. 2 to the Cooperative Agreement 
     dated June 6, 1974, between the United States Fish and 
     Wildlife Service and the State of Alabama, Department of 
     Conservation and Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division, 
     comprised of approximately 300 acres (more or less), and the 
     Claude Harris National Aquacultural Research Center, located 
     on State Highway 175 seven miles northeast of Marion, 
     Alabama, as described in a United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service document entitled ``EXHIBIT A'' and dated March 19, 
     1996, comprised of approximately 298 acres (more or less);
       (2) all improvements and related personal property under 
     the control of the Secretary that is located on that 
     property, including buildings, structures, equipment, and all 
     easements and leases relating to that property; and
       (3) all water rights relating to that property.
       (c) Reversionary Interest.--If any of the property conveyed 
     to the State of Alabama under this section is used for any 
     purpose other than the use authorized under subsection (a), 
     all right, title, and interest in and to all property 
     conveyed under this section shall revert to the United 
     States. The State of Alabama shall ensure that all property 
     reverting to the United States under this subsection is in 
     substantially the same or better condition as at the time of 
     transfer to the State.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Saxton] and the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton].
  (Mr. SAXTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this bill, H.R. 
3557, the Marion National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act. H.R. 3557 was 
introduced by Congressman Earl Hilliard on May 30, 1996.
  This bill is similar to measures that transferred the Corning, 
Fairport, and New London Fish Hatcheries to the States. Under the terms 
of this bill, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the State 
of Alabama, within 180 days of enactment and without reimbursement, all 
right, title, and interest to the Marion Hatchery. The facility will be 
used by the Game and Fish Division of the Alabama Department of 
Conservation and Natural Resources for the State's fish culture 
program. The proposal also contains a reversionary clause that 
stipulates that the property will be returned to the Federal Government 
if it is used for something other than fishery resources management and 
fisheries-related activities.
  In the most recent real estate assessment in 1994, the property was 
valued at $465,000 and the structures have been assessed at $1,062,000 
according to the Realty Division of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 
The State has indicated that it has spent over $2 million on facility 
improvements and renovations since it assumed operational control in 
1974.
  I urge all Members to support this noncontroversial bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, once again this is a bill without controversy, a 
transfer of a hatchery. We also have an amendment offered 
breathtakingly at the last moment by the distinguished gentleman from 
Alabama [Mr. Hilliard] which caused a flurry of parliamentary frowns, 
though I trust no procedural nightmares have been elicited by the 
gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Alabama [Mr. Hilliard] to explain his amendment, so long as it is 
not too much.
  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts 
[Mr. Studds] very much for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, to the Speaker, the minority leader and the majority 
leader, let me say that this is a bill with an amendment. The bill, in 
essence, seeks to transfer from the control of the Federal Government 
to the State of Alabama the Marion Fish Hatchery.
  The amendment seeks to transfer from the Federal Government not only 
the Marion Fish Hatchery, but also the Marion Research Center. At the 
same time, the amendment renames the Marion Fish Hatchery the Claude 
Harris National Aquatic Research Center.
  Claude Harris was my predecessor here. He worked tirelessly to put 
together the Marion Fish Hatchery and Research Center and we feel it 
would be fitting to name it after him.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, in closing I note that the gentleman from 
New Jersey is apparently in possession of the pen that the President 
will use to sign the extension of the Magnuson Act when the time comes.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3557, the Marion 
National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act, introduced by our colleague from 
Alabama, Earl Hilliard.
  The legislation will transfer the 300 acres that comprise the Marion 
Hatchery to the State of Alabama. This facility has been effectively 
operated by the Alabama Game and Fish Division for over 20 years and 
during that

[[Page H8685]]

time it has produced thousands of bluegills, channel catfish, 
largemouth bass, striped bass, and hybrid striped bass fingerlings. 
These fish are used to stock over 500,000 acres of public waters in the 
State of Alabama and they are available to over 530,000 licensed sport 
anglers.
  In addition, the Marion Fish Hatchery has provided over 1.3 million 
gulf striped bass fry to 3 Federal and 2 neighboring State hatcheries 
and over 270,000 gulf striped bass fingerlings to support Federal and 
State programs in the State of Florida.
  Finally, the State of Alabama has spent over $2 million on facility 
improvements and renovations at the Marion National Fish Hatchery since 
it assumed operational control. The Alabama Game and Fish Division has 
stated that ``the Division will continue to utilize the facility for 
the production of fish to enhance the freshwaters of Alabama and the 
thousands of people who enjoy fishing these waters.''
  I urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation which has been endorsed by 
both the Clinton administration and the Governor of the State of 
Alabama, the Honorable Fob James, Jr.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3557, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill direct the 
Secretary of the Interior to convey the Marion National Fish Hatchery 
and the Claude Harris National Aquacultural Research Center to the 
State of Alabama.''
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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