[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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