[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H11469-H11470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DOS PALOS LAND CONVEYANCE

  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4041) to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to 
convey a parcel of unused agricultural land in Dos Palos, CA, to the 
Dos Palos Ag Boosters for use as a farm school.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4041

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

     SECTION 1. LAND CONVEYANCE, UNUSED AGRICULTURAL LAND, DOS 
                   PALOS, CALIFORNIA.

       (a) Conveyance Authorized.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, including section 335(c) of the 
     Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
     1985(c)), the Secretary of Agriculture may convey to the Dos 
     Palos Ag Boosters of Dos Palos, California, all right, title, 
     and interest of the United States in and to a parcel of real 
     property (including improvements thereon) held

[[Page H11470]]

     by the Secretary that consists of approximately 22 acres and 
     is located at 18296 Elgin Avenue, Dos Palos, California, to 
     be used as a farm school for the education and training of 
     students and beginning farmers regarding farming. Any such 
     conveyance shall be final with no future liability accruing 
     to the Secretary of Agriculture.
       (b) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance 
     under subsection (a), the transferee shall pay to the 
     Secretary an amount equal to the fair market value of the 
     parcel conveyed under subsection (a).
       (c) Alternative Transferee.--At the request of the Dos 
     Palos Ag Boosters, the Secretary may make the conveyance 
     authorized by subsection (a) to the Dos Palos School 
     District.
       (d) Determination of Fair Market Value and Property 
     Description.--The Secretary shall determine the fair market 
     value of the parcel to be conveyed under subsection (a). The 
     exact acreage and legal description of the parcels shall be 
     determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary. The 
     cost of any such survey shall be borne by the transferee.
       (e) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions in connection 
     with the conveyance under this section as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United 
     States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Smith] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit] 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Smith].
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we expect this to be very short, very quick. The bill as 
introduced by the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit] on September 
10 is a noncontroversial land sale that has the support of the local 
community, the Department of Agriculture, the Democrats and the 
Republicans.
  Mr. Speaker, I include the following letter for the Record:

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                               Washington, DC, September 26, 1996.
     Hon. Pat Roberts,
     Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: As you requested, the Congressional 
     Budget Office has reviewed H.R. 4041, a bill to authorize the 
     Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of unused 
     agricultural land in Dos Palos, California, to the Dos Palos 
     Ag Boosters for use as a farm school. The bill was introduced 
     in the House of Representatives on September 10, 1996. Based 
     on information provided by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), 
     which owns the land, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4041 
     would have no significant impact on the federal budget. 
     Because the bill could affect direct spending, pay-as-you-go 
     procedures would apply; but any such effect would be 
     negligible.
       The bill would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to 
     convey a parcel of about 22 acres of land in Dos Palos, 
     California, to the Dos Palos Ag Boosters. As consideration 
     for the conveyance, the transferee would pay to the Secretary 
     an amount equal to the fair market value of the parcel, as 
     determined by the Secretary. The transferee would also be 
     required to pay the cost of a survey to determine the exact 
     acreage and legal description.
       According to the FSA, the land is worth less than $100,000. 
     The agency acquired the parcel through liquidation and then 
     leased the land out. That lease has since expired. Under new 
     procedures, FSA now is required to sell such land at its 
     appraised value (if possible) upon expiration of a lease, so 
     this land would likely be sold in the near future under 
     current law. CBO estimates that receipts from the sale of 
     this land would not be significantly different under H.R. 
     4041.
       H.R. 4041 contains no private-sector or intergovernmental 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
     1995 (Public Law 104-4) and would impose no significant costs 
     on state, local, or tribal governments.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The staff contact is Craig Jagger.
           Sincerely,
                                        June E. O'Neill, Director.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank Committee Chairman Roberts and 
Subcommittee Chairman Allard in addition to Ranking Members de la Garza 
and Johnson for expediting this bill through the committee and to the 
House floor, for consideration at this time.
  This bill is simple and straightforward.
  H.R. 4041 gives USDA the authority to sell 22 acres of land in my 
congressional district to a nonprofit organization or alternatively, to 
the Dos Palos School District in Dos Palos, CA.
  This land will be used to establish a farm school for the education 
and training of students and beginning farmers regarding farming.
  Under the farm school proposal, high school and middle school 
students will be farming the ground under the advisement of the school 
Agriculture advisor.
  The students will be taught all aspects of modern agriculture 
practices, including irrigation and conservation methods, integrated 
pest management, agricultural marketing and administration.
  In addition, all proceeds from the farm school will allow students to 
purchase their own equipment and supplies for use at the site.
  Finally, not only would this project benefit beginning farmers, it 
would also assure that the land remain in an agricultural use.
  This legislation has the support of the local school district and the 
community of Dos Palos, in addition to the USDA at the local, State and 
Federal levels as a very worthwhile project to help young beginning 
farmers get started.
  I hope that all of the members will join me in supporting H.R. 4041 
and I urge the House to approve the bill at this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the House for its generosity in allowing us to 
do this at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is 22 acres of land, it will be sold at market value 
and any other provisions that the Secretary of Agriculture deems 
appropriate.
  Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Speaker, this bill will give some kids a chance 
to learn how to farm the old-fashioned way: through hard work and 
sweat. They will work hard, planting their crops, watering them, 
guarding them against the many threats faced by all farmers--the 
weather, disease, insects. And they will feel the satisfaction of 
bringing in the harvest. This bill will help these students learn to 
appreciate the hard work that goes into producing our Nation's food, 
and it may even get a few of them off to a good start as farmers.
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Smith] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4041.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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