[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 6 (Thursday, January 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S681-S682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 203. A bill to amend the Federal Property and Administrative 
Services Act of 1949 to authorize the transfer to State and local 
government of certain surplus property for use for law enforcement or 
public safety purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works.


      federal property and administrative services act amendments

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise, for Senator Boxer and myself, 
to introduce legislation that amends the Federal Property and 
Administrative Services Act of 1949 to allow the Federal Government to 
transfer to State and local governments surplus Federal property for 
use for law enforcement or public safety purposes. This bill expands 
current authority which restricts this type of property transfer to 
State and local governments for use only as correctional facilities.
  Our law enforcement and public safety officials need the flexibility 
that this legislation provides. While continuing to allow prisons to be 
built, this legislation provides communities with the options they need 
to establish or expand needed law enforcement training facilities, fire 
fighting academies, and the like given an area's particular need.
  The one thing communities need after a military base closure is the 
flexibility to reuse bases to fulfill their greatest local needs. This 
bill will continue to facilitate the successful reuse of base 
realignment and closure sites, like March Air Force Base in California, 
for civilian and public safety purposes. Fighting crime continues to be 
a top priority for communities throughout the Nation. It makes sense to 
allow communities to put former military bases to use in that fight.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation. Our communities 
affected by base closures deserve all options to facilitate successful 
reuse.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 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. 203

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

     SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER SURPLUS PROPERTY FOR USE FOR 
                   LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES.

       (a) In General.--Section 203(p)(1) of the Federal Property 
     and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 484(p)(1)) 
     is amended by striking ``required'' and all that follows 
     through ``offenders as'' and inserting ``needed for use by 
     the transferee or grantee for a law enforcement or public 
     safety purpose''.
       (b) Application of Law to Prior Transfers and 
     Conveyances.--Section 203(p) of the Federal Property and 
     Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 484(p)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Any real or related personal property transferred or 
     conveyed under this subsection before the date of the 
     enactment of this paragraph may, with the approval of the 
     Attorney General, be used for a law enforcement or public 
     safety purpose.''.

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