[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8867-H8868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEVILS BACKBONE WILDERNESS BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT

  Mr. BLUNT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1779) to make a minor adjustment in the exterior boundary of 
the Devils Backbone Wilderness in the Mark Twain National Forest, MO, 
to exclude a small parcel of land containing improvements.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1779

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

     SECTION 1. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT, DEVILS BACKBONE WILDERNESS, 
                   MARK TWAIN NATIONAL FOREST, MISSOURI.

       The boundary of the Devils Backbone Wilderness established 
     by section 201(d) of Public Law 96-560 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note) 
     in the Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri, is hereby 
     modified to exclude from the area encompassed by the Devils 
     Backbone Wilderness a parcel of real property consisting of 
     approximately two acres in Ozark County, Missouri, and 
     containing a garage, well, mailbox, driveway, and other 
     improvements, as depicted on a map entitled ``Devils Backbone 
     Wilderness Boundary Modification'', dated June 1996. The map 
     shall be retained with other Forest Service maps and legal 
     descriptions regarding the Devils Backbone Wilderness and 
     shall be made available for public inspection as provided in 
     section 202 of Public Law 96-560 (94 Stat. 3274).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri [Mr. Blunt], and the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Stenholm], each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt].
  Mr. BLUNT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to support H.R. 
1779. This bill makes a minor adjustment in the boundary of the Devils 
Backbone Wilderness in the Mark Twain National Forest in the Seventh 
District in Missouri.
  Don and Laverne McFarland of Pottersville, MO, purchased their home 
in 1979. At the time they purchased their home they relied on a 
neighbor who had been part of the original surveying team to help 
establish where their outside boundary was and where the boundary of 
the wilderness area was.
  As it turned out, a later survey proved that his recollections from 
the 1930's were not accurate. That later survey left part of their 
improvements, a well, their garage, and their driveway, inside the 
boundary of wilderness land.

                              {time}  1445

  The McFarlands are now in their seventies. They would like to retire 
and sell their property and move closer to their children and 
grandchildren. It is

[[Page H8868]]

very difficult for them to do without this issue being settled. So I 
hope my colleagues will join me today in passing this resolution that 
will clarify this problem.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STENHOLM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1779. It is exactly as the 
gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt] has explained it. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BLUNT. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1779.
  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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