[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 96 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8139-S8140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID:
  S. 1343. A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey 
certain National Forest land to Elko County, Nevada, for continued use 
as a cemetery, to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


       conveyance of national forest land to elko county, nevada

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey, without 
consideration, two acres of land to Elko County, NV, for use as a 
cemetery. This proposal should not be controversial, and I urge my 
colleagues to act upon this quickly.
  Jarbidge, NV, is a small town located in the remote wilderness of 
Elko County in northern Nevada. Surrounded by the Humboldt-Toiyabe 
National Forest, this community is representative of many of the small, 
rural communities of Nevada. Its residents have worked hard to earn a 
living off the land and many of its families have deep roots in Nevada 
established decades ago by early pioneers to the Silver State. Since 
the 1900's, the people there have buried their dead in a small parcel 
of national forest land.
  The people of Jarbidge now have an opportunity to establish a 
permanent trust for the maintenance of this historic cemetery. The 
establishment of the trust is dependent on county ownership of the 
land, however. The Forest Service has stated that they cannot and will 
not give the land to the County, and insist that the land be paid for--
either in cash or via a land exchange. While I agree that in the vast 
majority of instances this is the correct stance, in this case the 
Forest Service is just plain wrong.
  We should do the right thing and give this land to the county to 
honor the families whose loved ones rest in that small cemetery. The 
bill I introduce today is companion legislation to a House bill 
introduced by my fellow Nevada legislator Jim Gibbons--a bill which is 
making its way through the House. I hope my colleagues in the Senate 
will act quickly so that the residents of Jarbidge will know the entire 
U.S. Congress supports their efforts to honor the memory of deceased 
residents whose graves occupy this tiny plot of land.
  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. 1343

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

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF NATIONAL FOREST LAND TO ELKO COUNTY, 
                   NEVADA, FOR USE AS CEMETERY.

       (a) Requirement To Convey.--The Secretary of Agriculture 
     shall convey, without consideration, to Elko County, Nevada, 
     all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
     the parcel of real property described in subsection (b), for 
     use as a cemetery.
       (b) Description of Property.--
       (1) In general.--The property referred to in subsection (a) 
     is a parcel of National Forest land (including any 
     improvements on the

[[Page S8140]]

     land) in Elko County, Nevada, known as ``Jarbidge Cemetery'', 
     consisting of approximately 2 acres and described as the 
     NE\1/4\SW1\1/4\NW\1/4\ of Section 9 T 46 N, R 58 E, MDB&M.
       (2) Survey.--
       (A) In general.--The exact acreage and legal description of 
     the property to be conveyed under subsection (a) shall be 
     determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.
       (B) Cost.--As a condition of any conveyance under this 
     section, the County shall pay the cost of the survey.
       (c) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions with respect to 
     the conveyance under subsection (a) as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United 
     States.

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