[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 68 (Tuesday, June 6, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H3886-H3887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WELLTON-MOHAWK TRANSFER ACT

  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 356) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
convey certain works, facilities, and titles of the Gila Project, and 
designated lands within or adjacent to the Gila Project, to the 
Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 356

       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 referred to as the ``Wellton-Mohawk 
     Transfer Act''.

     SEC. 2. TRANSFER.

       The Secretary of the Interior (``Secretary'') is authorized 
     to carry out the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement No. 8-
     AA-34-WAO14 (``Agreement'') dated July 10, 1998 between the 
     Secretary and the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage 
     District (``District'') providing for the transfer of works, 
     facilities, and lands to the District, including conveyance 
     of Acquired Lands, Public Lands, and Withdrawn Lands, as 
     defined in the Agreement.

[[Page H3887]]

     SEC. 3. WATER AND POWER CONTRACTS.

       Notwithstanding the transfer, the Secretary and the 
     Secretary of Energy shall provide for and deliver Colorado 
     River water and Parker-Davis Project Priority Use Power to 
     the District in accordance with the terms of existing 
     contracts with the District, including any amendments or 
     supplements thereto or extensions thereof and as provided 
     under section 2 of the Agreement.

     SEC. 4. SAVINGS.

       Nothing in this Act shall affect any obligations under the 
     Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (Public Law 93-320, 
     43 U.S.C. 1571).

     SEC. 5. REPORT.

       If transfer of works, facilities, and lands pursuant to the 
     Agreement has not occurred by July 1, 2000, the Secretary 
     shall report on the status of the transfer as provided in 
     section 5 of the Agreement.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
     necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
George Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on S. 356.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
Mr. Speaker, S. 356, the Wellton-Mohawk Transfer Act, introduced by 
Senator Kyl of Arizona, is a companion bill to H.R. 841 introduced by 
the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) that was reported from the 
Committee on Resources last year.
  S. 356 continues the defederalization process by conveying certain 
works, facilities, and titles of the Gila Project and designated lands 
to the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District in Arizona.
  Wellton-Mohawk has fully repaid its project costs. On July 10, 1998, 
the district and the bureau signed a memorandum of agreement that 
covers the details of the transfer of title. It includes transfer of 
lands between the Federal Government and the district, including the 
acquisition of additional lands for exchange.
  All transfers will be at fair market value. No change in the project 
operation is contemplated by the transfer and the district will 
continue to limit irrigated acreage to 62,875 acres. The transfer would 
include all facilities and works for which full repayment has been 
made.
  ``The goal of Reclamation and the District is that within 180 days of 
the execution of the Title Transfer Contract, the Secretary shall 
convey to the District all right, title and interest of the United 
States to the Facilities, works and lands to be conveyed and 
transferred to the District.''
  It is the expectation of the committee that the Senate will 
accelerate its work on other transfer bills that are currently awaiting 
action in the Senate. The committee expects that the Bureau of 
Reclamation will adhere to their memorandum of agreement with the 
district signed on July 10, 1998.
  Mr. Speaker, I request an aye vote on the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 356, the 
Wellton-Mohawk Transfer Act. The Wellton-Mohawk has fully repaid its 
project costs. The district and the bureau signed a memorandum of 
agreement 2 years ago that covers the details of the transfer of title.
  The project facilities that will be transferred under legislation no 
longer provide benefits to the United States, and it is appropriate 
that the local district assume full responsibility for these 
facilities.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  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 Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 356.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the 
yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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