[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9980-H9981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 BEND PINE NURSERY LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1936) to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to sell 
or exchange all or part of certain administrative sites and other 
National Forest System land in the State of Oregon and use the proceeds 
derived from the sale or exchange for National Forest System purposes, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1936

       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 cited as the ``Bend Pine Nursery Land 
     Conveyance Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.
       (2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Oregon.

     SEC. 3. SALE OR EXCHANGE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SITES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may, under such terms and 
     conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, sell or exchange 
     any or all right, title, and interest of the United States in 
     and to the following National Forest System land and 
     improvements:
       (1) Tract A, Bend Pine Nursery, comprising approximately 
     210 acres, as depicted on site plan map entitled ``Bend Pine 
     Nursery Administrative Site, May 13, 1999''.
       (2) Tract B, the Federal Government owned structures 
     located at Shelter Cove Resort, Deschutes National Forest, 
     buildings only, as depicted on site plan map entitled 
     ``Shelter Cove Resort, November 3, 1997''.
       (3) Tract C, portions of isolated parcels of National 
     Forest Land located in Township 20 south, Range 10 East 
     section 25 and Township 20 South, Range 11 East sections 8, 
     9, 16, 17, 20, and 21 consisting of approximately 1,260 
     acres, as depicted on map entitled ``Deschutes National 
     Forest Isolated Parcels, January 1, 2000''.
       (4) Tract D, Alsea Administrative Site, consisting of 
     approximately 24 acres, as depicted on site plan map entitled 
     ``Alsea Administrative Site, May 14, 1999''.
       (5) Tract F, Springdale Administrative Site, consisting of 
     approximately 3.6 acres, as depicted on site plan map 
     entitled ``Site Development Plan, Columbia Gorge Ranger 
     Station, April 22, 1964''.
       (6) Tract G, Dale Administrative Site, consisting of 
     approximately 37 acres, as depicted on site plan map entitled 
     ``Dale Compound, February 1999''.
       (7) Tract H, Crescent Butte Site, consisting of 
     approximately .8 acres, as depicted on site plan map entitled 
     ``Crescent Butte Communication Site, January 1, 2000''.
       (b) Consideration.--Consideration for a sale or exchange of 
     land under subsection (a) may include the acquisition of 
     land, existing improvements, or improvements constructed to 
     the specifications of the Secretary.
       (c) Applicable Law.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
     Act, any sale or exchange of National Forest System land 
     under subsection (a) shall be subject to the laws (including 
     regulations) applicable to the conveyance and acquisition of 
     land for the National Forest System.
       (d) Cash Equalization.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, the Secretary may accept a cash equalization payment 
     in excess of 25 percent of the value of land exchanged under 
     subsection (a).
       (e) Solicitations of Offers.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary 
     may solicit offers for sale or exchange of land under this 
     section on such terms and conditions as the Secretary may 
     prescribe.
       (2) Rejection of offers.--The Secretary may reject any 
     offer made under this section if the Secretary determines 
     that the offer is not adequate or not in the public interest.
       (3) Right of first refusal.--The Bend Metro Park and 
     Recreation District in Deschutes County, Oregon, shall be 
     given the right of first refusal to purchase the Bend Pine 
     Nursery described in subsection (a)(1).
       (f) Revocations.--
       (1) In general.--Any public land order withdrawing land 
     described in subsection (a) from all forms of appropriation 
     under the public land laws is revoked with respect to any 
     portion of the land conveyed by the Secretary under this 
     section.
       (2) Effective date.--The effective date of any revocation 
     under paragraph (1) shall be the date of the patent or deed 
     conveying the land.

     SEC. 4. DISPOSITION OF FUNDS.

       (a) Deposit of Proceeds.--The Secretary shall deposit the 
     proceeds of a sale or exchange under section 3(a) in the fund 
     established under Public Law 90-171 (16 U.S.C. 484a) 
     (commonly known as the ``Sisk Act'').
       (b) Use of Proceeds.--Funds deposited under subsection (a) 
     shall be available to the Secretary, without further Act of 
     appropriation, for--
       (1) the acquisition, construction, or improvement of 
     administrative and visitor facilities and associated land in 
     connection with the Deschutes National Forest;
       (2) the construction of a bunkhouse facility in the 
     Umatilla National Forest; and
       (3) to the extent the funds are not necessary to carry out 
     paragraphs (1) and (2), the acquisition of land and interests 
     in land in the State.
       (c) Administration.--Subject to valid existing rights, the 
     Secretary shall manage any land acquired by purchase or 
     exchange under this Act in accordance with the Act of March 
     1, 1911 (16

[[Page H9981]]

     U.S.C. 480 et seq.) (commonly known as the ``Weeks Act'') and 
     other laws (including regulations) pertaining to the National 
     Forest System.

     SEC. 5. CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES.

       The Secretary may acquire, construct, or improve 
     administrative facilities and associated land in connection 
     with the Deschutes National Forest System by using--
       (1) funds made available under section 4(b); and
       (2) to the extent the funds are insufficient to carry out 
     the acquisition, construction, or improvement, funds 
     subsequently made available for the acquisition, 
     construction, or improvement.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentleman from the gentleman from New 
Mexico (Mr. Udall) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, S. 1936 was introduced by Senator Ron Wyden. It would 
allow the Forest Service to sell the Bend Pine Nursery in the State of 
Oregon and use the proceeds to purchase other lands in that State. The 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) has introduced the House companion 
bill for this measure, H.R. 4774, and he should be commended for his 
work on behalf of the State of Oregon.
  S. 1936 passed the full committee on September 20 of this year by a 
voice vote; and I would urge support for the passage of S. 1936, as 
amended, under suspension of the rules.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  (Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, S. 1936 authorizes the 
Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange seven administrative sites 
and facilities on approximately 1,325 acres on the Deschutes National 
Forest in Oregon. The bill provides that the City of Bend, Oregon, will 
be given the right of first refusal to purchase one particular site, 
the 210-acre Bend Pine Nursery, for the potential use as a park. Funds 
from the sale of these Federal assets will be used to construct new 
Forest Service administrative facilities for the Deschutes and Umatilla 
National Forests. The estimated value of the land to be conveyed is 
between $3 million and $4 million. The administration supports this 
legislation, and we do not object to it.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden).
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. 
Udall) for their help in this legislation. Certainly my colleague from 
Oregon, Senator Wyden, who with Senator Smith and I, have teamed up on 
this legislation to make it a bipartisan effort to transfer this land, 
allow it to be transferred, to surplus property over to the City of 
Bend who will have the first right of refusal on the Bend Pine Nursery.
  The city in turn will turn this wonderful open space, an 
extraordinary piece of land, into something for all time for parks and 
ball fields for children and for families. So it is an excellent 
conveyance. It follows all the rules and all the laws of the Federal 
Government, and in addition it is a bonus for the taxpayers because the 
Deschutes National Forest now pays something on the order of $750,000 a 
year in leases for their current buildings; and a new headquarters will 
be built out of the proceeds of these funds so the taxpayers will save 
this lease payment every year. So it is a win for the taxpayers. It is 
a win for the children and families of Bend, and it is certainly a win 
for the Federal Government.
  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1936, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill, as amended, was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________