[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 133 (Monday, October 23, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H10493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONVEYING CERTAIN LAND IN POWELL, WYOMING

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 2069) to permit the conveyance of certain land 
in Powell, Wyoming.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 2069

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

     SECTION 1. ELIMINATION OF PUBLIC PURPOSE CONDITION.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the parcel of land described in subsection (c) was 
     patented to the town (now City) of Powell, Wyoming, by the 
     United States General Land Office on October 17, 1934, to 
     help establish a town near the Shoshone Irrigation Project;
       (2) the land was patented with the condition that it be 
     used forever for a public purpose, as required by section 3 
     of the Act of April 16, 1906 (43 U.S.C. 566);
       (3) the land has been used to house the Powell Volunteer 
     Fire Department, which serves the firefighting and rescue 
     needs of a 577 square mile area in northwestern Wyoming;
       (4) the land is located at the corner of U.S. Highway 14 
     and the main street of the business district of the City;
       (5) because of the high traffic flow in the area, the 
     location is no longer safe for the public or for the fire 
     department;
       (6) in response to population growth in the area and to 
     National Fire Protection Association regulations, the fire 
     department has purchased new firefighting equipment that is 
     much larger than the existing fire hall can accommodate;
       (7) accordingly, the fire department must construct a new 
     fire department facility at a new and safe location;
       (8) in order to relocate and construct a new facility, the 
     City must sell the land to assist in financing the new fire 
     department facility; and
       (9) the Secretary of the Interior concurs that it is in the 
     public interest to eliminate the public purpose condition to 
     enable the land to be sold for that purpose.
       (b) Elimination of Condition.--
       (1) Waiver.--The condition stated in section 3 of the Act 
     of April 16, 1906 (43 U.S.C. 566), that land conveyed under 
     that Act be used forever for a public purpose is waived 
     insofar as the condition applies to the land described in 
     subsection (c).
       (2) Instruments.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     execute and cause to be recorded in the appropriate land 
     records any instruments necessary to evidence the waiver made 
     by paragraph (1).
       (c) Land Description.--The parcel of land described in this 
     subsection is a parcel of land located in Powell, Park 
     County, Wyoming, the legal description of which is as 
     follows:
       Lot 23, Block 54, in the original town of Powell, according 
     to the plat recorded in Book 82 of plats, Page 252, according 
     to the records of the County Clerk and Recorder of Park 
     County, State of Wyoming.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2069, a bill to permit the 
conveyance of land in which the fire station in Powell, Wyoming, is 
located. This bill is necessary because the existing patent contains a 
requirement that does not allow the city to sell this land and use the 
proceeds to move the volunteer station to a better, safer location.
  The current fire estimation is too small to hold the fire 
department's new equipment and is located at Powell's busiest 
intersection. This situation has created a safety issue for both people 
traveling through Powell, and for the fire department when it goes out 
on calls. On numerous occasions, the fire department has been caught in 
traffic and was unable to respond quickly to calls.
  This land was originally deeded to the Powell township by the Bureau 
of Reclamation in 1934 with the stipulation that the land be used in 
perpetuity for public purposes.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 2069 will waive this condition of the patent, thereby 
allowing the land to be sold and proceeds used to purchase a lot in a 
better location to serve the needs of the community.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  We do not know what bill this is. The gentleman has explained it. It 
is not on the calendar that I can see.
  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 Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 2069.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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