[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 145 (Monday, November 13, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H11847-H11848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONVEYANCE TO DOLORES, COLORADO, CURRENT SITE OF JOE ROWELL PARK

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1972) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey 
to the town of Dolores, Colorado, the current site of the Joe Rowell 
Park.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1972

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

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF JOE ROWELL PARK.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall convey 
     to the town of Dolores, Colorado, for no consideration, all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
     parcel of real property described in subsection (b), for open 
     space, park, and recreational purposes.
       (b) Description of Property.--
       (1) In general.--The property referred to in subsection (a) 
     is a parcel of approximately 25 acres of land comprising the 
     site of the Joe Rowell Park (including all improvements on 
     the land and equipment and other items of personal property 
     as agreed to by the Secretary) depicted on the map entitled 
     ``Joe Rowell Park,'' dated July 12, 2000.
       (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 town of Dolores shall pay the cost of the 
     survey.
       (c) Possibility of Reverter.--Title to any real property 
     acquired by the town of Dolores, Colorado, under this section 
     shall revert to the United States if the town--
       (1) attempts to convey or otherwise transfer ownership of 
     any portion of the property to any other person;
       (2) attempts to encumber the title of the property; or
       (3) permits the use of any portion of the property for any 
     purpose incompatible with the purpose described in subsection 
     (a) for which the property is conveyed.
       (d) The map referenced in subsection (b)(1) shall be on 
     file for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the 
     Forest Service at the Department of Agriculture in 
     Washington, DC.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Doolittle) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle).
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1972 was introduced by Senator Allard. This 
legislation would convey approximately 25 acres of Forest Service land 
to the town of Dolores, Colorado, for use as a park. The property has 
been used by the town of Dolores as a park under permit from the Forest 
Service.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1972 guarantees the reversion of the property back to 
the United States if the town attempts to transfer the title or permit 
the property to be used for any other purpose.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support S. 1972.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1972 directs the Forest Service to convey 25 acres of 
land to the town of Dolores, Colorado, for use as a local park. Dolores 
currently operates a park on those lands under a special-use permit. In 
addition, the lands are surrounded by town and private lands that are 
not contiguous to other national forestlands.
  The bill does not require the town to compensate the Forest Service 
for the land, but the bill does provide that the lands must be used for 
a park, or they revert back to the Forest Service.
  Mr. Speaker, we are generally reluctant to convey lands out of public 
ownership without payment of fair compensation. In this case, however, 
the administrative transfer to the town is consistent with its current 
uses and may facilitate improvements to the

[[Page H11848]]

park facilities. Under these circumstances, we have no objection to the 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote on 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 California (Mr. Doolittle) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1972.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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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