[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 103 (Monday, July 23, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H4382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN BLM DESIGNATING LANDS IN CARSON CITY, NEVADA

  Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 271) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey a 
former Bureau of Land Management administrative site to the city of 
Carson City, Nevada, for use as a senior center.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 271

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

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT 
                   LANDS IN CARSON CITY, NEVADA.

       (a) Conveyance.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, shall 
     convey to the city of Carson City, Nevada, without 
     consideration, all right, title, and interest of the United 
     States in the property described as Government lot 1 in sec. 
     8, T. 15 N., R. 20 E., Mount Diablo Meridian, as shown on the 
     Bureau of Land Management official plat approved October 28, 
     1996, containing 4.48 acres, more or less, and assorted 
     uninhabitable buildings and improvements.
       (b) Use.--The conveyance of the property under subsection 
     (a) shall be subject to reversion to the United States if the 
     property is used for a purpose other than the purpose of a 
     senior assisted living center or a related public purpose.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).
  Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I introduced H.R. 271 to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to convey a former Bureau of Land Management administrative 
site to the City of Carson City, Nevada for use as a senior citizen 
center.
  Madam Speaker, the Carson City Senior Center was established in 1972 
to provide a venue where seniors with limited mobility could have 
access to a senior center, an assisted living center, and an adult day 
care center in one condensed area. The center has expanded to the point 
that the land is required to extend it further to accommodate the 
growing demand for its services.

                              {time}  1415

  The land adjacent to the center is former Bureau of Land Management 
property which has been vacant since 1997 and is completely surrounded 
by property owned by Carson City. The BLM has moved into a new office 
and is fully supportive of the land conveyance.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 271 is a noncontroversial bill which has strong 
support from local and State officials, as well as the residents of 
Carson City, Nevada. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 271 directs the Bureau of Land Management to 
donate a piece of Federal property in Carson City, Nevada, to the city 
for use as a senior citizen's assisted living center. The four-acre 
parcel has been vacant since 1997 when the BLM ceased using it as a 
vehicle and supply storage facility and is adjacent to an existing 
senior center.
  Carson City applied to acquire the property under the Recreation and 
Public Purposes Act, but the residential nature of the proposed center 
does not qualify under the act.
  Given the prohibitive expense to the community were they forced to 
purchase the property, as well as the valuable purpose for which they 
intend to use the land, this transfer appears to be appropriate. 
Importantly, the legislation specifies that the property will revert to 
Federal ownership if it ever ceases to be used as a senior center.
  Madam Speaker, we support passage of H.R. 271, and I commend the 
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) for his work on this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, let me add in final remarks on this bill that Carson 
City is one of the fastest growing senior populations in the State of 
Nevada, and they have long outgrown the existing senior center, as we 
have already talked about.
  The land we are discussing here is approximately 4.5 acres. It was 
formerly used for storage space by the BLM in Nevada, and has been long 
since vacated. It is conveniently located next to a long-term senior 
assisted living center that is much needed. The BLM, as I said earlier, 
is very much in support of this legislation. This is a great 
opportunity for the Federal Government to build upon their good 
neighbor status in the Western States by conveying this land to the 
City of Carson City.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the leadership for bringing this bill to a 
vote today, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley), the gentleman 
from Utah (Mr. Hansen), and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern). Also, I thank the staff who has worked hard to get this bill 
passed, including our staff, Mr. Matt Stroia, who is with us today. I 
urge an aye vote on the bill.
  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 Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 271.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________