[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 171 (Tuesday, December 11, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H9127-H9128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3370) to amend the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996 to
modify the reversionary interest of the United States in a parcel of
property conveyed to the Traverse City Area School District in Traverse
City, Michigan.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3370
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.
Section 1005(c) of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of
1996 (110 Stat. 3957) is amended by striking ``the Traverse
City Area Public School District'' and inserting ``a public
or private nonprofit entity for an educational or
recreational purpose''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Clement)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Initially, I want to thank two fine Members that we will hear from
later, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp) and the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Stupak), for bringing this matter to our attention.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3370 is a bill that allows certain property
conveyed to the Traverse City Public Schools in Traverse City,
Michigan, to be used by a public or private nonprofit entity for an
educational or recreational purpose.
Under the 1996 language that transferred the property to the Traverse
City School District, the property reverts to the Federal Government if
it is not used by the school district. The local YMCA has developed a
plan to improve the property and construct a three-pool swimming
facility on part of the property. The school district would then use
the new fields and facility and the Coast Guard will be able to use the
pool for winter training and rescue swimmers.
Without the amendments made by H.R. 3370, this worthwhile project
would not be able to proceed. For this reason, I urge all of my
colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
General Leave
Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and insert extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I might say to my colleagues, I know the Speaker
referred to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) as being from
Tennessee, and he would have been a good Tennesseean. We would sure
have accepted him. He is an outstanding Member of the House, and I am
proud to be able to call him a friend.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3370, a bill to clarify the
revisionary interests of the United States Government and property
conveyed to the Traverse City School District.
The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996 provided for Coast Guard
real property in Traverse City, Michigan, to be conveyed to the
Traverse City School District. The school district has used the
property for soccer fields for their youth. However, the revisionary
clause in that act required the property to be used exclusively for
educational purposes. Now the school district would like to enter into
a joint venture with the YMCA for additional athletic facilities for
the students and community.
Under the joint venture, the school district will provide the land,
and the YMCA will provide the building. The school district will be
able to use the indoor pool and other athletic facilities in the
building for their school activities at no cost, and other members of
the community will also be able to join the YMCA and use the
facilities.
Mr. Speaker, I believe this bill will help the community of Traverse
City. I would like to commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak)
for his efforts on their behalf. I urge my colleagues to support
passage of H.R. 3370.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Stupak), a fine gentleman and a real fighter and street fighter in the
House of Representatives.
(Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Camp) for coauthoring this legislation with me and moving this bill
along. He is on the floor here tonight and I am sure he will have some
remarks, along with his son Andrew. Maybe we should let Andrew have his
remarks on record, because at least he would be able to tell us the
value of these soccer fields.
Mr. Speaker, back in 1996 we moved this land from the Coast Guard to
Traverse City Area Public Schools to be used for soccer fields. It has
been a great success. But as those soccer fields have been used more
and more by over 3,000 students in the Traverse City area, we saw great
potential in this property. By bringing the YMCA to build a new
facility, which they need to do, by bringing the YMCA in, everybody
will benefit even further, not only the school district, but the
community as a whole, because they are going to put in three different
swimming pools,
[[Page H9128]]
plus all the other activities that the YMCA offers. The Coast Guard
will be using the pool for training, for rescue, water rescues along
the Great Lakes, as they do constantly.
So it is just a great situation for everyone. The community wins, the
school system wins, the Coast Guard wins, the Federal Government
benefits, we all benefit. We just have to change this reverter clause
so that it can be used not only for the school, but also for the YMCA
and for the benefit of the community.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support and vote ``yes''
on H.R. 3370. I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. I want to
thank the leadership and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Clement),
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), and the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure for moving this bill so quickly on
the request of myself and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp).
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as
he might consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp), one of the
authors of this fine piece of legislation.
Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
I rise with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) on behalf of
this legislation. This will bring big benefits to the residents of the
Traverse City, Michigan, area. This makes a technical change in
existing law to allow the Traverse City area school district to
transfer a parcel of property to the local YMCA, as the gentleman
mentioned, for recreational purposes. This is going to be a big
benefit, as I mentioned, because this will allow the construction of a
swimming pool, a gymnasium, tennis courts, soccer fields, and will be a
real help to the sports teams and other residents and students,
physical education classes.
They are also going to begin construction on a new alternative
education facility that will be used by nearly 200 students. So this
new school will enable Traverse City area students to attend a school
that will actually have programs tailored to their needs.
The Coast Guard will be able to continue to use and practice
lifesaving techniques, rescue and recovery missions in the new YMCA
pool.
So I am pleased to support this bill, which was introduced by my
colleague which will make a positive difference in the lives of so many
residents in Michigan, especially younger residents. I appreciate the
gentleman's work, and support of the members of the Michigan
congressional delegation. I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska
(Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) for their
support in bringing this bill to the floor; and also I thank our
leadership, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), the majority leader,
who allowed this bill to come on the suspension calendar.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bill.
Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time
just to indicate to the gentleman from Tennessee that I very much
appreciate his kind remarks. He has been someone that I have looked up
to in the 7 years that I have been in Congress, and I would be remiss
if I did not make mention of the fact that he apparently has used his
weekend wisely and he is sporting a new hairdo and is even more dapper
than he was last week.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3370.
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.
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