[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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