[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAND TRANSFER 
                      AUTHORIZATION EXTENSION ACT

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                          HON. CATHY McMORRIS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 4, 2005

  Miss McMORRIS.  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
address an issue of importance to Eastern Washington University, 
located in my district in the town of Cheney, Washington. Eastern 
Washington University owns a 21 acre parcel of land known as Badger 
Lake. The property was originally deeded to the university by the 
federal government under the 1926 State Recreation and Public Purposes 
Act. This property is restricted to the purpose for which the law was 
enacted, education and recreation, and it carries a ``reverter clause 
which says that the land will revert to the federal government, Bureau 
of Land Management--Department of Interior, if not used for these 
purposes.
  However, the property is located in a rural area that is not 
conducive to the intended recreation or education uses. The only way 
Eastern Washington University could legally sell or exchange the land 
is if federal legislation passed which releases the patent conditions 
on this property. In 1983, the university, with the help of Speaker Tom 
Foley and Senator Slade Gorton, and supported by the Bureau of Land 
Management, was successful in getting legislation passed (Public Law 
97-435) that removed the restrictions for a five year period. 
Unfortunately that window expired in 1988.
  In the last Congress former Congressman George Nethercutt was 
successful in passing legislation extending the 1983 law. H.R. 4596 
passed the House of Representatives on September 28, 2004 by unanimous 
consent.
  I rise today to reintroduce legislation to address this issue.

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