[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 151 (Tuesday, November 15, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H10167-H10168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        YAKIMA-TIETON IRRIGATION DISTRICT CONVEYANCE ACT OF 2005

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1564) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey 
certain

[[Page H10168]]

buildings and lands of the Yakima Project, Washington, to the Yakima-
Tieton Irrigation District.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1564

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Yakima-Tieton Irrigation 
     District Conveyance Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN BUILDINGS AND LANDS OF THE 
                   YAKIMA PROJECT, WASHINGTON.

       (a) Conveyance Required.--The Secretary of the Interior 
     shall convey to the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District, 
     located in Yakima County, Washington, all right, title, and 
     interest of the United States in and to the buildings and 
     lands of the Yakima Project, Washington, in accordance with 
     the terms and conditions set forth in the agreement titled 
     ``Agreement Between the United States and the Yakima-Tieton 
     Irrigation District to Transfer Title to Certain Federally 
     Owned Buildings and Lands, With Certain Property Rights, 
     Title, and Interest, to the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation 
     District'' (Contract No. 5-07-10-L1658).
       (b) Liability.--Effective upon the date of conveyance under 
     this section, the United States shall not be held liable by 
     any court for damages of any kind arising out of any act, 
     omission, or occurence relating to the conveyed buildings and 
     lands, except for damages caused by acts of negligence 
     committed by the United States or by its employees or agents 
     before the date of conveyance. Nothing in this section 
     increases the liability of the United States beyond that 
     provided in chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code 
     (popularly known as the Federal Tort Claims Act), on the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Benefits.--After conveyance of the buildings and lands 
     to the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District under this section--
       (1) such buildings and lands shall not be considered to be 
     a part of a Federal reclamation project; and
       (2) such irrigation district shall not be eligible to 
     receive any benefits with respect to any buildings and lands 
     conveyed, except benefits that would be available to a 
     similarly situated person with respect to such buildings and 
     lands that are not part of a Federal reclamation project.
       (d) Report.--If the Secretary of the Interior has not 
     completed the conveyance required under subsection (a) within 
     12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that explains the 
     reason such conveyance has not been completed and stating the 
     date by which the conveyance will be completed.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1564, sponsored by our colleague Doc Hastings, conveys 9 acres 
of federally owned land and administrative buildings to the Yakima-
Tieton Irrigation District in Washington State. No project facilities 
such as dams, diversion structures, or canals are included in this 
title transfer.
  The transfer has been in the works for almost a decade. This 
legislation, also introduced by the junior Senator from Washington, 
will enhance more private ownership and decrease the Federal 
Government's liability. It is a win for the local community and a win 
for the American taxpayer. I urge my colleagues to support this 
important bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, the majority has already explained the 
legislation. I would only add that we on this side of the aisle have no 
objection to its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings).
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, my legislation would enable a long-awaited transfer of 
property from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation 
District in central Washington. This transfer involves the conveyance 
of approximately 9 acres of Federal property as well as a few 
associated structures. These facilities are already dedicated to 
purposes related to the irrigation district. With this conveyance, the 
district will be able to use district funds to make needed improvements 
for the future. The irrigation district has fully repaid its 
obligations to the United States related to these properties, and the 
bureau is no longer interested in their day-to-day management and 
upkeep.
  During hearings before the Resources Committee earlier this year, the 
administration expressed its support for this legislation and noted 
that this transfer allowed the bureau to focus its limited resources 
where they are more urgently needed. In my view, this is an example of 
local problem-solving at its best.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the staff of the irrigation district and the 
Bureau of Reclamation for their work on this. This legislation would 
not be before us today without their cooperative efforts over the last 
few years to negotiate this agreement. I also want to thank Resources 
Chairman Pombo and Water and Power Subcommittee Chairman Radanovich for 
moving this legislation through the process, as well as Kiel Weaver and 
other members of the committee staff for their work on this bill.
  Again, this is a noncontroversial conveyance of property agreed to by 
the irrigation district and the Bureau of Reclamation. I urge my 
colleagues to support the bill.
  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1564.
  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. MUSGRAVE. 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 question will 
be postponed.

                          ____________________