[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 15, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H5003-H5004]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTHORIZING GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR TO CONVEY A PARCEL OF REAL
PROPERTY TO ALASKA RAILROAD CORPORATION
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1036) to authorize the Administrator
of General Services to convey a parcel of real property to the Alaska
Railroad Corporation, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1036
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF GSA FLEET MANAGEMENT CENTER TO
ALASKA RAILROAD CORPORATION.
(a) In General.--Subject to the requirements of this
section, the Administrator of General Services shall convey,
not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, by quitclaim deed, to the Alaska Railroad Corporation,
an entity of the State of Alaska (in this section referred to
as the ``Corporation''), all right, title, and interest of
the United States in and to the parcel of real property
described in subsection (b), known as the GSA Fleet
Management Center.
(b) GSA Fleet Management Center.--The parcel to be conveyed
under subsection (a) is the parcel located at the
intersection of 2nd Avenue and Christensen Avenue in
Anchorage, Alaska, consisting of approximately 78,000 square
feet of land and the improvements thereon.
(c) Consideration.--
(1) In general.--As consideration for the parcel to be
conveyed under subsection (a), the Administrator shall
require the Corporation to--
(A) convey replacement property in accordance with
paragraph (2); or
(B) pay the purchase price for the parcel in accordance
with paragraph (3).
(2) Replacement property.--If the Administrator requires
the Corporation to provide consideration under paragraph
(1)(A), the Corporation shall--
(A) convey, and pay the cost of conveying, to the United
States, acting by and through the Administrator, fee simple
title to real property, including a building, that the
Administrator determines to be suitable as a replacement
facility for the parcel to be conveyed under subsection (a);
and
(B) provide such other consideration as the Administrator
and the Corporation may agree, including payment of the costs
of relocating the occupants vacating the parcel to be
conveyed under subsection (a).
(3) Purchase price.--If the Administrator requires the
Corporation to provide consideration under paragraph (1)(B),
the Corporation shall pay to the Administrator the fair
market value of the parcel to be conveyed under subsection
(a) based on its highest and best use as determined by an
independent appraisal commissioned by the Administrator and
paid for by the Corporation.
(d) Appraisal.--In the case of an appraisal under
subsection (c)(3)--
(1) the appraisal shall be performed by an appraiser
mutually acceptable to the Administrator and the Corporation;
and
(2) the assumptions, scope of work, and other terms and
conditions related to the appraisal assignment shall be
mutually acceptable to the Administrator and the Corporation.
(e) Proceeds.--
[[Page H5004]]
(1) Deposit.--Any proceeds received under subsection (c)
shall be paid into the Federal Buildings Fund established
under section 592 of title 40, United States Code.
(2) Expenditure.--Funds paid into the Federal Buildings
Fund under paragraph (1) shall be available to the
Administrator, in amounts specified in appropriations Acts,
for expenditure for any lawful purpose consistent with
existing authorities granted to the Administrator; except
that the Administrator shall provide to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public
Works of the Senate 30 days advance written notice of any
expenditure of the proceeds.
(f) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Administrator may
require such additional terms and conditions to the
conveyance under subsection (a) as the Administrator
considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United
States.
(g) Description of Property and Survey.--The exact acreage
and legal description of the parcels to be conveyed under
subsections (a) and (c)(2) shall be determined by surveys
satisfactory to the Administrator and the Corporation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr.
Graves) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
General Leave
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to
revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on
H.R. 1036.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1036 authorizes the Administrator of General
Services to convey a parcel of real property to the Alaska Railroad
Corporation. Subject to certain requirements, but not later than 2
years after the date of enactment of the bill, the Administrator shall
convey to the Alaska Railroad Corporation a parcel of real property
known as GSA Fleet Management Center.
The GSA Fleet Management Center is a parcel located at the
intersection of 2nd Avenue and Christensen Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska,
consisting of approximately 78,000 square feet of land. The Alaska
Railroad Corporation, in exchange for the land, will either provide a
replacement facility for the GSA Fleet Management Center to be conveyed
or the Alaska Railroad Corporation will pay the Administrator for the
fair market value of the GSA Fleet Management Center based on its
highest and best use as determined by an independent appraisal
commissioned by the Administrator and paid by the Alaska Railroad
Corporation. All proceeds derived from the possible sale of the GSA
Fleet Management Center would be deposited in the Federal Buildings
Fund.
I support this bill to transfer this property, Mr. Speaker, from the
GSA inventory to the Alaska Railroad Corporation and particularly want
to note, consistent with Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
policy and guidance on these transfer matters, that the bill protects
the Federal interest.
H.R. 1036 requires either the GSA is provided with a replacement
facility or the railroad corporation will pay the fair market value for
the building based on an appraisal of the highest and best use.
Further, if the building is bought by the railroad, the proceeds will
be deposited into the Federal Buildings Fund.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1036, as amended, was introduced by Representative
Don Young from Alaska on February 13, and it requires the Administrator
of General Services to convey a small GSA property to the publicly
owned Alaska Railroad.
The parcel of property is known as the Fleet Management Center. It is
located in Anchorage, Alaska. It is currently being utilized as a GSA
motor pool, but it is necessary for the planned expansion of the rail
yard there in Anchorage.
H.R. 1036 requires the Administrator to sell the property at either
fair market value or to exchange the property for a like valued piece
of real estate. The value of the property will be determined by an
independent appraisal commissioned by the GSA and paid for by the
Alaska Railroad Corporation. This bill requires that all the proceeds
from the sale be deposited into the Federal Buildings Fund.
Mr. Speaker, I support this measure, and I urge my colleagues to do
so.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as
he may consume to the chairman of the committee, Mr. Oberstar.
Mr. OBERSTAR. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
It is very important to move this legislation. The former chairman of
our committee, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), introduced this
legislation in the 109th Congress, but for various reasons of logjams,
legislative logjams, it just didn't make it to the House floor because
of scheduling problems of the House. But it is very important for the
Alaska Railroad, which is an entity of the State of Alaska, and the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) has several times talked to me about
the need to move this bill. We had it all ready to go in the last
Congress, as I said, and I am very happy we are able to bring it up
early on in this session of the 110th Congress.
If looked at on its face, it would be a very simple matter to do, a
78,000 square foot parcel of real property in Anchorage, Alaska, needed
for the Alaska Railroad's operations. But as we got into it, the Office
of Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office raised
some scoring issues. So in further review of the matter, we found a way
to subject the transfer and the transfer of funds to the appropriation
process. That removes the scoring issue. The Administrator of GSA will
require the Administrator of the Railroad Corporation to pay fair
market value of the property based on highest and best use by an
independent appraisal, and that independent appraisal will be
commissioned by the Administrator of GSA and will be paid for by the
Alaska Railroad Corporation. Then that money will be deposited into the
Federal Buildings Fund and the whole exercise will be subject to the
appropriation process. That way the interests of the Federal Government
are fully protected and the entire transaction will be totally
transparent. It is a very good outcome. It benefits the GSA. It
benefits the Public Buildings Fund of the Federal Government, and it
benefits the Alaska Railroad and the State of Alaska.
I know that the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) is very pleased
with the outcome, and I want to thank the ranking member of the
Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency
Management for his participation through this process and bringing it
to a successful conclusion and also the Chair of our subcommittee,
Chairwoman Norton.
With that, I urge passage of this legislation.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman from Minnesota said it
all.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further
requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1036, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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