[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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