[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 184 (Tuesday, December 4, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H14095]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   VALIDATING CONVEYANCES MADE BY THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2246) to validate certain conveyances made by the Union 
Pacific Railroad Company of lands located in Reno, Nevada, that were 
originally conveyed by the United States to facilitate construction of 
transcontinental railroads, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2246

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

     SECTION 1. RAILROAD LANDS DEFINED.

       For the purposes of this Act, the term ``railroad lands'' 
     means those lands within the City of Reno, Nevada, located 
     within portions of sections 10, 11, and 12 of T.19 N., R. 19 
     E., and portions of section 7 of T.19 N., R. 20 E., Mount 
     Diablo Meridian, Nevada, that were originally granted to the 
     Union Pacific Railroad under the provisions of the Act of 
     July 1, 1862, commonly known as the Union Pacific Railroad 
     Act.

     SEC. 2. RELEASE OF REVERSIONARY INTEREST.

        Any reversionary interests of the United States (including 
     interests under the Act of July 1, 1862, commonly known as 
     the Union Pacific Railroad Act) in and to the railroad lands 
     as defined in section one of this Act are hereby released.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. McMorris 
Rodgers) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
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 Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, the Union Pacific Railroad operates a rail 
line through downtown Reno, Nevada. Like similar corridors across the 
West, the rail line was created on Federal land in the 19th century to 
facilitate development of a transcontinental rail system. The grant to 
the railroad includes a requirement that the land revert back to 
Federal ownership should it ever be abandoned by the railroad.
  The City of Reno has undertaken a massive project to move 
approximately two miles of the rail line into a concrete trench 
constructed alongside the existing track to improve safety and traffic 
flow through downtown. As part of the project, the railroad apparently 
conveyed portions of the right-of-way to the city for construction of 
the trench. It is not clear whether Union Pacific had authority to make 
such a conveyance given the Federal reversionary interest. H.R. 2246, 
as amended, would simply release any Federal reversionary interest in 
the specific parcels involved in the project. So given the City's 
enormous investment in this project and that the parcels in question 
will continue to be used for purposes related to the operation of the 
rail line, clearing title to these parcels is appropriate. So I urge 
all of our colleagues to support H.R. 2246.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from Guam has explained the bill very 
well. I thank her, as well as Chairman Grijalva, for working with us to 
move this legislation out of committee and through the House.
  I would like to recognize the sponsor of this legislation, 
Congressman Dean Heller from Nevada, and yield him such time as he may 
consume.
  Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
2246, which will resolve outdated Federal reversionary interests in 
land important to the City of Reno, Nevada, which I represent.
  The reversionary interest concerns a rail line that goes through 
downtown Reno. The City of Reno and the Union Pacific/Southern Pacific 
join together to submerge a portion of the track below street level as 
a result of merger between the two railroads.
  As part of the project, known as RETRAC, the railroad agreed to grant 
the City of Reno title to the land immediately surrounding the right-
of-way for the project within the city. This bill assists in the 
revitalization and economic development in this community.
  Title for these lands was originally granted to the railroad in 1866 
to facilitate construction of a transcontinental rail system. However, 
when the United States granted the right-of-way to the railroad, it 
retained a reversionary interest in the land to ensure that it was, in 
fact, used to facilitate the building of the railroad. This purpose 
obviously was satisfied many years ago.
  This reversionary interest is an obsolete restriction on the title of 
the land granted to the City of Reno, and H.R. 2246 instructs the 
Secretary of the Interior to release the reversionary interest 
originally created in 1866.
  I appreciate the chairman of the committee, and also Chairman 
Grijalva and his staff, for the work they have done on this 
legislation. I also want to thank Reno Mayor Cashell, who came out to 
Washington to testify on this piece of legislation, and the City of 
Reno for their continued support and the efforts by their citizens. I 
would encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
want to thank the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. McMorris Rodgers) 
for co-managing our bills today from the Resources Committee.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2246, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to provide for the 
release of any reversionary interest of the United States in and to 
certain lands in Reno, Nevada.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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