[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 13 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H464-H465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMENDMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER ACT
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3913) to amend the International
Center Act to authorize the lease or sublease of certain property
described in such Act to an entity other than a foreign government or
international organization if certain conditions are met.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3913
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER ACT.
The first section of the International Center Act (Public
Law 90-553; 82 Stat. 958) is amended by adding at the end the
following new sentence: ``Notwithstanding the foregoing
limitations, the property identified by the District of
Columbia as tax lots 803, 804, 805, and 806 within the area
described in this section may be leased or subleased to an
entity other than a foreign government or international
organization, so long as the Secretary maintains the right to
approve the occupant and the intended use of the property.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Petri) 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 material on
H.R. 3913.
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.
I'm pleased to support H.R. 3913, a bill to make a needed technical
amendment to the International Center Act, P.L. 90-553.
H.R. 3913 authorizes the Department of State to lease land to
Intelsat at the International Center, which is located on Connecticut
Avenue at Van Ness Street in northwest Washington.
The amendment clarifies and ensures that Intelsat's long-term lease
of the land, on which its headquarters is located, is consistent with
the International Center Act.
Intelsat was originally established in the early 1900s as an
international organization. In 2000, Congress passed legislation which
essentially required Intelsat to become a private company.
Unfortunately, at that time, Congress overlooked a change in the ICA
that would be necessary when Intelsat completed its transition to a
private company, and this bill corrects that omission.
I support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The bill before us amends the International Center Act to allow the
State Department to lease a Federal property in northwest Washington to
nongovernmental entities. Currently, the International Center Act only
permits the State Department, as has been said, to lease the property
to foreign governments or international organizations.
The site is occupied by the international satellite service provider
Intelsat, which was privatized by an act of Congress in the year 2000.
Prior to its privatization, Intelsat was created as an international
organization in the 1960s to establish the world's first global
satellite system.
As an international organization, Intelsat leased the property for 99
years from the State Department in accordance with the International
Center Act. The bill before us corrects an apparent oversight when
Intelsat was privatized by this Congress.
The underlying statute requires a foreign government or international
organization to occupy the property, and that was no longer consistent
with the lease between the government and Intelsat after Intelsat was
privatized. This bill would make the International Center Act
consistent with the lease.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3913 amends a provision of the
International Center Act (``ICA''), which established the authority for
the U.S. Department of State to lease property in the District of
Columbia to foreign governments or international organizations.
[[Page H465]]
The ICA (P.L. 90-553), passed by Congress in 1968, authorizes the
Secretary of State ``to sell or lease to foreign governments and
international organizations'' Federal property located in Northwest
Washington, DC, off of Connecticut Avenue. The 47-acre parcel of land
authorized by the bill offers space for new embassies, consulates, and
international organizations and is commonly referred to as the
International Center.
Intelsat was formed in the 1960s as an international commercial
cooperative of 142 countries that provided global telecommunications
including television, telephone, and data transmission. Intelsat's
headquarters are located in the International Center.
In 2000, an act of Congress privatized Intelsat (P.L. 106-180). Since
the ICA does not permit the U.S. State Department to lease space within
the International Center to a private entity, Intelsat's lease no
longer meets the requirements of the ICA. H.R. 3913 makes technical
amendments to the ICA to permit Intelsat to continue its tenancy.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3913.
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 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 my time and urge passage.
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. 3913.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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