[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 49 (Monday, March 31, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H1784-H1785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1445
                            HALE SCOUTS ACT

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 2675) to provide for the conveyance of approximately 140 
acres of land in the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma to the Indian 
Nations Council, Inc., of the Boy Scouts of America, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2675

       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 ``Help to Access Land for the 
     Education of Scouts'' or ``HALE Scouts Act''.

     SEC. 2. LAND CONVEYANCE, OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST, OKLAHOMA.

       (a) Finding.--Congress finds that it is in the public 
     interest to provide for the sale of certain federally owned 
     land in the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma to the 
     Indian Nations Council, Inc., of the Boy Scouts of America, 
     for market value consideration.
       (b) Conveyance Required.--Subject to valid existing rights, 
     the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey, by quitclaim deed, 
     to the Indian Nations Council, Inc., of the Boy Scouts of 
     America (in this section referred to as the ``Council'') all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
     certain National Forest System land in the Ouachita National 
     Forest in the State of Oklahoma consisting of approximately 
     140 acres, depending on the final measurement of the road set 
     back and the actual size of the affected sections, as more 
     fully described in subsection (c). The conveyance may not 
     include any land located within the Indian Nations National 
     Scenic and Wildlife Area designated by section 10 of the 
     Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation and Wilderness 
     Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460vv-8).
       (c) Covered Lands.--The National Forest System land to be 
     conveyed under subsection (b) is depicted on the map entitled 
     ``Boy Scout Land Request-Ouachita NF''. The map shall be on 
     file and available for public inspection in the Forest 
     Service Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia.
       (d) Consideration.--As consideration for the land conveyed 
     under subsection (b), the Council shall pay to the Secretary 
     an amount equal to the fair market value of the land, as 
     determined by an appraisal approved by the Secretary and done 
     in conformity with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for 
     Federal Land Acquisitions and section 206 of the Federal Land 
     Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716).
       (e) Use of Proceeds.--The consideration received under 
     subsection (d) shall be deposited in the fund established by 
     Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the ``Sisk Act''; 16 
     U.S.C. 484a). The amount so deposited shall be available to 
     the Secretary, without further appropriation, for expenditure 
     for the acquisition of land and interests in land in the 
     Ouachita National Forest.
       (f) Survey and Administrative Costs.--The exact acreage and 
     legal description of the land to be conveyed under subsection 
     (b) shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the 
     Secretary. The Council shall pay the reasonable costs of 
     survey, appraisal, and any administrative analyses required 
     by law.
       (g) Access.--Access to the land conveyed under subsection 
     (b) shall be from the adjacent land of the Council or its 
     successor. Notwithstanding section 1323(a) of the Alaska 
     National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3210(a)), 
     the Secretary shall not be required to provide additional 
     access to the conveyed land.
       (h) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     prescribe such terms and conditions on the conveyance under 
     subsection (b) as the Secretary considers in the public 
     interest, including the reservation of access rights to the 
     conveyed land for administrative purposes.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Hawaii.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which 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 
gentleman from Hawaii?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 2675 was introduced by my colleague and our 
friend on the Natural Resources Committee, Representative Dan Boren.
  The legislation directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey 140 
acres of public land in Oklahoma, administered by the United States 
Forest Service, to the Indian Nations Council of the Boy Scouts of 
America. The Boy Scouts will use this land to expand their existing 
camping. The Boy Scouts will pay a fair market value for the land.
  Madam Speaker, I want to commend our colleague and friend, 
Representative Boren, for his work on this bill. I support the passage 
of H.R. 2675, as amended.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 2675, and we are pleased to support this 
legislation that will help the young men of Oklahoma by allowing the 
Boy Scouts of America to expand their summer camp within the forest to 
accommodate the fast-growing number of campers. This speaks volumes 
about the excellent organization that is the Boy Scouts of America, and 
we compliment Representative Boren on his efforts. Hopefully this land 
conveyance will ease some of the pain the scouting community suffered 
when Congressman Boren

[[Page H1785]]

left the Scouts shortly before attaining the rank of tenderfoot.
  I want to thank Chairman Rahall and the professional staff for moving 
this bill along expeditiously, and thank my friend from Hawaii for his 
efforts on this particular legislation, and thank the gentleman from 
Oklahoma for having a wonderful bill. I urge Members to support this 
particular legislation.
  Mr. BOREN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support for H.R. 
2675, the HALE Scouts Act. This bill would grant the U.S. Forest 
Service authority to sell roughly 140 acres of land to the Indian 
Nations Council of Boy Scouts, which is adjacent to the Scout's summer 
camp, Camp Tom Hale located in Talihina, OK. The Council is a nonprofit 
organization providing educational programs for boys and young adults 
to build character, to train in the responsibilities of citizenship, 
and to develop personal fitness,
  The camp first opened in June 1930 to serve Boy Scouts in the 
McAlester, Oklahoma area. It was originally located at what is now 
Robbers Cave State Park near Wilburton, Oklahoma. In 1963, the Boy 
Scout Council in McAlester worked with the State of Oklahoma and the 
U.S. Forest Service to exchange the camp at Robbers Cave for 480 acres 
of wilderness area in the Ouachita National Forest. This ``new'' Camp 
Hale has continued as a summer adventure camp serving thousands of 
scouts during the intervening 41 years. In 1997, the Council board 
developed a strategic plan for a $3.5 million expansion and renovation 
of the camp. Since then, the Council has spent in excess of $1 million 
continually updating and expanding facilities to meet the needs of 
scouts. As a result, a renewed emphasis on wilderness and the outdoors 
has flourished, with over 6,000 scouts and leaders from a five state 
area attending weekly sessions offered in June and July and enjoying 
the beautiful Ouachita Forest. Attendance has now exceeded the maximum 
number of available campsites and program areas, which is causing Camp 
Hale to begin turning away hundreds of scouts each summer.
  It is now critical for camp growth that the boundaries be extended to 
include more area for camping and additional program and training 
services. Successful completion of this objective will allow the Boy 
Scouts to continue the expansion of outdoor and leadership training for 
thousands of youth living in the Central Southwest and bring additional 
usage and enjoyment of the Ouachita Forest to more families. I greatly 
appreciate this body's consideration of this measure, and urge my 
colleagues support.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I can't spot any more tenderfeet on 
the floor, and so we will yield back our time as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2675, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam 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 motion will be 
postponed.

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