[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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