[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 31 (Monday, February 23, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H1626-H1627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   BOX ELDER UTAH LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 601) to provide for the conveyance of parcels of land to 
Mantua, Box Elder County, Utah.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 601

       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 ``Box Elder Utah Land 
     Conveyance Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN LANDS TO MANTUA, BOX ELDER, 
                   UTAH.

       (a) Conveyance Required.--The Secretary of Agriculture 
     shall convey, without consideration, to the town of Mantua, 
     Utah (in this section referred to as the ``town''), all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
     parcels of National Forest System land in the Wasatch-Cache 
     National Forest in Box Elder County, Utah, consisting of 
     approximately 31.5 acres within section 27, township 9 north, 
     range 1 west, Salt Lake meridian and labeled as parcels A, B, 
     and C on the map entitled ``Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance 
     Act'' and dated July 14, 2008.
       (b) Survey.--If necessary, the exact acreage and legal 
     description of the lands to be conveyed under subsection (a) 
     shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the 
     Secretary. The cost of the survey shall be borne by the town.
       (c) Use of Land.--As a condition of the conveyance under 
     subsection (a), the town shall use the land conveyed under 
     such subsection for public purposes.
       (d) Reversionary Interest.--In the quitclaim deed to the 
     town prepared as part of the conveyance under subsection (a), 
     the Secretary shall provide that the land conveyed to the 
     town under such subsection shall revert to the Secretary, at 
     the election of the Secretary, if the land is used for other 
     than public purposes.
       (e) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions in connection 
     with the conveyance authorized under subsection (a)

[[Page H1627]]

     as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the 
     interests of the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) 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 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to 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, H.R. 601, introduced by Representative 
Bishop of Utah, requires the Secretary of Agriculture to convey without 
consideration approximately 31.5 acres of National Forest System land 
in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah to the town of Mantua, 
Utah. The conveyed land will be used by the town of Mantua to develop a 
new town cemetery, a new town hall and fire station, an elementary 
school, a court, law enforcement facilities, and a memorial park.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill passed the House in the 110th Congress. Also 
in the last Congress, our committee amended that measure to require 
that, as a condition of the conveyance, the town of Mantua shall use 
the land for public purposes only, and the land shall revert to the 
Secretary if used for another purpose, and that requirement is included 
in H.R. 601 as well. We have no objections to H.R. 601.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  As usual, the gentlelady from Guam did an excellent job in describing 
this particular bill.
  I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva for the hearing 
last year. This bill did pass the floor on a voice vote, and yes, this 
is not one of those landmark decisions that is going to be recorded in 
the annals of congressional history. Some people may think that this is 
a trivial issue with the amount of land that we are talking about. 
Unfortunately, if you live in a State where 67 percent of the State is 
under the control of the Federal Government, these kinds of land 
conveyances become very important and become vital to small communities 
like Mantua that need this particular land.
  The land that was given to the Forest Service was given almost 60 
years ago for the whopping price of $1, and in that period of time, 
basically, the Forest Service forgot they had the land. It was lost. It 
was not part of their inventory. It has never been used. It is 
surrounded by land that is either private or in control of the city 
already, so the land actually has limited value for the Federal 
Government, but has a major value for public purposes by the City of 
Mantua.
  Part of it borders the cemetery, and they are in desperate need of 
expanding that cemetery. They are also in desperate need of creating a 
new fire station, which not only would supply the needs of the town but 
would also supply the needs of the national forest there in Box Elder 
Canyon at the same time, as well as a new town hall. It is for that 
purpose we have tried to see if this land conveyance can be done for a 
simple and easy purpose since we are dealing with public purpose for 
public purpose. It is merely who owns that land that is somewhat 
different. This is a piece of legislation of which the Forest Service 
is supportive and the city is supportive, and I appreciate the kind 
words that were said about this particular bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time and 
would inquire of the minority whether they have any additional 
speakers.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. No, Mr. Speaker.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  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. 601.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. 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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