[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6260-H6261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   STORY COUNTY, IOWA LAND CONVEYANCE

  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5669) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey 
certain Federally owned land located in Story County, Iowa, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5669

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

     SECTION 1. PURPOSES AND DEFINITIONS.

       (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to direct the conveyance of approximately 44 acres, 
     more or less, of Federally owned land administered by the 
     Agricultural Research Service to the City of Ames, Iowa; and
       (2) to authorize the use of the funds derived from the 
     conveyance to purchase replacement land and for other 
     purposes relating to the National Animal Disease Center.
       (b) Definitions.--In this Act:
       (1) City.--The term ``City'' means the City of Ames, Iowa, 
     and its assigns.
       (2) Property.--The term ``Property'' means approximately 44 
     acres, more or less, of the Federally owned land comprising 
     part of the National Animal Disease Center, which--
       (A) was acquired by the United States in 1951 within sec. 
     1, T. 83 N., R. 24 W., Fifth Principal Meridian; and
       (B) is generally located on 13th Street in the City.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.

     SEC. 2. PROPERTY CONVEYANCE.

       (a) In General.--On receipt of the consideration and cost 
     reimbursement provided in this Act, the Secretary shall 
     convey and quitclaim to the City, all rights, title, and 
     interests of the United States in the Property subject to 
     easements and rights of record and such other reservations, 
     terms, and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.
       (b) Consideration.--
       (1) In general.--As consideration for the conveyance 
     authorized by this Act, the City shall pay to the Secretary 
     an amount in cash equal to the market value of the Property.
       (2) Appraisal.--
       (A) In general.--To determine the market value of the 
     Property, the Secretary shall have the Property appraised for 
     the highest and best use of the Property in conformity with 
     the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions 
     developed by the Interagency Land Acquisition Conference.
       (B) Requirements.--The appraisal shall be subject to review 
     and approval by the Secretary, and the approved appraisal 
     shall at all times be the Property of the United States.
       (c) Corrections.--With the agreement of the City, the 
     Secretary may make minor corrections or modifications to the 
     legal description of the Property or configure the Property 
     to facilitate conveyance.
       (d) Costs.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
     City shall at closing pay or reimburse the Secretary, as 
     appropriate, for the reasonable transaction and 
     administrative costs incurred by the Secretary associated 
     with the conveyance authorized by this Act, including 
     personnel costs directly attributable to the transaction, and 
     the transactional costs of appraisal, survey, title review, 
     hazardous substances examination, and closing costs.

[[Page H6261]]

       (2) Attorneys fees.--The City and the Secretary shall each 
     bear their own attorneys fees.
       (e) Hazardous Materials.--
       (1) In general.--For the conveyance authorized by this Act, 
     the Secretary shall meet disclosure requirements for 
     hazardous substances, but shall otherwise not be required to 
     remediate or abate those substances or any other hazardous 
     pollutants, contaminants, or waste that might be present on 
     the Property at the time of closing.
       (2) Lead-based paint or asbestos-containing building 
     materials.--
       (A) In general.--Notwithstanding any provision of law 
     relating to the mitigation or abatement of lead-based paint 
     or asbestos-containing building materials and except as 
     provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall not be 
     required to mitigate or abate any lead-based paint or 
     asbestos-containing building materials present on the 
     Property at the time of closing.
       (B) Requirements.--If the Property has lead-based paint or 
     asbestos-containing building materials, the Secretary shall--
       (i) provide notice to the City of the presence of the lead-
     based paint or asbestos-containing building materials; and
       (ii) obtain written assurance from the City that the City 
     will comply with applicable Federal, State, and local laws 
     relating to the management of the lead-based paint and 
     asbestos-containing building materials.
       (f) Other Terms.--The Secretary and the City may agree on 
     such additional terms as may be mutually acceptable and that 
     are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act.

     SEC. 3. RECEIPTS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall deposit all funds 
     received from the conveyance authorized under this Act, 
     including the market value consideration and the 
     reimbursement for costs, into the Treasury of the United 
     States to be credited to the appropriation for the 
     Agricultural Research Service.
       (b) Use of Funds.--Notwithstanding any limitation in 
     applicable appropriation Acts for the Department of 
     Agriculture or the Agricultural Research Service, all funds 
     deposited into the Treasury pursuant to subsection (a) 
     shall--
       (1) be available to the Secretary until expended, without 
     further appropriation, for the acquisition of land and 
     interests in land and other related purposes of the National 
     Animal Disease Center; and
       (2) be considered to authorize the acquisition of land for 
     the purposes of section 11 of the Act of August 3, 1956 (7 
     U.S.C. 428a).

     SEC. 4. STATUTORY PAY-AS-YOU-GO LANGUAGE.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Cardoza) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Schmidt) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 5669.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5669 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture 
to sell a parcel of land that is part of the National Animal Disease 
Center to the city of Ames, Iowa, in order to facilitate the building 
of a new water treatment facility.
  Faced with increasing demand and aging infrastructure, the city has 
determined that the most cost-effective solution is to build a new 
plant. The land owned by USDA adjacent to the National Animal Disease 
Center is such a suitable location. If Congress does not authorize this 
land for sale, then the city of Ames may find itself in the unpopular 
position of using eminent domain to acquire land to move forward with 
the project.
  It makes sense to move this legislation quickly so that a needed 
infrastructure project can move forward, especially since the United 
States Department of Agriculture has expressed support for this 
legislation.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in 
supporting this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 5669. This bill will 
allow the Agricultural Research Service to convey 44 acres of land in 
Ames, Iowa, to the city of Ames. The funds derived from this conveyance 
will then be used by the Agricultural Research Service to purchase 
replacement land and for other purposes relating to the National Animal 
Disease Center.
  The National Animal Disease Center located in Ames, Iowa, is the 
largest Federal animal disease center in the United States. This 
facility, along with the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and 
the Center for Veterinary Biologics co-located on the same site, make 
up our National Centers for Animal Health.
  The USDA has advised that it no longer has any use for the land to be 
conveyed and that it supports this legislation.
  This legislation is important for the continued development and 
operation of this critical laboratory facility, and I ask my colleagues 
to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Iowa (Mr. Latham).
  Mr. LATHAM. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for yielding and the 
gentleman from California, and I certainly want to thank Chairman 
Peterson and Ranking Member Lucas for waiving jurisdiction so that we 
could shepherd this bill to the floor, H.R. 5669.
  This bill really is a solution for the city of Ames and the local 
landowners. H.R. 5669 will allow the city to buy land from the USDA's 
National Animal Disease Center and use that land to build a modern 
water treatment plant.
  Before introducing this legislation, city officials were exploring 
the acquisition of nearby farmland by eminent domain. This bill will 
prevent a conflict between the city of Ames and the local landowners. 
The farmland in question is highly productive land. In fact, it's a 
century farm. It has been in that family for over 100 years. Century 
farms have a special status in Iowa, and the families who have carried 
on the tradition of farming have deep ties to the soil.
  Working with the city of Ames and the USDA, I believe we have found a 
way to preserve this fertile land and honor the memory of the man who 
began farming it, Abel Powell Griffith. Griffith, a Union Army veteran, 
picked this land because it was near Iowa State University, and he knew 
his descendants would be able to get a quality education while making a 
living through farming.
  H.R. 5669 is a win for everyone involved. Ames, Iowa, will be able to 
proceed with its water treatment facility, residents will have clean 
water, the Animal Disease Center will be able to plan for its needs, 
and the landowners will be spared the loss of productive farmland.
  I appreciate very much the time.
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my friend and 
colleague from Iowa for doing what seems to be a very responsible piece 
of legislation here.
  I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5669, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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