[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6825-H6826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LAND CONVEYANCE
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 5494) to direct the Director of the National Park
Service and the Secretary of the Interior to transfer certain
properties to the District of Columbia, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5494
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. TRANSFER OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall transfer to the
District of Columbia by quitclaim deed all right, title, and
interest of the United States to the following properties in
the District of Columbia:
(1) Square 336, Lot 828, as shown on Assessment and
Taxation Plat 3761-Y among the records of the Surveyor of the
District of Columbia (Shaw Junior High School recreation
fields).
(2) Square 542, Lot 85, as referenced on page 104 of
Subdivision Book 141 and shown on Map 8634 among the records
of the Surveyor of the District of Columbia (Southwest
Library).
(3) Square 2864, Lot 830, as shown on Assessment and
Taxation Plat 3495-G among the records of the Surveyor of the
District of Columbia (Meyer Elementary School).
[[Page H6826]]
(4) Reservation 277-A, as shown on page 4 of Subdivision
Book 134 among the records of the Surveyor of the District of
Columbia.
(5) Square 2558, Lot 803, as shown on Assessment and
Taxation Plat 65 among the records of the Surveyor of the
District of Columbia (a portion of the Marie H. Reed
Community Learning Center).
(6) Square 2558, Lot 810, as shown on Assessment and
Taxation Plat 65 among the records of the Surveyor of the
District of Columbia (a portion of the Marie H. Reed
Community Learning Center).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) and the gentleman from Washington
(Mr. Hastings) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.
General Leave
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
There was no objection.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5494 was introduced by
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia in June
2010. The bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer
title to six small Federal properties to the District of Columbia.
This land transfer will allow the city government to better maintain
these properties as well as plan for their future development.
Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Norton is a tireless advocate for the
people of the District and should be commended for her work on this
bill. I congratulate her on her efforts and urge the House to support
this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, the gentlelady from the
Virgin Islands has adequately explained this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, the sponsor of H.R. 5494,
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, is chairing a committee meeting at
this time, so she is unable to be on the floor. Therefore under general
leave, I am submitting the statement of Congresswoman Norton for the
Record.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the
Committee on Natural Resources, Nick Rahall, and sucommittee chair Raul
Grijalva for their delightful work in moving this important bill to the
House floor. H.R. 5494 will transfer ownership of certain properties in
the District from the National Park Service (NPS) to the District of
Columbia. NPS supports the transfer of these small, scattered
properties. These isolated parcels are of no use to NPS, but can be
useful for overall livability in the city.
The District of Columbia is land-poor because the federal government
owns much of the land here, and certainly the best located land. In
fact, these transfers achieve a balance between the city and NPS, by
addressing the city's growing need for land in a manner consistent with
NPS's mission to protect parkland. These small parcels are scattered
throughout the city and include a portion of the Marie H. Reed
Community Learning Center, the old Meyer Elementary School site, the
Shaw Junior High School recreational fields, the Southwest Library
site, and a small traffic island at the intersection of North Capitol
Street and Florida Avenue. The transfer of these small parcels will
allow the District to develop recreational fields, encourage economic
development and improve livability in the District of Columbia.
As we begin to emerge from the Great Recession, the District needs
all available tools and resources to help promote economic recovery.
For years, the District has managed and maintained these properties,
which have no national, regional or historical significance, and are of
no interest to the federal government. My bill simply allows the
District to better utilize the limited land here for the benefit of the
city and its residents.
I ask my colleagues to pass this non-partisan, non-controversial land
transfer bill.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5494, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to direct the Secretary
of the Interior to transfer certain properties to the District of
Columbia.''
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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