[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 146 (Monday, October 3, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H6470-H6471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UTAH NATIONAL GUARD READINESS ACT
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 686) to require the conveyance of certain public land
within the boundaries of Camp Williams, Utah, to support the training
and readiness of the Utah National Guard, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 686
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 ``Utah National Guard
Readiness Act''.
SEC. 2. LAND CONVEYANCE, CAMP WILLIAMS, UTAH.
(a) Conveyance Required.--Not later than 120 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the
Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management, shall
convey, without consideration, to the State of Utah all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
certain lands comprising approximately 420 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ``Proposed Camp Williams
Land Transfer'' and dated June 14, 2011, which are located
within the boundaries of the public lands currently withdrawn
for military use by the Utah National Guard and known as Camp
Williams, Utah, for the purpose of permitting the Utah
National Guard to use the conveyed land as provided in
subsection (c).
(b) Supersedence of Executive Order.--Executive Order No.
1922 of April 24, 1914, as amended by section 907 of the Camp
W.G. Williams Land Exchange Act of 1989 (title IX of Public
Law 101-628; 104 Stat. 4501), is hereby superseded, only
insofar as it affects the lands identified for conveyance to
the State of Utah under subsection (a).
(c) Reversionary Interest.--The lands conveyed to the State
of Utah under subsection (a) shall revert to the United
States if the Secretary of Defense determines that the land,
or any portion thereof, is sold or attempted to be sold, or
that the land, or any portion thereof, is used for non-
National Guard or non-national defense purposes.
(d) Hazardous Materials.--With respect to any portion of
the land conveyed under subsection (a) that the Secretary of
Defense determines is subject to reversion under subsection
(c), if the Secretary of Defense also determines that the
portion of the conveyed land contains hazardous materials,
the State of Utah shall pay the United States an amount equal
to the fair market value of that portion of the land, and the
reversionary interest shall not apply to that portion of the
land.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands
(Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days 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 Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 686 is a bill I sponsored. It
is a bipartisan bill, and it has the sponsorship of all of the members
of the Utah delegation, Republican and Democrat, and directs the
Secretary of the Interior through the BLM to convey to the State of
Utah lands that have been withdrawn for military use by the Utah
National Guard and known as Camp Williams in Utah.
The National Guard has had this facility and trained at Camp Williams
since 1912. The 420 acres proposed for conveyance is located within the
boundaries of Camp Williams and has already been withdrawn for military
use by the National Guard.
The transfer will simply open up property that is along one of the
major corridors there to help support the military use of this camp.
For obvious reasons, placing the land in the ownership of the State
will allow the State to bond for other facilities that need to be built
there. The State of Utah will not bond for building facilities on land
it does not own. So the transfer of title to those lands also expedites
the building and expansion of Camp Williams and the training facilities
to improve the readiness of the Utah National Guard.
This conveyance without consideration is consistent with other bills
in which you are doing government to government conveyances. The bill
includes a provision directing the land revert to Federal ownership if
this property is not used for National Guard or national defense
purposes.
[[Page H6471]]
So the bill was passed by the House by a voice vote last Congress.
The administration supports this bill. It was requested by the Utah
National Guard. As I said, it is cosponsored by the entire Utah
delegation.
I urge its adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. SABLAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 686 will transfer a parcel of Federal
land to the State of Utah for use as part of a Utah National Guard
facility. The bill specifies that the land would return to Federal
ownership if it is no longer needed for national defense purposes.
This legislation passed the House under Democratic leadership in both
the 110th and 111th Congresses, and we support its passage again today.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. I have no requests for time, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss H.R.
686, ``Utah National Guard Readiness Act.'' The bill requires the
conveyance of certain public land within the boundaries of Camp
Williams, Utah, to support the training and readiness of the Utah
National Guard.
Our National Guard and in some instances combat soldiers of tomorrow
must have access to training. Our troops must receive the training they
need prior to being deployed in combat zones. By allocating parcels of
land for that purpose helps to ensure our nation's security. Camp
Williams, located 26 miles south of Salt Lake City, is a professional
training environment operated by the Utah Army National Guard. The Utah
Training Center consists of 24,000 acres of combat areas resembling the
same types of environments encountered by those currently serving in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Those facilities include small arms weapons
firing ranges, artillery firing points, demolition, grenade and crew
served weapon ranges.
This parcel of land will allow for specialized winter, desert,
mountain, and amphibious training. Urban environments include the Mac
MOUT Shoot-house, dismounted/mounted maneuver areas and the recently
opened FOB. Leadership and individual training is enhanced by utilizing
the rappel tower, leadership reaction course and Afghan Village. This
facility seems to be well equipped for training the Utah National
Guard.
The Utah National Guard has possessed facilities and trained at Camp
Williams since 1912. H.R. 686 would convey 420 acres of land within the
boundaries of Camp Williams, without consideration. The acreage
proposed for conveyance is already withdrawn for military use by the
Guard. This land transfer will open access to property along a major
transportation corridor with all the utilities and services necessary
to support expanded military use. The Utah National Guard already owns
and operates several buildings, an air traffic control tower and a
tactical airfield on portions of this property. Placing the land in the
State's name for use by the National Guard consolidates ownership
patterns in the headquarters area and allows the State of Utah to bond
for future Guard facilities. Transfer of title to these lands expedites
the building and expansion of Camp Williams training facilities and
would improve the readiness of the Utah National Guard. Additionally,
the bill includes a provision directing that the land revert to federal
ownership if it stops being used for National Guard or national defense
purposes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 686, 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. 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, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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