[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     within the boundaries of the public lands currently withdrawn 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     Law 101-628; 104 Stat. 4501), is hereby superseded, only 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.

                          ____________________