[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 185 (Monday, December 5, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H8132-H8133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   BOX ELDER UTAH LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (S. 683) to provide for the conveyance of certain 
parcels of land to the town of Mantua, Utah.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 683

       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.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Box 
     Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act'' and dated June 23, 2011.
       (2) National forest system land.--The term ``National 
     Forest System land'' means the approximately 31.5 acres of 
     National Forest System land in Box Elder County, Utah, that 
     is generally depicted on the map as parcels A, B, and C.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.
       (4) Town.--The term ``Town'' means the town of Mantua, 
     Utah.
       (b) Conveyance.--On the request of the Town submitted to 
     the Secretary by the date that is not later than 1 year after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey 
     to the Town, without consideration and by quitclaim deed, all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
     National Forest System land.
       (c) Survey; Costs.--
       (1) In general.--If determined by the Secretary to be 
     necessary, the exact acreage and legal description of the 
     National Forest System land shall be determined by a survey 
     approved by the Secretary.

[[Page H8133]]

       (2) Costs.--The Town shall pay the reasonable survey and 
     other administrative costs associated with the conveyance.
       (d) Use of National Forest System Land.--As a condition of 
     the conveyance under subsection (b), the Town shall use the 
     National Forest System land only for public purposes.
       (e) Reversionary Interest.--In the quitclaim deed to the 
     Town, the Secretary shall provide that the National Forest 
     System land shall revert to the Secretary, at the election of 
     the Secretary, if the National Forest System land is used for 
     a purpose other than a public purpose.
       (f) Additional Terms and Conditions.--With respect to the 
     conveyance under subsection (b), the Secretary may require 
     such additional terms and conditions as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate to protect the interests of the 
     United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  S. 683 would convey approximately 31.5 acres of the Wasatch-Cache 
National Forest to the town of Mantua, Utah. The lands in question are 
primarily open grasslands surrounded by agricultural lands. The town is 
seeking these lands for expansion of the cemetery and construction of a 
town hall and fire station.
  National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chair Rob 
Bishop is the author of the House version of this bill, and I commend 
him and Senator Mike Lee of Utah for their efforts in seeing this 
small, but important, conveyance enacted into law.
  I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a land conveyance to a small town in 
Utah which requires that the land be used for public purposes. Assuming 
this measure is approved today, this will be the third Congress in 
which the House has approved this legislation. We have been pleased to 
work with Mr. Bishop in the last two Congresses to secure passage of 
this measure and support passage again today.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 
such time as he may consume to the author of the House version of this 
legislation, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop).
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, 70 years ago the Forest Service paid 
the huge sum of $1 for two parcels of land, a total of 30 acres, 
surrounded on three sides by private property. In that intervening time 
period, per the Forest Service's own plans, not only have they not 
needed them, they have not used them and, until 5 years ago, forgot 
they had them.
  The city of Mantua now desperately needs this for its cemetery 
expansion as well as for a town hall and a fire station to protect 
people who actually go on the real forest lands.
  Three times this House has passed this piece of legislation, and the 
Senate has found it too complex to consider. This time, the Senate has 
passed a very similar bill over to us, not as good as the one we had, 
but when one considers we have sent over to them a budget bill, 
multiple appropriation bills, repeal of ObamaCare, 16 job bills, and 
numerous regulatory reform bills, the fact that the Senate did anything 
should be a cause of our celebration today.
  And, therefore, I urge, even though this is not a perfect bill, it's 
a pretty good one, so I urge its adoption so that we can send it to the 
President's desk and let the Senate know we do appreciate them when 
they finally, finally do their work.
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, although I really enjoy the opportunity to 
have a conversation about all of the work that's happening over at the 
Senate, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I urge my colleagues to support the 
Senate bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 683.
  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. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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