[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 5, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H3440-H3441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXCHANGE OF NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION PROPERTY IN
PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (S. 363) to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to
convey property of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
to the City of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 363
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXCHANGE OF NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION PROPERTY IN PASCAGOULA,
MISSISSIPPI.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, if the Secretary of Commerce determines that it is in
the best interest of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and the Federal Government to do so, the
Secretary may convey to the City of Pascagoula, Mississippi,
by standard quitclaim deed, real property consisting of
parcels, or portions of parcels, under the administrative
jurisdiction of the Under Secretary for Oceans and
Atmosphere, including land and improvements thereon, within a
tract roughly bounded by--
(1) Delmas Avenue to the south;
(2) Pascagoula River to the west;
(3) Pol Street to the north; and
(4) real property owned by the City of Pascagoula to the
east.
(b) Consideration.--
(1) In general.--For a conveyance under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall require that the United States receive
consideration of not less than the fair market value of the
property or rights conveyed.
(2) Form.--Consideration under this subsection may include
any combination of--
(A) property (either real or personal), including tracts of
real property and buildings, owned by the City of Pascagoula,
that are located in such city south of Delmas Avenue, as well
as a contiguous portion of the street known as Delmas Avenue
adjacent to real property under the administrative
jurisdiction of the Under Secretary for Oceans and
Atmosphere;
(B) cash or cash equivalents; and
(C) consideration in-kind, including--
(i) provision of space, goods, or services of benefit,
including construction, repair, remodeling, or other physical
improvements;
(ii) maintenance of property;
(iii) provision of office, storage, or other useable space;
or
(iv) relocation services associated with conveyance of
property under this section.
(3) Determination of fair market value.--The Secretary
shall determine fair market value for purposes of paragraph
(1) based on a highest- and best-use appraisal of the
properties conveyed under subsection (a) conducted in
conformance with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for
Professional Appraisal Practice.
(c) Use of Proceeds.--Any amounts received under subsection
(b)(2)(A) by the United States as proceeds of any conveyance
under this section shall be available to the Secretary,
subject to appropriation, for activities related to the
operations of, or capital improvements to, property of the
Administration.
(d) Additional Terms and Conditions.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may require such additional
terms and conditions with the exchange of property by the
United States under subsection (a) as the Secretary considers
appropriate to protect the interest of the United States.
(2) Easements or rights of way.--The Secretary may grant or
convey to the City of Pascagoula a right of way or easement
if the Secretary determines such grant or conveyance is in
the best interest of the Administration and the Federal
Government.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva)
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?
[[Page H3441]]
There was no objection.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, S. 363, introduced by Senator Wicker from Mississippi,
would authorize the Secretary of Commerce to convey less than 1 acre of
property owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to
the City of Pascagoula, Mississippi.
{time} 1750
This would improve the operations of the NOAA science center and give
the city river access and space for a park.
The bill specifies that a land conveyance could occur provided that
the United States receives at least the fair market value for the
property or in-kind exchange. The city and the agency have identified
properties to exchange, and therefore, both parties are in agreement.
S. 363 would simply allow them to go forward with this land exchange,
so I urge its adoption.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Many years ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
fenced off two small parcels of land plus a portion of a street outside
of their Pascagoula, Mississippi, facility for security purposes.
Recently, NOAA has been using this property for storage and parking.
NOAA would like to secure this land, which is now back under the
ownership of the City of Pascagoula, to accommodate the storage and
future expansion of their facility.
In exchange for these two parcels of land, NOAA proposes to transfer
real estate to the City of Pascagoula to develop waterfront property
for the purposes of creating a public green space as part of the
overall redevelopment plan in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. NOAA and
the city have both identified the parcels of land to be considered for
this transaction, and NOAA is prepared to contract for the land surveys
and appraisals necessary to prepare the acquisition and disposal
documents. They have both expressed written support for this land
exchange.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. 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. 363.
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. HASTINGS of Washington. 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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