[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 31, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H5437-H5438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      LA PINE LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 270) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 
Federal land to Deschutes County, Oregon.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 270

       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 ``La Pine Land Conveyance 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) City.--The term ``City'' means the City of La Pine, 
     Oregon.
       (2) County.--The term ``County'' means the County of 
     Deschutes, Oregon.
       (3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``La 
     Pine, Oregon Land Transfer'' and dated December 11, 2009.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of 
     Land Management.

     SEC. 3. CONVEYANCES OF LAND.

       (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, subject to valid existing rights and 
     the provisions of this Act, and notwithstanding the land use 
     planning requirements of sections 202 and 203 of the Federal 
     Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712, 
     1713), the Secretary shall convey to the City or County, 
     without consideration, all right, title, and interest of the 
     United States in and to each parcel of land described in 
     subsection (b) for which the City or County has submitted to 
     the Secretary a request for conveyance by the date that is 
     not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
     Act.
       (b) Description of Land.--The parcels of land referred to 
     in subsection (a) consist of--
       (1) the approximately 150 acres of land managed by the 
     Bureau of Land Management, Prineville District, Oregon, 
     depicted on the map as ``parcel A'', to be conveyed to the 
     County, which is subject to a right-of-way retained by the 
     Bureau of Land Management for a power substation and 
     transmission line;
       (2) the approximately 750 acres of land managed by the 
     Bureau of Land Management, Prineville District, Oregon, 
     depicted on the map as ``parcel B'', to be conveyed to the 
     County; and
       (3) the approximately 10 acres of land managed by the 
     Bureau of Land Management, Prineville District, Oregon, 
     depicted on the map as ``parcel C'', to be conveyed to the 
     City.
       (c) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of 
     the Bureau of Land Management.
       (d) Use of Conveyed Land.--
       (1) In general.--Consistent with the Act of June 14, 1926 
     (commonly known as the ``Recreation and Public Purposes 
     Act'') (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.), the land conveyed under 
     subsection (a) shall be used for the following public 
     purposes and associated uses:
       (A) The parcel described in subsection (b)(1) shall be used 
     for outdoor recreation, open space, or public parks, 
     including a rodeo ground.
       (B) The parcel described in subsection (b)(2) shall be used 
     for a public sewer system.
       (C) The parcel described in subsection (b)(3) shall be used 
     for a public library, public park, or open space.
       (2) Additional terms and conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions for the 
     conveyances under subsection (a) as the Secretary determines 
     to be appropriate to protect the interests of the United 
     States.
       (e) Administrative Costs.--The Secretary shall require the 
     County to pay all survey costs and other administrative costs 
     associated with the conveyances to the County under this Act.
       (f) Reversion.--If the land conveyed under subsection (a) 
     ceases to be used for the public purpose for which the land 
     was conveyed, the land shall, at the discretion of the 
     Secretary, revert to the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana 
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LAMBORN. 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 Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LAMBORN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  S. 270 will convey to the city of La Pine and Deschutes County, 
Oregon, 910 acres in three parcels and requires that the land be used 
only for purposes consistent with the Recreation and Public Purposes 
Act. The conveyances would be subject to valid existing rights and will 
address the city's and county's need for existing land.
  One parcel of 750 acres will be used by the county to accommodate the 
expansion of its wastewater treatment facilities. The county will also 
use 150 acres to develop rodeo grounds and allow for the future 
development of ball fields, parks, and recreation facilities. A parcel 
of 10 acres in the center of La Pine will continue to be used for the 
public library and additional open space use.
  Finally, the bill requires the county to pay all administrative costs 
associated with the transfer.
  I urge support for the bill, 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, S. 270, sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden, 
provides for the conveyance of approximately 900 acres of land from the 
Bureau of Land Management to the city of La Pine, Oregon, and Deschutes 
County, Oregon. These lands will be used for public purposes as 
required by the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. We do not object to 
this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Oregon, my good friend and colleague, Mr. Walden.
  Mr. WALDEN. I want to thank my colleagues here on the floor today for 
their support of this legislation, S. 270, the La Pine Land Conveyance 
Act.
  This legislation was originally crafted over in the Senate by my 
friend and colleague, Senator Wyden. We've worked together on this 
project and thought that the most expeditious way to solve the problem 
for the people of La Pine was to just move his bill on through the 
Senate, and that's what we're doing today.
  The La Pine Land Conveyance Act is the result of efforts of local 
officials who recognized years ago that for Oregon's newest city, the 
city of La Pine, to be able to take care of its residents, it needed a 
helping hand from the Federal Government. Here's why:
  Seventy-eight percent of Deschutes County, the county in which the 
city of La Pine is located, is managed, owned, and controlled by the 
Federal Government. They're literally surrounded by Federal land. In 
fact, their own library sits on BLM land.
  So, as they became a city and began to try to address the issues that 
brought about their desire to be a city, they realized they needed to 
be able to expand a little and take care of some of their problems. So, 
S. 270 will provide the city with 750 acres so it can build a new 
wastewater treatment facility, which will allow the community to move 
off of septic systems and onto municipal water and sewer systems. They 
have a real problem in La Pine with a fairly high water table and 
issues related to septic systems, so this will help solve that.
  In addition, this legislation also transfers 150 acres to the La Pine 
Park and Recreation District to establish a more permanent home for 
what's known as the ``Greatest Little Rodeo in Oregon,'' the La Pine 
Rodeo, and also to help them build out one of their other celebrations, 
one which all Americans take advantage of, and that's the Fourth of 
July.
  Now, why are these two things important? Well, among another reasons, 
it's a job creator. Expanding out the rodeo grounds really will help 
them grow jobs in this remote, rural community in Deschutes County. In 
addition,

[[Page H5438]]

of course, transferring the other lands will let them have a library on 
their own city ground and be able to take care of the water needs for 
the community.
  So I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for support of S. 
270. This is one of those commonsense bills that actually brings us 
together and we can get some work done here for the people back home.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers. If the 
gentleman from Colorado has no further need of time, I will yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. I, too, Mr. Speaker, yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe of Texas). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 270.
  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. LAMBORN. 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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