[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6852-H6853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1430
ALASKA NATIVE TRIBAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM LAND TRANSFER ACT
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 623) to provide for the conveyance of certain
property located in Anchorage, Alaska, from the United States to the
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 623
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 ``Alaska Native Tribal Health
Consortium Land Transfer Act''.
SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) ANTHC.--The term ``ANTHC'' means the Alaska Native
Tribal Health Consortium.
(2) Property.--The term ``property'' means the property
described in subsection (d).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(b) Conveyance.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, but not later than 90 days after that
date, the Secretary shall convey to ANTHC all right, title,
and interest of the United States in and to the property for
use in connection with health and related programs. The
Secretary's conveyance of title by warranty deed under this
section shall, on its effective date, supersede and render of
no future effect any quitclaim deed to the property described
in subsection (d) executed by the Secretary and ANTHC.
(c) Conditions.--The conveyance of the property under this
Act--
(1) shall be made by warranty deed;
(2) shall not require any consideration from ANTHC for the
property;
(3) shall not impose any obligation, term, or condition on
ANTHC; and
(4) shall not allow for any reversionary interest of the
United States in the property.
(d) Description of Property.--The property (including all
improvements thereon and appurtenances thereto) to be
conveyed under this Act is described as follows: Tract A-3A,
Tudor Centre, according to plat no. 2013-43, recorded on June
20, 2013 in Anchorage recording district, Alaska.
(e) Environmental Liability.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
Federal law, ANTHC shall not be liable for any soil, surface
water, groundwater, or other contamination resulting from the
disposal, release, or presence of any environmental
contamination, including any oil or petroleum product, any
hazardous substance, hazardous material, hazardous waste,
pollutant, toxic substance, solid waste, or any other
environmental contamination or hazard as defined in any
Federal or State law, on the property on or before the date
on which the property was conveyed by quitclaim deed.
(2) Easement.--The Secretary shall be accorded any easement
or access to the property as may be reasonably necessary to
satisfy any retained obligation or liability of the
Secretary.
(3) Notice of hazardous substance activity and warranty.--
In carrying out this Act, the Secretary shall comply with
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 120(h)(3) of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9620(h)(3)).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.
General Leave
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. 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 Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H.R. 623 transfers by warranty deed a 2.79-acre parcel of federal
land located in Anchorage, Alaska, from the Indian Health Service to
the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. This consortium is a
nonprofit authorized by Congress to render health services to Alaska
Natives under a contract with the Indian Health Service.
The land has been used for parking to accommodate nearby facilities
run by the consortium and the Indian Health Service. It will be used to
construct a patient housing facility, thereby expanding its capacity to
offer vital health services for Alaska Native patients, some of whom
travel great distances from rural areas to receive care.
Following a subcommittee hearing on the bill in May, the Indian
Health Service administratively conveyed the land to the consortium by
quitclaim deed. H.R. 623 remains necessary because transferring the
land by warranty deed provides cleaner title to the property than by
quitclaim deed.
The bill was also referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
The chairman of that committee, Mr. Upton, has kindly foregone action
on the bill in the interest of expediting it for consideration on the
House floor. I thank him for his cooperation and have an exchange of
letters memorializing our agreement. CBO estimates that H.R. 623 would
have no significant impact on the Federal budget and would not affect
direct spending on revenues.
H.R. 623 is non-controversial, and I hope the House will pass it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, October 1, 2013.
Hon. Doc Hastings,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Longworth House
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Hastings, I write concerning H.R. 623, Alaska
Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act, which was
ordered to be reported out of your Committee on July 31,
2013. I wanted to notify you that the Committee on Energy and
Commerce will forgo action on H.R. 623 so that it may proceed
expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.
This is done with the understanding that the Committee on
Energy and Commerce is not waiving any of its jurisdiction,
and the Committee will not in any way be prejudiced with
respect to the appointment of conferees
[[Page H6853]]
or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar
legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming
this understanding, and ask that a copy of our exchange of
letters on this matter be included in the Congressional
Record during consideration of H.R. 623 on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Fred Upton,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, October 10, 2013.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R.
623, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer
Act. As you know, the Committee on Natural Resources ordered
reported the bill, as amended, on July 31, 2013. I appreciate
your support in bringing this legislation before the House of
Representatives, and accordingly, understand that the
Committee on Energy and Commerce will forego action on the
bill.
The Committee on Natural Resources concurs with the mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 623 at
this time, the Committee on Energy and Commerce does not
waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in
this or similar legislation. In addition, should a conference
on the bill be necessary, I would support your request to
have the Committee on Energy and Commerce represented on the
conference committee. Finally, I would be pleased to include
your letter and this response in the bill report filed by the
Committee on Natural Resources, as well as in the
Congressional Record during floor consideration, to
memorialize our understanding.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Doc Hastings,
Chairman.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
was established in 1997 to provide health services to Alaska Natives.
Based in Anchorage, the consortium now serves over 130,000 patients
from all over the State.
H.R. 623 conveys 2.79 acres of Federal land in Anchorage, Alaska, to
the consortium. The parcel will be used to construct patient housing
for visiting patients, allowing continued growth so that the Anchorage
facilities can meet the health care needs of more and more people from
rural Alaska. Some patients travel long distances to access health care
facilities in Anchorage. H.R. 623 helps ensure that traveling patients
are not burdened with finding their own accommodations. This is an
important component of making sure that all Native Alaskans have access
to equitable health care.
I am happy to report that the Indian Health Service transferred the
parcel in question by quitclaim deed on June 20 of this year.
While the consortium is now able to start planning and preparation
for patient housing, H.R. 623 transfers the parcel to the consortium by
warranty deed. This removes future complications and guarantees there
will be no hiccups in the development of additional patient housing at
the Anchorage site.
We support H.R. 623 and urge its passage by the House today.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for
commenting on this bill and supporting it, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 623, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________