[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.

                          ____________________