[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 54 (Thursday, April 3, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2151-S2152]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             GREEN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT HERITAGE PROTECTION ACT

  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I come to the floor this afternoon to 
request unanimous consent to pass a bill that is a very small step in 
what will be a very long recovery process for a community in my home 
State of Washington that was devastated by a landslide less than two 
weeks ago.
  This is the Green Mountain Lookout bill, which will be passed 
shortly. It is not going to rebuild anybody's home--which needs to be 
done--or provide desperately needed human aid that we are supporting 
through our recent Federal disaster designation. What this small, 
little bill does is provide a glimmer of hope for the long-term 
recovery of this region, and in particularly of the community of 
Darrington.
  For years now, along with Senator Cantwell, I have fought to pass 
this bill through procedural and political hurdles because I know what 
it means to Snohomish County and that region of my State. The Green 
Mountain Lookout is more than a hiking destination. It is part of the 
Pacific Northwest heritage. It is a cherished historical landmark. It 
is a place where parents have brought their kids for generations to 
appreciate the splendor of the great outdoors in the Northwest, and it 
is a place that has been a vital source of tourism-related income for 
the people who have been impacted by this deadly landslide that struck 
this region.
  I was in Darrington this weekend and had an opportunity to sit down 
with the mayor and many of the town officials--a town of about 1200 
people--and they told me tremendous stories about the families that 
have been lost, about people who had driven to the store on that 
Saturday morning and now only had what they wore when they left their 
homes a few hours earlier. I heard about the needs this community is 
going to have for a long time and the emotional impact.
  After finishing our official meetings, the mayor took us aside and 
told me, Senator Cantwell, and Congresswoman DelBene that the one 
glimmer of hope he thought he could provide for this community was 
passage of this Green Mountain Lookout bill that we are going to pass 
in just a few moments.
  So I want to extend truly heartfelt thanks to both Senator Landrieu 
and Senator Murkowski, who have been incredibly understanding, and to 
all the Members of the Senate who have been helpful in going through 
the process of getting the bill to the floor today. They know what it 
means when communities large or small are impacted by a disaster of 
this size, and both of them know that the Federal Government needs to 
be there quickly to provide support.
  Madam President, the people of Oso, Arlington, and Darrington have a 
very long road to recovery ahead, so I was very pleased when the 
President granted a major disaster declaration just last night which 
will be vital to meeting many of the immediate human needs that we are 
going to be facing.
  It is important that these communities know we are in it for the long 
term as well. Even a small step like this one that supports the 
region's tourist economy and brings that little bit of hope is critical 
to showing them that all of us and the Federal Government will be there 
for them. So as they mourn their loved ones and work hard to recover 
and ultimately rebuild, I am proud that we will not forget them.
  With that, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 338, S. 404.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 404) to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout in 
     the Glacier Peak Wilderness

[[Page S2152]]

     of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources, with an amendment.
  (Insert the part printed in italic.)

                                 S. 404

       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 ``Green Mountain Lookout 
     Heritage Protection Act''.

     SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF LEGAL AUTHORITY OF GREEN MOUNTAIN 
                   LOOKOUT.

       (a) Legal Authority of Lookout.--Section 4(b) of the 
     Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-339; 
     98 Stat. 300; 16 U.S.C. 1131 note) is amended by striking the 
     period at the end and inserting the following: ``, and except 
     that with respect to the lands described in section 3(5), the 
     designation of such lands as a wilderness area shall not 
     preclude the operation and maintenance of Green Mountain 
     Lookout.''
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the 
     Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984.

     SEC. 3. PRESERVATION OF GREEN MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT LOCATION.

       The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of 
     the Forest Service, may not move Green Mountain Lookout from 
     its current location on Green Mountain in the Mount Baker-
     Snoqualmie National Forest unless the Secretary determines 
     that moving Green Mountain Lookout is necessary to preserve 
     the Lookout or to ensure the safety of individuals on or 
     around Green Mountain. If the Secretary makes such a 
     determination, the Secretary shall move the Green Mountain 
     Lookout to a location outside of the lands described in 
     section 3(5) of the Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984 
     and designated as a wilderness area in section 4(b) of such 
     Act.

     SEC. 4. ALASKA NATIVE VETERAN ALLOTMENT.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Application.--The term ``application'' means the Alaska 
     Native Veteran Allotment application numbered AA-084021-B.
       (2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the 80 
     acres of Federal land that is--
       (A) described in the application; and
       (B) depicted as Lot 2 in U.S. Survey No. 13957, Alaska, 
     that was officially filed on October 9, 2009.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (b)  Issuance of Patent.--Notwithstanding section 41 of the 
     Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1629g) and 
     subject to subsection (c), the Secretary shall--
       (1) approve the application; and
       (2) issue a patent for the Federal land to the person that 
     submitted the application.
       (c) Terms and Conditions.--
       (1) In general.--The patent issued under subsection (b) 
     shall--
       (A) only be for the surface rights to the Federal land; and
       (B) be subject to the terms and conditions of any 
     certificate issued under section 41 of the Alaska Native 
     Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1629g), including terms and 
     conditions providing that--
       (i) the patent is subject to valid existing rights, 
     including any right of the United States to income derived, 
     directly or indirectly, from a lease, license, permit, right-
     of-way, or easement on the Federal land; and
       (ii) the United States shall reserve an interest in 
     deposits of oil, gas, and coal on the Federal land, including 
     the right to explore, mine, and remove the minerals on 
     portions of the Federal land that the Secretary determines to 
     be prospectively valuable for development.
       (2) Additional terms and conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require any additional terms and conditions for the issuance 
     of the patent under subsection (a) that the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate to protect the interests of the 
     United States.

  Mrs. MURRAY. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and 
passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 404), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Thank you, Madam President.
  I know the town of Darrington will thank you as well.

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