[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H5380-H5381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, FEDERAL LAND CONVEYANCE ACT OF 2014
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 3998) to authorize the Administrator of General
Services to convey a parcel of real property in Albuquerque, New
Mexico, to the Amy Biehl High School Foundation, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3998
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 ``Albuquerque, New Mexico,
Federal Land Conveyance Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of General Services.
(2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the
real property, including any improvements thereon, located in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, that, as determined by the
Administrator, subject to survey, generally consists of lots
12 through 19, and for the westerly boundary, the portion of
either lot 19 or 20 which is the outside west wall of the
basement level of the Old Post Office building, and which has
a municipal address of 123 Fourth Street, SW., in Block 18,
New Mexico Town Company's Original Townsite, Albuquerque, New
Mexico.
(3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the Amy
Biehl High School Foundation.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF REAL PROPERTY IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW
MEXICO, TO THE AMY BIEHL HIGH SCHOOL
FOUNDATION.
(a) Conveyance.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Administrator shall offer to convey to the
Foundation, by quitclaim deed, all right, title, and interest
of the United States in and to the Federal land.
(b) Consideration.--As consideration for conveyance of
the Federal land under subsection (a), the Administrator
shall require the Foundation to pay to the Administrator
consideration in an amount equal to the fair market value of
the Federal land, as determined based on an appraisal that is
acceptable to the Administrator.
(c) Costs of Conveyance.--The Foundation shall be
responsible for paying--
(1) the costs of an appraisal conducted under subsection
(b); and
(2) any other costs relating to the conveyance of the
Federal land under this Act.
(d) Proceeds.--
(1) Deposit.--Net proceeds received under subsection (b)
shall be paid into the Federal Buildings Fund established
under section 592 of title 40, United States Code.
(2) Expenditure.--Amounts paid into the Federal Buildings
Fund under paragraph (1) shall be available to the
Administrator, in amounts specified in appropriations Acts,
for expenditure for any lawful purpose consistent with
existing authorities granted to the Administrator.
(e) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Administrator
may require that any conveyance under subsection (a) be
subject to such additional terms and conditions as the
Administrator considers appropriate to protect the interests
of the United States.
(f) Deadline.--The conveyance of the Federal land under
this Act shall occur not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson) 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 in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3998, as amended.
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.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3998, as amended, will direct the GSA to convey
property in New Mexico to the Amy Biehl High School Foundation for fair
market value. The Amy Biehl High School is a public charter school that
has been using the building since 2006.
While the school currently leases the facilities from the General
Services Administration, GSA only receives nominal rent, making it more
costly to the taxpayer to maintain the property. In fact, the Amy Biehl
Foundation has invested funds to renovate and restore the building for
use as a school.
GSA has determined there is no Federal need for the property and
concluded the cost of managing this building exceeds any revenue.
Selling this property for fair market value will ensure the taxpayer
receives the best return on the property.
[[Page H5381]]
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3998 was introduced by
Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham and directs the GSA to transfer
the old Federal post office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the Amy
Biehl High School Foundation in exchange for its fair market value.
The Amy Biehl High School Foundation runs a public charter school
that was founded in 1999 and has been residing in the GSA-owned old
Federal post office building since 2006. Currently, the public charter
school has a long-term lease with the GSA for nominal rent.
GSA has determined that it would be best to remove the building from
their inventory because the building does not generate significant
revenue for the agency. In addition, the current lease is not
consistent with GSA's mission.
The charter school has been working with GSA on transferring the
building's ownership to the foundation since 2007. Today's bill, Mr.
Speaker, will allow that transfer to happen very quickly, while
protecting the taxpayers' interests.
I also want to take a moment to talk about Amy Biehl and the
inspiration for this great charter school. Amy was a 26-year-old
Fulbright Scholar working in South Africa when she was tragically
attacked and killed in 1993.
Amy's parents refused to allow their daughter's violent death to
become her legacy. Instead, Linda and Peter Biehl started a foundation
to build on their daughter's work toward peace, reconciliation, and
multiculturalism. The school in New Mexico builds on this work.
Approving this bill, Mr. Speaker, to transfer the lease at its fair
market value will simply promote Amy's legacy and benefit taxpayers.
I support this bill, Mr. Speaker, and I certainly urge its passage.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Lujan Grisham).
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I would like
to thank my colleagues from Indiana and Pennsylvania very much for
their support on this bill.
I rise today, of course, in support of my bill, H.R. 3998, which
would direct, as you have heard, the General Services Administration to
sell, for fair market value, the historic post office building in
downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the Amy Biehl High School
Foundation.
As you have also heard, the charter school is named after a young
Fulbright Scholar from Santa Fe who was, in fact, tragically killed in
South Africa in 1993 while working to end apartheid.
The high school is located in the heart of downtown Albuquerque. It
is a few blocks away from a public library, a historical city theater,
and a robust transportation center.
Fifty-five percent of the students receive free or reduced lunch, 64
percent of the students will be the first generation to attend college,
and 70 percent of the students represent minority families in New
Mexico. In fact, this school primarily serves at-risk youth.
The school's central location ensures that all of the students have
access to transportation and allows the school to partner with nearby
businesses and nonprofits to collaborate on community projects.
The Amy Biehl High School holds an impressive track record, with 99
percent of its graduates enrolling directly into college, and has been
a recipient of several awards.
In 2000, the school was designated as one of 20 Mentor Schools in the
Nation by the Coalition of Essential Schools. In 2006, the high school
also won the National Trust for Historic Preservation Award.
The school has leased the old post office at the corner of Fourth and
Gold in downtown and has held the lease from GSA since 2006. Currently,
this lease is for a term of 60 years. The building was built in 1908
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New
Mexico Register of Cultural Properties.
The Amy Biehl High School moved into the old post office, which sat
unoccupied for 6 years, and they were able to raise and invest more
than $3 million in Federal, State, and private funds to renovate and
restore the building for use as a school.
Selling the building to the high school provides the school with
greater autonomy. It opens the door to capital campaigns and creates a
permanent home for the school and the students.
The Amy Biehl High School Foundation and the GSA have determined that
transferring ownership of the building is, in fact, in the best
interest of both entities, the Federal Government and the school.
I would like to thank Senator Tom Udall for working with me on this
bill, and I ask my colleagues to support this legislation that will
help the Amy Biehl High School continue to provide Albuquerque students
with a first-rate education, while also preserving a historic piece of
downtown Albuquerque.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to put a plug in
for charter schools period. The Amy Biehl school is an example of what
can be done under charter schools and how it does serve a purpose.
We have been very successful in the State of Alaska with our charter
schools, and I think it is crucially important to understand that
sometimes other schools can fulfill that gap.
Apparently, this one does a good job, according to the young lady
that sponsored the bill and the gentleman that is managing this bill.
But let's just remember that when education is failing, then we have to
look for other alternatives, and this is a classic alternative.
Mr. Speaker, 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. 3998, 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.
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