[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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