[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H633-H634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ILLIANA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM PROPERTY 
                               CONVEYANCE

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3262) to provide for the conveyance of land of the Illiana 
Health Care System of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Danville, 
Illinois, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3262

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. LAND CONVEYANCE, DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.

       (a) Conveyance Authorized.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs may convey to the Danville Area Community College of 
     Danville, Illinois, all right, title, and interest of the 
     United States in and to certain real property, including any 
     improvements thereon, consisting of approximately .6 acres 
     known as ``Building Number 48'', which is part of the Illiana 
     Health Care System of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
       (b) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance 
     under subsection (a), the Danville Area Community College 
     shall convey to the United States all right, title, and 
     interest of Danville Area Community College in and to certain 
     real property, including any improvements thereon, consisting 
     of approximately 1.06 acres with a gazebo located 
     approximately 293 feet south of the Danville Area Community 
     College Library Building, which is part of the Danville Area 
     Community College.
       (c) Condition of Conveyance.--The conveyance under 
     subsection (a) shall be subject to the condition that the 
     recipient accept the conveyed real property in its condition 
     at the time of the conveyance.
       (d) Description of Property.--The exact acreage and legal 
     description of the parcels of real property conveyed under 
     subsections (a) and (b) shall be determined by surveys 
     satisfactory to the Secretary.
       (e) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions in connection 
     with the conveyances under subsections (a) and (b) as the 
     Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of 
     the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.

                              {time}  1645


                             General Leave

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to add extraneous material on H.R. 3262.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Louisiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3262.
  This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to convey 
property on the VA Illiana Health Care System campus in Danville, 
Illinois, to the Danville Area Community College.
  Authorizing this conveyance would allow the VA to dispose of a vacant 
building for which it has no intended future use and is costly to 
maintain.
  It would also allow the Department to straighten their property line, 
subsequently shortening the amount of fencing that is required to 
secure the safety of the medical center campus.
  H.R. 3262 is sponsored by my friend and colleague from Illinois, 
Congressman John Shimkus, and I thank him for his leadership in 
sponsoring and advancing this legislation.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3262.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3262 authorizes the VA to convey to the Danville 
Area Community College of Danville, Illinois, what is known as Building 
Number 48, which is part of the VA Illiana Health Care System.
  In return, the college will convey back to the VA certain lands near 
the college library building.
  We do not have any issues with the legislation, and I urge its 
passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).
  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it does take an act of Congress to transfer 
lands and buildings, and that is kind of what we are doing here today, 
so I rise in support of this bill.
  It is a very simple bill that is going to benefit the VA there in 
Danville, but also the local community with the Danville Area Community 
College.
  Danville, Illinois, is a small town that has been home to some big 
names. Dick Van Dyke called Danville home in his childhood. Speaker Joe 
Cannon, a name we all know in Congress, was from Danville. Today, 
Danville is home to the VA Illiana Health Care System and the Danville 
Area Community College, commonly known as DACC.
  DACC's president, Dr. Alice Jacobs, is an exceptional leader who has 
dedicated 45 years to higher education, including the last 16 years 
leading DACC. She has recently announced her retirement in the coming 
year, and I thank her for her dedicated service to the students and the 
community of Danville and wish her the best in the future.
  The VA and DACC are an excellent example of how two institutions can 
work in cooperation to serve our veterans. The location of the VA 
hospital adjacent to the community college campus allows our veterans 
returning home to seek their medical care and help with benefits, while 
the college provides the opportunity for educational and training 
experiences that can help them transition into civilian life.
  However, when the property lines were drawn between these two fine 
institutions, it wasn't in a straight line. Today, that has created a 
challenge as the VA explores the option of building a security fence 
along its boundary. Building that fence along the existing property 
lines will be more expensive. My bill, H.R. 3262, solves this problem 
by swapping two small parcels of land that both the VA and DACC have 
agreed to, creating a straight fence line.
  Swapping these parcels is beneficial for the local community as well. 
In exchange for the land it gives up, DACC will receive a parcel of 
land with a historic, century-old Carnegie Library. This building has 
become so deteriorated and expensive to maintain that the VA has 
stopped using it. Now the building sits vacant while the VA still pays 
for basic maintenance and utilities. In its testimony to the House 
Veterans' Affairs Committee's Health Subcommittee, the VA stated that 
disposing of this building would save an estimated $98,000 over the 
next 10 years.
  Danville and DACC see great potential for the building. Through the 
generosity of a private donor, DACC plans

[[Page H634]]

to transform the old library into a cultural center, providing the 
local treasure. Swapping these parcels of land is a win for the VA, 
saving money on the construction of the fence and maintenance of an 
unused building, and a win for Danville, providing the community with a 
historically significant location to host a valuable cultural 
attraction.
  H.R. 3262 is a simple, win-win bill for all parties involved.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Brown for 
their support in moving this bill, along with the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee staff for their work in getting the bill to the floor.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3262.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3262.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Once again, I encourage all Members to support H.R. 3262.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3262.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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