[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 77 (Monday, May 16, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H2391-H2392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONVEYING FEDERAL PROPERTY TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (S. 1492) to direct the Administrator of General 
Services, on behalf of the Archivist of the United States, to convey 
certain Federal property located in the State of Alaska to the 
Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1492

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

     SECTION 1. REAL PROPERTY CONVEYANCE.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Archivist.--The term ``Archivist'' means the Archivist 
     of the United States.
       (2) City.--The term ``City'' means the Municipality of 
     Anchorage, Alaska.
       (b) Conveyance.--
       (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and after completion of the survey and 
     appraisal described in this section, the Administrator of 
     General Services, on behalf of the Archivist, shall offer to 
     convey to the City by quitclaim deed for the consideration 
     and under the conditions described in subsection (d), all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to a 
     parcel of real property described in subsection (c).
       (2) Costs of conveyance.--The City shall be responsible for 
     paying--
       (A) the costs of an appraisal conducted pursuant to 
     subsection (d)(1)(B); and
       (B) any other costs relating to the conveyance of the 
     Federal property under this Act.
       (c) Legal Description of Property.--
       (1) In general.--The parcel to be conveyed under subsection 
     (b) consists of approximately 9 acres and improvements 
     located at 400 East Fortieth Avenue in the City that is 
     administered by the National Archives and Records 
     Administration.
       (2) Survey required.--As soon as practicable after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the exact acreage and legal 
     description of the real property to be conveyed under 
     subsection (b) shall be determined by a survey, paid for by 
     the City, that is satisfactory to the Archivist.
       (d) Terms and Conditions.--
       (1) Consideration.--
       (A) In general.--As consideration for the conveyance of the 
     property under subsection (b), the City shall pay to the 
     Archivist an amount not less than the fair market value of 
     the conveyed property, to be determined as provided in 
     subparagraph (B).
       (B) Appraisal.--The fair market value of the property to be 
     conveyed under subsection (b) shall be determined based on an 
     appraisal that--
       (i) is conducted by a licensed, independent appraiser that 
     is approved by the Archivist and the City;
       (ii) is based on the highest and best use of the property;
       (iii) is approved by the Archivist; and
       (iv) is paid for by the City.
       (2) Preconveyance entry.--The Archivist, on terms and 
     conditions the Archivist determines to be appropriate, may 
     authorize the City to enter the property at no charge for 
     preconstruction and construction activities.
       (3) Additional terms and conditions.--The Archivist may 
     require additional terms and conditions in connection with 
     the conveyance under subsection (b) as the Archivist 
     considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United 
     States.
       (e) Proceeds.--Any net proceeds received by the Archivist 
     as a result of the conveyance under this Act shall be 
     deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction, in 
     such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury considers 
     appropriate.

  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 have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 1492.
  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.
  For the record, this is the same bill that has passed this House 
twice unanimously. It was over in the Senate, and they sent it back to 
us. It is a very simple bill that would direct the General Services 
Administration, on behalf of the National Archives, to convey property 
to Alaska, to the city of Anchorage.
  I am pleased that the sponsor of the House companion bill, as I 
mentioned before, has been passed by the House twice and has now been 
sent back to my senator, Senator Dan Sullivan.
  The National Archives has determined that it no longer needs the 
property and wants to sell it as part of its efforts to shrink its real 
estate footprint and reduce the costs to the taxpayer. The bill will 
require fair market value for the property based on an independent 
appraisal. The proceeds will be deposited into the Treasury and will be 
used for deficit reduction.
  This bill is in line with what we have been urging all Federal 
agencies to do--consolidate and reduce their space and sell unneeded 
properties.
  The municipality of Anchorage requested this land be made available, 
and the city council passed a resolution that thanks the delegation for 
supporting this legislation. I am very excited to get this land into 
the hands of the municipality of Anchorage for development purposes.
  I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I support S. 1492, which directs the GSA, on behalf of the Archivist 
of the United States, to convey 9 acres of property in Anchorage, 
Alaska, to the local municipality in exchange for its fair market 
value.
  The GSA and the Archivist of the United States have come to the 
conclusion that this property is underutilized and is no longer needed 
by the Federal Government. A House version of this bill was reported 
out of committee by a voice vote and was subsequently passed by the 
House. Selling this property to the city of Anchorage, Alaska, at its 
fair market value protects the interests of taxpayers who acquired the 
property. It also allows the Federal Government to shed the costs of 
maintaining and securing an unneeded property.
  Finally, I encourage the GSA to continue using its existing authority 
and expertise to identify and dispose of other pieces of underutilized 
Federal real estate as appropriate.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support 
this legislation, and I urge its passage.
  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, S. 1492.

[[Page H2392]]

  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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