[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H2063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ARBUCKLE PROJECT MAINTENANCE COMPLEX AND DISTRICT OFFICE CONVEYANCE ACT 
                                OF 2017

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. When the House adjourned on Wednesday, March 
8, 2017, there was a pending motion by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Webster) to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 132) to authorize 
the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land and appurtenances 
of the Arbuckle Project, Oklahoma, to the Arbuckle Master Conservancy 
District, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Webster) has 
16 minutes remaining, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman) 
has 19 minutes remaining.
  Without objection, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Brown) will 
control the time of the gentleman from California.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Florida.
  Mr. WEBSTER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton) be allowed to manage the remainder 
of the time for the majority.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 132, sponsored by Congressman Tom Cole of Oklahoma, conveys two 
buildings and two acres of land of the federal Arbuckle Project to the 
Arbuckle Master Conservancy District in Oklahoma. The district has 
operated and maintained the project for decades, and completed 
repayment of its capital costs for the project in 2012.
  While non-controversial, legislation is necessary in order to 
facilitate this and other Bureau of Reclamation title transfers. Under 
current law, these buildings and land remain in federal ownership until 
legislation is enacted to transfer the title to the District. Mr. 
Cole's bill achieves this objective.
  This title transfer is a win-win for the District and the federal 
government. The District will no longer be subject to certain federal 
paperwork requirements and the federal government will be relieved of 
all future liability and financial responsibilities associated with 
these facilities and land.
  I urge adoption of the measure, which overwhelmingly passed the House 
on a bipartisan basis in the last Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 132 would allow a title transfer of two Federal 
buildings to the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District in south central 
Oklahoma. These buildings are part of the Arbuckle Project, which is a 
water project authorized by Congress in 1962 to provide flood control, 
recreational opportunities, and municipal water supply.
  Nearly all of the facilities within the Arbuckle Project were already 
transferred to the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District in 2012 after 
the district finished repaying what it owed the Federal Government for 
construction. However, due to some overly narrow language in the 
legislation authorizing the Arbuckle Project, two buildings within the 
project have yet to be transferred.
  Transferring the two remaining buildings will save taxpayer money 
that would otherwise be needed to operate and maintain the buildings 
and will also relieve the Federal Government of any potential future 
liability associated with the buildings. This is straightforward 
legislation that should be quickly passed.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Webster of Florida). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Webster) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 132.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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