[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 177 (Wednesday, November 1, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8324-H8325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PROVIDING FOR CONVEYANCE TO IOWA OF REVERSIONARY INTEREST HELD BY 
      UNITED STATES IN CERTAIN LAND IN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, IOWA

  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2600) to provide for the conveyance to the State of Iowa of the 
reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land in 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2600

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

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF REVERSIONARY INTEREST REQUIRED.

       (a) Conveyance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior 
     shall convey, without consideration, to the State of Iowa the 
     reversionary interest held by the United States and described 
     in the quit claim deed dated April 13, 1998, instrument 
     number 19170, as recorded in book 98, page 55015, in 
     Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
       (b) Costs.--As a condition of the conveyance under 
     subsection (a), all costs associated with such conveyance 
     shall be paid by the State of Iowa.
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the State of Iowa should continue to provide information 
     regarding the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, the 
     California National Historic Trail, and the Mormon Pioneer 
     National Historic Trail.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Cook) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 2600, sponsored by my colleague, 
Representative David Young of Iowa.
  H.R. 2600 directs the Department of the Interior to convey to the 
State of Iowa the reversionary interest held by the United States in 
certain land in Pottawattamie County.
  By the way, there is going to be a test afterwards on this 
pronunciation.
  In 1989, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Interior to provide 
for the development of a trails interpretive center in Council Bluffs, 
Iowa. Six years later, in 1995, the National Western Trails Center 
donated property to the Federal Government, and the National Park 
Service later constructed a trails center on the property to interpret 
the history of the Lewis and Clark

[[Page H8325]]

National Historic Trail, the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, 
and the Oregon National Historic Trail.
  In 1998, the Federal Government donated the trails center and 
surrounding property to the State Historical Society of Iowa. Federal 
ownership was transferred to the State subject to a condition that if 
the trails center is not being used for the purposes specified in the 
1989 Act, the land and the center would revert to the United States.
  Since 1998, the State has owned and operated the trails center. 
Presently, visitation at the center is very low, the hours of operation 
are limited, and maintenance is falling behind. The State of Iowa would 
like to remove the trails center from its responsibility and possibly 
transfer the property to the city of Council Bluffs.
  The National Park Service currently does not own or directly manage 
any of the land associated with the 1989 Act. Moreover, it is the 
Committee's understanding that the National Park Service does not have 
any interest in taking over operation of the trails center or ownership 
of the property.
  I commend Representative Young for his outstanding work on behalf of 
his constituents. I would also like to thank the minority for their 
help and cooperation moving this legislation forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 2600 authorizes the conveyance to the State of Iowa the 
reversionary interest on the Western Historic Trails Center in Council 
Bluffs, Iowa.
  In 1989, Congress authorized the Department of the Interior to 
partner with the State of Iowa to create a trails interpretative center 
to support three National Historic Trails that cross through the 
region.
  In 1988, the Secretary of the Interior transferred approximately 400 
acres to the State of Iowa for use as a visitor center. Ownership was 
then transferred to the State with a reversionary clause that limits 
the use of the property to a visitor center.
  The National Park Service does not operate or maintain the current 
visitor center. However, under current law, if the State stops using 
the site for its intended purpose, ownership will revert back to the 
Federal Government.
  Since its establishment, the trails interpretative center has not 
lived up to its expectations. Visitation is low and the facility is in 
need of significant maintenance.
  The National Park Service and the State of Iowa have determined that 
termination of the reversionary interest makes both fiscal and 
operational sense. This will allow the State to sell the property to 
the city of Council Bluffs, allowing the city to maintain the facility.
  As long as the State continues to provide National Historic Trail 
interpretive services following the terms of the original agreement, 
Congress should be allowed to release the reversionary interest to this 
particular property.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa 
(Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank both of my colleagues 
from California. I want to thank the chairman and ranking member of the 
committee for their leadership and working together with me, the 
National Park Service, the State of Iowa, Pottawattamie County, and the 
city of Council Bluffs on this bill.
  The National Park Service holds reversionary rights to a small parcel 
of land in Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie County which highlights 
Lewis and Clark's travels with an interpretation center, as well as 
highlighting the California National Historic Trail and the Mormon 
Pioneer National Historic Trail. However, the National Park Service has 
limited resources and a limited desire to effectively operate this 
property with the hundreds of properties it already maintains across 
the country.
  So by listening to the Park Service, the State of Iowa, Pottawattamie 
County, the city of Council Bluffs, and local leaders and residents, a 
consensus and commonsense solution evolved to allow the city of Council 
Bluffs to accept responsibility for the property in determining its 
best use while still recognizing and highlighting the spirit and 
history of these historic trails.
  I thank my colleagues from California, the ranking member, and the 
chairman of the committee.
  Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COOK. 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 California (Mr. Cook) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2600, 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.

                          ____________________