[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 193 (Tuesday, November 28, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9442-H9443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE LAND EXCHANGE ACT OF 2017

  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2615) to authorize the exchange of certain land located in 
Gulf Islands National Seashore, Jackson County, Mississippi, between 
the National Park Service and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2615

       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 ``Gulf Islands National 
     Seashore Land Exchange Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. LAND EXCHANGE, GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE, 
                   JACKSON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.

       (a) Land Exchange Authorized.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park 
     Service (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') 
     may convey to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699 (in this 
     section referred to as the ``Post'') all right, title, and 
     interest of the United States in and to a parcel of real 
     property, consisting of approximately 1.542 acres, located 
     within the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Jackson County, 
     Mississippi, and identified as ``NPS Exchange Area'' on the 
     map entitled ``Gulf Islands National Seashore, Proposed Land 
     Exchange with VFW, Davis Bayou Area--Jackson County, MS'', 
     numbered 635/133309, and dated June 2016.
       (b) Land To Be Acquired.--In exchange for the property 
     described in subsection (a), the Post shall convey to the 
     Secretary all right, title, and interest of the Post in and 
     to a parcel of real property, consisting of approximately 
     2.161 acres, located in Jackson County, Mississippi, and 
     identified as ``VFW Exchange Area'' on the map described in 
     subsection (a).
       (c) Equal Value Exchange.--
       (1) In general.--The values of the parcels of real property 
     to be exchanged under this section shall be determined by an 
     appraisal conducted--
       (A) by a qualified and independent appraiser; and
       (B) in accordance with nationally recognized appraisal 
     standards.
       (2) Equalization.--If the values of the parcels of real 
     property to be exchanged under this section, as determined 
     pursuant to paragraph (1), are not equal, the values shall be 
     equalized through--
       (A) a cash payment; or
       (B) adjustments to the acreage of the parcels of real 
     property to be exchanged.
       (d) Payment of Costs of Conveyance.--
       (1) Payment required.--The Secretary shall require the Post 
     to cover costs to be incurred by the Secretary, or to 
     reimburse the Secretary for such costs incurred by the 
     Secretary, to carry out the land exchange under this section, 
     including survey costs, costs related to environmental 
     documentation, and any other administrative costs related to 
     the land exchange. If amounts are collected from the 
     Secretary in advance of the Secretary incurring the actual 
     costs and the amount collected exceeds the costs actually 
     incurred by the Secretary to carry out the land exchange, the 
     Secretary shall refund the excess amount to the Post.
       (2) Treatment of amounts received.--Amounts received as 
     reimbursement under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the 
     fund or account that was used to cover those costs incurred 
     by the Secretary in carrying out the land exchange. Amounts 
     so credited shall be merged with amounts in such fund or 
     account and shall be available for the same purposes, and 
     subject to the same conditions and limitations, as amounts in 
     such fund or account.
       (e) Description of Property.--The exact acreage and legal 
     description of property to be exchanged under this section 
     shall be determined by surveys satisfactory to the Secretary 
     and the Post.
       (f) Conveyance Agreement.--The exchange of real property 
     under this section shall be accomplished using a quit claim 
     deed or other legal instrument and upon terms and conditions 
     mutually satisfactory to the Secretary and the Post, 
     including such additional terms and conditions as the 
     Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of 
     the United States.
       (g) Valid Existing Rights.--The exchange authorized under 
     this section shall be subject to valid existing rights.
       (h) Title Approval.--Title to the real property described 
     in subsection (a) and the real property described in 
     subsection (b) to be exchanged under this section shall be in 
     a form acceptable to the Secretary.
       (i) Treatment of Acquired Land.--Land and interests in land 
     acquired by the United States under subsection (b) shall be 
     administered by the Secretary as part of the Gulf Islands 
     National Seashore.
       (j) Modification of Boundary.--Upon completion of the land 
     exchange under this section, the Secretary shall modify the 
     boundary of the Gulf Islands National Seashore to reflect 
     such land exchange.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Member may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 2615, introduced by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. 
Palazzo), authorizes the National Park Service to convey to the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699 1.54 acres located within the Gulf 
Islands National Seashore in Jackson County, Mississippi, in exchange 
for a 2.16-acre parcel of land owned by the VFW post.
  This bill benefits both the VFW post and the Park Service. It 
provides the VFW post with permanent access to their building via a 
long driveway currently owned by the Park Service while also adding 
land to the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2615 is a simple bipartisan bill that authorizes 
the exchange of two small parcels of land to provide needed access for 
our veterans in Mississippi.
  The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699 is located adjacent to a 
portion of Gulf Islands National Seashore, and while having a national 
park in your backyard is a desirable condition, the post has found 
themselves landlocked and in need of direct access to their facility.
  To solve this issue, the Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange 
Act will exchange approximately 2 acres of land owned by the VFW with 
1.5 acres owned by the Federal Government.
  The acreage required by the VFW will be used to establish a short 
driveway directly to the post while the land given in exchange to the 
Federal Government will be managed as part of Gulf Islands National 
Seashore.
  This exchange is supported by both the VFW post and the National Park 
Service and is a simple and logical solution to a local issue. I am 
pleased to see the National Park Service and the VFW working together 
to form a solution to this issue. This bill passed the House in the 
114th Congress, and I urge all Members to support this commonsense, 
bipartisan bill.

[[Page H9443]]

  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo).
  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Colorado for 
the time and for his positive comments, as well as Mrs. Torres, in 
support of H.R. 2615.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 2615, the Gulf Islands National 
Seashore Land Exchange Act.
  The Gulf Islands National Seashore is a national park that draws 
millions of visitors to the islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The 
Gulf Islands National Seashore includes the Mississippi barrier islands 
of Petit Bois, Horn, East and West Ship, and Cat, as well as the Davis 
Bayou Area.
  I am proud to have this important park and its natural beaches, 
historic sites, and wildlife sanctuaries within my district.
  The Gulf Islands National Seashore has been a part of the Mississippi 
Gulf Coast community since Congress established the park in 1971. Since 
that establishment, the Gulf Islands National Seashore has worked 
closely with the Mark Seymour Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699. In 
fact, the post has shared a road with the seashore for the better part 
of the last 30 years.
  The Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act would make 
permanent a 30-year easement that has provided an access road and 
driveway for the VFW. In exchange, the VFW will give the Gulf Islands 
National Seashore some of its acreage, which also includes valuable 
wetlands.
  The Gulf Islands National Seashore and the Mark Seymour VFW Post 
strongly support this land exchange, but the Department of the Interior 
needs congressional approval before it can make the land exchange 
official. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I encourage the House to pass this 
bill as a suspension vote.
  I would also like to thank the subcommittee chairman, Mr. McClintock, 
as well as Chairman Bishop and the Committee on Natural Resources for 
their support and help in bringing this bill to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, this is also a noncontroversial bill, and I urge the 
Senate to pass it without delay.
  Mr. TIPTON. 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 Colorado (Mr. Tipton) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2615.
  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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