[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 23816]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 23816]]

       DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO ISSUE A PATENT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 1218) to direct the Secretary of the Interior 
to issue to the Landusky School District, without consideration, a 
patent for the surface and mineral estates of certain lots, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1218

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That 
     subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall issue to the Landusky School District, without 
     consideration, a patent for the surface and mineral estates 
     of approximately 2.06 acres of land as follows: T.25 N, R.24 
     E, Montana Prime Meridian, section 27 block 2, school 
     reserve, and section 27, block 3, lot 13.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1218, a bill to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to issue to the Landusky School District in 
the State of Montana a patent for the surface and mineral estates of 
certain lots, totaling 2.06 acres.
  Landusky is a small agricultural community in north central Montana. 
An oversight in the original transfer of land from the Bureau of Land 
Management did not convey the surface and mineral estates on the two 
lots that the Landusky Elementary School has now occupied for a lengthy 
period of time. This legislation corrects that oversight.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1218 was introduced on June 14, 1999, by Senator 
Burns. A legislative hearing was held where the assistant director of 
the Bureau of Land Management testified on behalf of the administration 
in support of the bill with certain amendments.
  Today, we take up a bill fully supported by the administration and 
the other body. The estimated fair market value of the parcels is only 
$30,300. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  The gentleman from Alaska has quite properly explained the 
legislation. The administration supports this bill, and we have no 
objections to it.
  S. 1218 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey, without 
consideration, the surface and subsurface mineral estates of about two 
acres of federal land to the Landusky School District, located in 
Montana.
  According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the school district 
currently operates and maintains an elementary school and auxiliary 
school buildings on the land and bears full financial responsibility 
for the property. The land currently generates no federal receipts, and 
BLM does not expect the land to generate any significant receipts over 
the next 10 years.
  The administration supports S. 1218. We have no objection to the 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. 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 Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 1218.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________