[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20244-20245]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 RIO ARRIBA COUNTY LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

  Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 213) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey 
certain Federal land to Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 213

       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 ``Rio Arriba County Land 
     Conveyance Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) County.--The term ``County'' means the County of Rio 
     Arriba, New Mexico.
       (2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Alcalde 
     Proposed Land Transfer'' and dated September 23, 2004.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF LAND TO RIO ARRIBA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO.

       (a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, the 
     Secretary shall convey to the County, without consideration, 
     all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
     the land (including any improvements to the land) described 
     in subsection (b).
       (b) Description of Land.--The land referred to in 
     subsection (a) consists of approximately 171 acres of land 
     located on the Sebastian Martin Land Grant in the vicinity of 
     Alcalde, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, as depicted on the 
     map.
       (c) Reversion.--If any portion of the land conveyed under 
     subsection (a) ceases to be used for public purposes the land 
     shall, at the option of the Secretary, revert to the United 
     States.
       (d) Conditions on Sales.--If the County sells any portion 
     of the land conveyed to the County under subsection (a)--
       (1) the amount of consideration for the sale shall reflect 
     fair market value, as determined by an appraisal; and
       (2) the County shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal 
     to the gross proceeds of the sale, for use by the Director of 
     the Bureau of Land Management in the State of New Mexico, 
     without further appropriation.
       (e) Costs.--The County shall pay any costs associated with 
     the conveyance of land under subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Gohmert) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, S. 213 would convey 171 acres of Bureau of Land 
Management lands located on the Sebastian

[[Page 20245]]

Martin Land Grant to Rio Arriba County. The land is needed for county 
facilities, a cemetery for a local parish and a new public school.
  Representative Heather Wilson, as well as the two Senators from New 
Mexico, are also supportive of this bill. I urge the passage of this 
measure.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
champion of this legislation, my good friend from the State of New 
Mexico (Mr. Udall).
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Wisconsin.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge the passage of S. 213, the Rio 
Arriba County Land Conveyance Act. S. 213 will convey to the County of 
Rio Arriba approximately 171 acres of Bureau of Land Management land. 
The county intends to use this land for a new public school, county 
facilities and a cemetery for the local parish.
  Rio Arriba County in northern New Mexico is a vast, beautiful county 
with significant amounts of Federal land. The growing population of Rio 
Arriba has led to an increased demand for public services but no 
municipal lands on which to site them.
  Under most circumstances, this sort of transfer would be conducted 
administratively under the provisions of the Recreation and Public 
Purposes Act and authorizing legislation would not be required. This 
bill is before us today only because these lands are located on the 
Sebastian Martin Land Grant and were acquired by the Federal Government 
under the Bankhead-Jones Act. The Recreation and Public Lands Act does 
not apply to acquired lands, but the legislation is in keeping with 
provisions of that act.
  The Rio Arriba County Manager, Lorenzo Valdez, and members of the Rio 
Arriba Board of County Supervisors worked hard on this and diligently. 
School Board Chairman Joe Guillen and School Board members Leroy 
Salazar, Ralph Medina and Isaac Medina worked tirelessly to raise the 
money necessary to construct the new school.
  Father Terry Brennan, the Pastor of San Juan Pueblo Parish, helped on 
this effort in order to ensure that his parish would have the land 
necessary for a cemetery.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, we encourage adoption of this legislation, 
and yield back the remainder of our time.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers. We urge 
adoption and yield back the balance of our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 213.
  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.

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