[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5422-5423]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1650
   RELEASE OF REVERSIONARY INTEREST AND USE CONDITIONS, COOK COUNTY 
                    AIRPORT, COOK COUNTY, MINNESOTA

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 2947) to provide for the release of the reversionary 
interest held by the United States in certain land conveyed by the 
United States in 1950 for the establishment of an airport in Cook 
County, Minnesota.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2947

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

     SECTION 1. RELEASE OF REVERSIONARY INTEREST AND USE 
                   CONDITIONS, COOK COUNTY AIRPORT, COOK COUNTY, 
                   MINNESOTA.

       (a) Release of Reversionary Interest Required.--The 
     Secretary of Agriculture, acting on behalf of the United 
     States, shall release, without consideration--
       (1) the conditions imposed on the use of the parcel of land 
     originally conveyed by the Secretary pursuant to section 16 
     of the Federal Airport Act (Act of May 13, 1946, ch. 251, 60 
     Stat. 170) to the State of Minnesota by deed executed May 31, 
     1950, for the establishment of an airport in Cook County, 
     Minnesota; and
       (2) the reversionary interest retained by the United States 
     in connection with such conditions.
       (b) Instrument of Release.--The Secretary of Agriculture 
     shall execute and file in the appropriate office a deed of 
     release, amended deed, or other appropriate instrument 
     reflecting the release of the reversionary interest and 
     conditions under subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. 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 Utah?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Once again, we have a problem that should easily 
be corrected and a bill that does that.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish to yield as much time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack) to explain his particular piece 
of legislation.
  Mr. CRAVAACK. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2947.
  This straightforward, commonsense bill will remedy an unintentional 
consequence of the restrictive language of the original deed set in 
Cook County, Minnesota.
  In the 1950s, the Secretary of Agriculture granted a deed to the 
State of Minnesota to build an airport in Cook County. The deed only 
allowed the land to be used for airport purposes. That made sense at 
the time, but it now precludes the county from building a connector 
road on a sliver of the land. The connector project enjoys broad 
support throughout the community. H.R. 2947 does not seek any 
appropriation of Federal funds, nor does it authorize the project. It 
merely only proposes to remove a clause placed in the deed when the 
land was originally granted. This bill allows Cook County, Minnesota, 
to manage their own land as they see fit. The bill enjoys bipartisan 
support of Minnesota Senators and Minnesota State representatives.
  I've reached out to the United States Forest Service, and they have 
responded by saying they have no objections and support this 
legislation moving forward. I look forward to quickly remedying this 
problem so that Cook County can create jobs and improve the lives of 
its residents and businesses.
  I ask for my colleagues to please join me in supporting this bill.

[[Page 5423]]


  Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2947 releases a reversionary interest held by the 
United States to a parcel of land in Cook County, Minnesota. The 
release of this interest will allow Cook County to use this land for a 
local highway.
  We have no objections to this legislation, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. This is another great solution to a problem that 
should have been solved at some other level. I appreciate the gentleman 
for bringing it back.
  I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2947.
  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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