[Senate Report 108-133]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 257
108th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                    108-133
======================================================================
 
          SANDPOINT LAND AND FACILITIES CONVEYANCE ACT OF 2003

                                _______
                                

                August 26, 2003.--Ordered to be printed

     Filed, under authority of the order of the Senate of July 29 
                    (legislative day, July 21), 2003

                                _______
                                

   Mr. Domenici, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 435]

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 
referred the bill (S. 435) to provide for the conveyance by the 
Secretary of Agriculture of the Sandpoint Federal Building and 
adjacent land in Sandpoint, Idaho, and for other purposes, 
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with 
amendments and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
    The amendments are as follows:
    1. On page 6, line 4, insert ``section 13 of'' before ``the 
Act''.
    2. On page 6, lines 6 and 7, strike ``the fourteenth 
paragraph under the heading `Forest Service' in''.

                         PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE

    The purpose of S. 435 is to provide for the conveyance by 
the Secretary of Agriculture of The Sandpoint Federal Building 
and adjacent land in Sandpoint, Idaho.

                          BACKGROUND AND NEED

    S. 435 transfers ownership of a General Service 
Administration (GSA) building currently housing the Forest 
Service offices. The bill also provides authority for the 
Forest Service to work with Bonner County to transfer the 
building to Bonner County in exchange for a new and more 
functional building. This transfer of ownership will not only 
provide the opportunity for the local Forest Service office to 
obtain a facility that best meets their needs, but also will 
meet the facility needs of Bonner County.
    The transfer of this facility will allow the Forest Service 
to improve service to the public, improve public and employee 
safety, and make the Idaho Panhandle National Forest more 
financially competitive. In turn, Bonner County will benefit by 
obtaining a building in which they can consolidate county 
offices so that better services can be provided to the local 
public.
    Additionally, the GSA will dispose of a building that is 
only partially occupied and is remotely located from other GSA 
facilities.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    S. 435 was introduced by Senator Craig for himself and 
Senator Crapo on February 25, 2003. The Subcommittee on Public 
Lands and Forests held a hearing on S. 435 on June 12, 2003. 
The Committee favorably reported S. 435 with an amendment on 
July 23, 2003.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in an open 
business session on July 23, 2003, by a voice vote of a quorum 
present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 435, if amended as 
described herein.

                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources adopted two 
amendments that made minor technical corrections to two of the 
citations in section 3(c)(2) and (3) of the bill.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

    Section 1 provides the short title for the bill.
    Section 2(a) directs the Administrator of General Services 
Administration to transfer the Sandpoint Federal Building to 
the Secretary of Agriculture.
    Subsection (b) requires the Secretary to assume the 
obligation of the Administrator of General Service 
Administration to the Federal Finance Bank.
    Subsection (c) authorizes the Secretary to convey the 
property identified in subsection (a) by quitclaim deed. This 
subsection also authorizes the Secretary to solicit and reject 
offers for the conveyance of the property.
    Subsection (d) provides that (1) an amount equal to the 
fair market value of the property will be paid to the 
Secretary; such amount can be paid with cash or construction of 
facilities for the Forest Service; (2) if the consideration is 
construction, such construction must be built according to 
terms and conditions of the Secretary; and (3) cash 
equalization may be accepted that equals an amount greater than 
25 percent of the land value.
    Section 3(a) directs the Secretary to deposit the proceeds 
derived from conveyances in the fund established by the Sisk 
Act to pay for the acquisition, construction, or improvement of 
administrative facilities for the Forest Service, or the 
acquisition of lands and interests in the Northern Region of 
the Forest Service in the State of Idaho.
    Subsection (c) imposes limits on the use of funds deposited 
under this section and directs that they cannot be distributed 
to states or counties.
    Subsection (d) directs that lands acquired under this Act 
be managed in accordance with the Weeks Law.
    Subsection (e) states that the conveyance of property under 
this section shall be subject to the laws applicable to 
conveyances of National Forest System land.

                   COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

    The Congressional Budget Office estimate of the costs of 
this measure has been requested but was not received at the 
time the report was filed. When the report is available, the 
Chairman will request it to be printed in the Congressional 
Record for the advice of the Senate.

                      REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

    In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following 
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in 
carrying out S. 435. The bill is not a regulatory measure in 
the sense of imposing Government-established standards or 
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals 
and businesses.
    No personal information would be collected in administering 
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal 
privacy.
    Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the 
enactment of S. 425, as ordered reported.

                        EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

    The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has requested 
legislative reports from the Department of Agriculture and the 
Office of Management and Budget setting forth Executive agency 
recommendations on S. 435. These reports had not been received 
at the time the report on S. 435 was filed. When the reports 
become available, the Chairman will request that they be 
printed in the Congressional Record for the advice of the 
Senate. The testimony provided by the United States Forest 
Service at the Subcommittee hearing follows:

Statement of Tom Thompson, Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest 
                   Service, Department of Agriculture

    S. 435 directs the Administrator of General Services 
Administration to transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture, 
without reimbursement, administrative jurisdiction over the 
Sandpoint Federal Building and 3.17 acres of land in Sandpoint, 
Idaho. The bill requires the Secretary to assume the obligation 
of the Administrator to repay to the Federal Finance Bank the 
debt incurred with respect to the property.
    S. 435 authorizes the Secretary to sell or exchange all 
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
property for market value. An exchange consideration may, if 
elected by the Secretary, include the construction of 
administration facilities for the National Forest System in 
Bonner County, Idaho. The bill requires the entity acquiring 
the property to honor any outstanding indebtedness on the 
property to the Federal Finance Bank.
    Further, the Secretary can use proceeds from the sale of 
the property only for: (1) the acquisition, construction, or 
improvement of administrative facilities and associated land; 
and (2) the acquisition of land and interests in land for 
addition to National Forest System in the Northern Region of 
the Forest Service in Idaho.
    The Forest Service has leased the General Services 
Administration Sandpoint Federal Building for almost 30 years. 
The building is too large for the combined federal presence and 
steps should be taken to address this problem. The 
Administration is still developing a position on this bill.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no 
changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 435 as ordered 
reported.

                                
