[House Report 115-368]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress }                                          { REPORT
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session   }                                          { 115-368

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TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONVEYANCE TO THE STATE OF IOWA OF THE REVERSIONARY 
  INTEREST HELD BY THE UNITED STATES IN CERTAIN LAND IN POTTAWATTAMIE 
                  COUNTY, IOWA, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

October 24, 2017.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Bishop of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted 
                             the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 2600]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 2600) to provide for the conveyance to the State 
of Iowa of the reversionary interest held by the United States 
in certain land in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon 
with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do 
pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF REVERSIONARY INTEREST REQUIRED.

  (a) Conveyance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey, 
without consideration, to the State of Iowa the reversionary interest 
held by the United States and described in the quit claim deed dated 
April 13, 1998, instrument number 19170, as recorded in book 98, page 
55015, in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
  (b) Costs.--As a condition of the conveyance under subsection (a), 
all costs associated with such conveyance shall be paid by the State of 
Iowa, including the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment.
  (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the State of 
Iowa should continue to provide information regarding the Lewis and 
Clark National Historic Trail, the California National Historic Trail, 
and the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 2600 is to provide for the conveyance 
to the State of Iowa of the reversionary interest held by the 
United States in certain land in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    On November 29, 1989, through Public Law 101-191, Congress 
authorized the Secretary of the Interior to provide for the 
development of a trails interpretative center in the City of 
Council Bluffs, Iowa. Public Law 101-191 states that the 
operating entity must operate and maintain the center and make 
no major alterations without the written authorization of the 
Secretary.
    In 1995, the National Western Trails Center, Inc., donated 
property to the federal government, and the National Park 
Service (NPS) later constructed a trails center on the property 
to interpret the history of the Lewis and Clark National 
Historic Trail, the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, and 
the Oregon National Historic Trail.
    In 1998, the federal government donated the trails center 
and surrounding property to the State Historical Society of 
Iowa. Federal ownership was transferred to the State subject to 
a reversion to the United States if the trails center is not 
being used for the purposes specified in Public Law 101-191. 
The deed also included the condition that ``the State of Iowa 
shall make no major alterations of the structure or ground 
without the express written authorization of NPS.''
    Since 1998, the State of Iowa has owned and operated the 
trails center. Presently, visitation at the center is very low, 
the hours of operation are limited, and maintenance is falling 
behind. The State of Iowa would like to remove the trails 
center from its responsibility and possibly transfer the 
property to the City of Council Bluffs for development. The NPS 
currently does not own or directly manage any of the land 
associated with Public Law 101-191, and it is the Committee's 
understanding that the NPS does not have interest in taking 
over operation of the trails center or ownership of the 
property.
    H.R. 2600 will convey the residual interest of the United 
States to the State of Iowa to clear title to the land. The 
State would pay the costs of the conveyance, including any 
environmental assessment.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 2600 was introduced on May 23, 2017, by Congressman 
David Young (R-IA). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 
on Federal Lands. On October 3, 2017, the Natural Resources 
Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was 
discharged by unanimous consent. Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) 
offered an amendment designated #1; it was adopted by voice 
vote. No further amendments were offered, and the bill, as 
amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by voice vote on October 4, 2017.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

      COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT

    1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. 
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the 
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                  Washington, DC, October 19, 2017.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2600, a bill to 
provide for the conveyance to the State of Iowa of the 
reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land 
in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and for other purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani 
Shankaran.
            Sincerely,
                                                Keith Hall,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2600--A bill to provide for the conveyance to the State of Iowa of 
        the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain 
        land in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and for other purposes

    H.R. 2600 would require the National Park Service (NPS) to 
convey to the State of Iowa the reversionary interest held by 
the United States in the Western Historic Trails Center in 
Pottawattamie County. The State of Iowa has owned and operated 
the center since 1998 and seeks to transfer the property to the 
City of Council Bluffs.
    CBO estimates that enacting the legislation would have no 
significant effect on the federal budget. Under the bill, the 
State of Iowa would be required to pay for costs associated 
with the conveyance, including the cost of any environmental 
assessments.
    Enacting H.R. 2600 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO 
estimates that enacting H.R. 2600 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 2600 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani 
Shankaran. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
    2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or 
objective of this bill is to provide for the conveyance to the 
State of Iowa of the reversionary interest held by the United 
States in certain land in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

                           EARMARK STATEMENT

    This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                       COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5

    Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any 
directed rule makings.
    Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not 
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government 
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was 
not included in any report from the Government Accountability 
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program 
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 
98-169) as relating to other programs.

                PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing 
law.

                                  [all]