Conveyance of Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona

Floor Speech

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Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1829) to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1829

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF PLEASANT VALLEY RANGER DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE SITE TO GILA COUNTY, ARIZONA.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) County.--The term ``County'' means Gila County, Arizona.

(2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Pleasant Valley Admin Site Proposal'' and dated September 23, 2021.

(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

(b) Conveyance Required.--Subject to this section, if the County submits to the Secretary a written request for conveyance of the property described in subsection (c) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the County all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the property described in subsection (c).

(c) Description of Property.--

(1) In general.--The property referred to in subsection (b) is the parcel of real property, including all land and improvements, generally depicted as ``Gila County Area'' on the map, consisting of approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land located in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.

(2) Map.--

(A) Minor errors.--The Secretary may correct minor errors in the map.

(B) Availability.--A copy of the map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service.

(3) Survey.--The exact acreage and legal description of the National Forest System land to be conveyed under subsection (b) shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.

(d) Terms and Conditions.--The conveyance under subsection (b) shall be--

(1) subject to valid existing rights;

(2) made without consideration;

(3) made by quitclaim deed; and

(4) subject to such other terms and conditions as the Secretary considers to be appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.

(e) Costs of Conveyance.--As a condition of the conveyance under subsection (b), the County shall pay all costs associated with the conveyance, including the cost of--

(1) a survey, if necessary, under subsection (c)(3);

(2) any environmental analysis or resource survey required under Federal law; and

(3) any analysis required to comply with division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``National Historic Preservation Act'').

(f) Environmental Conditions.--Notwithstanding section 120(h)(3)(A) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9620(h)(3)(A)), the Secretary shall not be required to provide any covenant or warranty for the land and improvements conveyed to the County under subsection (b).

(g) Use of Land.--The land conveyed to the county under subsection (b) shall be used by the County only for the purposes of serving and supporting veterans of the Armed Forces.

(h) Reversion.--If any land conveyed under subsection (b) is used in a manner that is inconsistent with the requirements of subsection (g), all right, title, and interest in and to the land shall revert to the United States, at the discretion of the Secretary.

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Ms. HAGEMAN. 1829, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Representative Crane's bill, H.R. 1829. This is a good bill that would transfer land from the Forest Service to create a retreat facility in Gila County, Arizona, for veterans and their families to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Gila County is home to more than 5,000 veterans. Overall, the State of Arizona has a population of more than 500,000 veterans. Creating this facility will help those who have served our country find healing and reconnect with nature, and it will help ease the transition back to civilian life.

Almost 60 percent of the land in Gila County is federally owned, which creates significant limitations on available land for laudable efforts like this proposed retreat for veterans. This retreat center would be created from a Forest Service site that was scheduled to be torn down. In total, this 232-acre site includes 17 buildings, 2 residences, 2 barracks, a historic ranger house and barn, and helipads.

Gila County intends to remodel many of the buildings to provide an excellent experience for veterans and their families. Repurposing the site in this way is a win-win, as it will be a great resource for Arizona's veterans while freeing the Forest Service from maintaining the property that it no longer needs.

I applaud Representative Crane for his leadership in this effort. His diligent work with Gila County and the Forest Service has led to an important effort which will make a meaningful difference in the lives of Arizona's veterans. I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1829, which would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.

Adjacent to the rural town of Young, Arizona, the parcel was previously an administrative site for the Forest Service but is no longer in use for this purpose. The conveyance authorized by this bill would provide Gila County with the opportunity to establish a veterans retreat and community center that would support the communities in Young and the surrounding area.

Supporting and uplifting our Nation's veterans is a goal that we can all get behind. It is never enough to tell our veterans: ``Thank you for your service.'' We must always act to show our gratitude by providing veterans the services they need wherever they live.

Our rural and Native American veterans deserve to have a place of their own on their own land to carry out the services we owe these patriotic rural and first Americans. This bill contributes to that goal by conveying Forest Service land to create a vibrant veterans center with family housing, resources, meeting and event spaces, a VA mobile clinic, ceremonial grounds, and access to outdoor recreational opportunities. The partnership made possible by this bill will provide new life to deteriorating buildings, barns, barracks, and existing wastewater systems.

During our hearing on the bill, the chair of the Gila County Board of Supervisors noted the goal of creating ``the ultimate experience for veterans and their families.'' This bill is a win-win.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I again applaud Representative Crane for his leadership in this effort. As a veteran himself, I know that he understands just how important this veterans retreat center will be for the community.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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