A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey a parcel of real property to Beaver County, Utah.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 10 a.m., to conduct an oversight hearing on the semi-annual monetary policy report of the Federal Reserve.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on Wednesday, February 16 at 11:30 a.m., to consider pending calendar business.

Agenda

Agenda Item 1: S. 48--A bill to reauthorize appropriations for the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 2: S. 52--A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey a parcel of real property to Beaver County, Utah.

Agenda Item 3: S. 54--A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to update the feasibility and suitability studies of four national historic trails, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 4: S. 55--A bill to adjust the boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park in the State of Colorado.

Agenda Item 5: S. 56--A bill to establish the Rio Grande Natural Area in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 6: S. 57--A bill to further the purposes of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2000.

Agenda Item 7: S. 97--A bill to provide for the sale of bentonite in Big Horn County, Wyoming.

Agenda Item 8: S. 99--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract with the city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the storage of the city's water in the Kendrick Project, Wyoming.

Agenda Item 9: S. 101--A bill to convey to the town of Frannie, Wyoming, certain land withdrawn by the Commission of Reclamation.

Agenda Item 10: S. 128--A bill to designate certain public land in Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa Counties in the State of California as wilderness, to designate certain segments of the Black Butte River in Mendocino County, California as a wild or scenic river, and for other purposes.

The PRESIDING OFFICIER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Agenda Item 11: S. 136--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide supplemental funding and other services that are necessary to assist certain local school districts in the State of California in providing education services for students attending schools located within Yosemite National Park, and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to adjust the boundaries of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Agenda Item 12: S. 152--A bill to enhance ecosystem protection and the range of outdoor opportunities protected by statute in the Skykomish River valley of the State of Washington by designating certain lower-elevation Federal lands as wilderness, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 13: S. 161--A bill to provide for a land exchange in the State of Arizona between the Secretary of Agriculture and Yavapai Ranch Limited Partnership.

Agenda Item 14: S. 164--A bill to provide for the acquisition of certain property in Washington County, Utah.

Agenda Item 15: S. 182--A bill to provide for the establishment of the Uintah Research and Curatorial Center for Dinosaur National Monument in the States of Colorado and Utah, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 16: S. 272--A bill to designate certain National Forest System land in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Agenda Item 17: S. 276--A bill to revise the boundary of the Wind Cave National Park in the State of South Dakota.

Agenda Item 18: S. 301--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance in implementing cultural heritage, conservation, and recreational activities in the Connecticut River watershed of the States of New Hampshire and Vermont. In addition, the Committee may turn to any other measures that are ready for consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing regarding S. 131, Clear Skies Act 2005 and S. 125 to designate the United States courthouse at 501 I Street in Sacramento, CA as the ``Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse''.

The hearing will be held in SD 406.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 10 a.m., to hear testimony on the President's budget proposals.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 16, 2004, at 10 a.m., to hold a meeting on the foreign affairs budget.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 10 a.m., in SD-430.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 10 a.m., for a hearing titled ``Transforming Government for the 21st Century.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 9:30 a.m., in room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct an oversight hearing on the President's fiscal year 2006 budget request for Indian programs.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 16, 2005, at 10 a.m., to hold an open hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Obscenity Prosecution and the Constitution'' on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 3 p.m., in

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of S. 52, the Senate companion bill to an identical bill I introduced earlier this year. This legislation is important to my constituents, it would allow Beaver County, Utah to obtain and maintain the former Minersville State Park without restrictions.

This legislation would permit county officials to sell a small portion of this land to offset funding needed to operate and maintain the park.

In 1963, the BLM first granted a patent to Beaver County, Utah for the lands that are now part of Minersville State Park, and in 1964, title was transferred to the State of Utah Division of Parks and Recreation.

However, under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, Utah did not have authority to transfer title. Over the years, the State of Utah has made significant improvements to the Park, including building restrooms, campgrounds, a boat launch ramp, an entrance station, a pavilion and a maintenance building.

Under S. 52, Beaver County would be authorized to sell, at fair market value, portions of the property solely for maintenance and development of the recreational site.

Allowing the county this authority is vital to provide for adequate park maintenance. Currently, the park estimates that it is losing approximately $90,000 annually.

This legislation gives Beaver County the necessary flexibility to generate revenue for continued use, without which Utah will be forced to close the park.

Minersville State Park is a beautiful recreational site and extremely important to the residents, my constituents, in the surrounding area. Passage of this bill will prevent the park from closing by enabling the county to maintain and operate the park.

S. 52 is important legislation to both Beaver County and to my state of Utah. This legislation passed the Senate unanimously both in the 108th Congress and in late July of this year.

I urge passage of this legislation, it will benefit Utahns and all those who wish to visit this park.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 52) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey a parcel of real property to Beaver County, Utah.

Mr. Speaker, 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.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, S. 52, introduced by Senator Hatch, would convey the Minersville State Park to Beaver County, Utah. Representative Chris Cannon introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives, which has been approved by the Resources Committee.

Minersville State Park is currently owned by the Bureau of Land Management, but leased by the State of Utah for recreation. However, due to budgetary constraints and the park's loss of revenue, the State can no longer afford to manage the park. Considering its importance to the local community, Beaver County indicated its desire to own the park and, with title to the park, would have the flexibility to manage it in an economically feasible manner.

The State of Utah, the Bureau of Land Management, and Beaver County all strongly support this bill; and I urge passage of this noncontroversial measure.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, normally, a proposal to turn over parkland free of charge would raise serious concerns, particularly when the proposal would also allow the new owner to sell off some of the land.

However, in this instance, we are convinced that Beaver County must have a revenue stream if they are to continue operating this local park. This is compromise legislation that will allow the county to sell some acreage in order to maintain the remainder as public open space.

Mr. Speaker, we do not oppose Senate bill 52.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.