To provide for the conditional conveyance of any interest retained by the United States in St. Joseph Memorial Hall in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 494) to provide for the conditional conveyance of any interest retained by the United States in St. Joseph Memorial Hall in St. Joseph, Michigan, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill, H.R. 494.

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

This bill authorizes conditional conveyance of any interest retained by the United States in St. Joseph Memorial Hall in St. Joseph, Michigan, to the city of St. Joseph, Michigan. In the 109th Congress, an identical bill was introduced, moved through committee, and passed the House as H.R. 4700. Unfortunately, no action was taken on that bill by the other body.

The bill would complete a land transfer between the Federal Government and the city of St. Joseph, Michigan, that is very long standing. It goes back to 1935. The city in that year received a nonhistoric building and property with a restriction limiting use of the property to a public park. In 1954, the public use restriction was lifted on the parcel just north of the building through Public Act 348.

H.R. 494, the bill presently before us and its predecessor in the last Congress, conveys to the city of St. Joseph any interest in St. Joseph Hall that is retained by the United States. This legislation has the effect of removing the restriction requiring use of the property for a park.

City officials have asked for this transfer in order to permit the city to complete a redevelopment plan for the downtown that would utilize this parcel of land and the building. The city is further prepared to pay $10,000 to the General Services Administration for the transfer.

This legislation has been advocated by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) who has been very persevering in pursuit of this legislation. I have come to know the gentleman from Michigan very well personally through our work on Great Lakes issues and on the U.S.- Canada Interparliamentary Group in which we have both participated. He is very earnest about this project, and has been a very effective advocate for it. I am hopeful that with our action again in this body that we will be able to persuade the other body to move forthwith on the legislation and get it enacted.

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. Speaker, the bill before us, introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) on January 16, 2007, conveys the final interest retained by the United States in St. Joseph Memorial Hall in St. Joseph, Michigan.

St. Joseph, Michigan, is in the process of redeveloping an area of town that will link downtown with the beautiful lakefront district. Removing the deed restriction will allow St. Joseph to create a recreational, educational, and cultural district that benefits the entire community.

This redevelopment will make the city a more attractive place to work, live and play while improving the local economy.

H.R. 494 will allow St. Joseph Memorial Hall to be incorporated into these redevelopment plans. Under the current restriction, redevelopment of the area may be impeded by a deed restriction placed on the property by the Federal Government more than 70 years ago. The deed restriction on Memorial Hall has remained despite the fact that similar deed restrictions in the city have been lifted. If not lifted, limitations on this tiny parcel of land located in the center of the redevelopment will significantly jeopardize the city's plan.

The bill before us is a commonsense solution that will allow the city of St. Joseph to proceed with redevelopment. In the 109th Congress, the House recognized this as a sensible, simple solution and passed the same language in H.R. 4700. I support this measure, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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