Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District Land Exchange Act

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide a description and some color for this important bill, which passed this body last session in the 111th Congress without any objection and did not make it through the Senate last session.

Well, I am proud to say that, since that point, Senate bill 278 has cleared the Senate. It's the companion to my bill, H.R. 643. There are some minor changes to comply with House rules that are going to be sent back to the Senate, and we sure hope that, expeditiously, we can get this bill to President Obama's desk because what we're trying to accomplish here is very simple and noncontroversial.

It's the result of a longtime effort, far too long, by the Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District in Sugar Loaf, Colorado. This Fire Protection District came to national notice for their heroic efforts in the Fourmile Canyon Fire last year, which, remarkably, while it led to considerable property damage led to no loss of life, thanks in no small part to their heroic efforts.

Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service have always worked together very closely since the Fire District was created in 1967. The volunteer first responders at the Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District are the key to both wildland and residential fires in Boulder County, as well as car accidents and health emergencies in the communities and public lands that they so capably serve.

However, until this bill becomes law, they're unable to make any improvements to their facility. They can't even add a much-needed restroom facility so that their volunteers can have the same type of plumbing that we can expect in this day and age.

In its start, again, since 1967, the Fire District's physical home was established in an existing building on U.S. Forest Service land through a special use permit. Three years later a second building was constructed, another special use permit, both in important locations for accessibility on the few main roads that serve this mountainous area.

This bill will exchange the small amount of Federal land on which these facilities exist with private land that's been purchased by the Fire District for this transfer, land that's better suited for the scenic and recreational needs of the public lands. It's a net gain for our Federal Government.

While the U.S. Forest Service and these special use permits have been greatly appreciated over the 40-year history, it's important that the Fire District has the autonomy to direct its future, modernize its facilities, build basic amenities like running water and restrooms. And their location on public land has precluded them from making these modernizations, which we need to better protect both our wildlands and residential areas.

The surrounding communities have grown considerably over the past decades, and these volunteer fire departments and the buildings that serve them have taken on additional responsibilities as community meeting centers, making it even more critical that we update them to facilitate this role.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Chairman Hastings' and Ranking Member Markey's efforts in bringing this bill to the floor, hopefully seeing this bill through to law soon. This bill's been passed out of both Chambers of Congress now, but just hasn't been able to make it past the finish line within a single Congress in one form, barely running out of time in the Senate last year.

By the House agreeing to take up the Senate bill, I'm confident and thankful that this commonsense bill will finally become law.

Again, I thank Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member Markey for bringing this bill to the floor. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 278) to provide for the exchange of certain land located in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 such time as I may consume.

S. 278 will exchange approximately 5 acres of land between the Forest Service and the Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District in Colorado. The District has operated two fire stations on Forest Service land since 1967 but has been unable to install septic services or make other improvements to the fire stations since it does not own the land.

This bill would correct this issue by conveying the lands to the District in exchange for an inholding it currently owns within the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, at no cost to the Federal Government. The Committee on Natural Resources has already favorably reported the House version of this bill, H.R. 643, and if we pass this bill, the bill will go to the President's desk.

With that, I urge adoption of the measure and reserve the balance of my time.

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

I just note to my friend from Colorado, he said that the bill passed the House last year and the Senate didn't act on it. I think it's very good strategy on his part to take the Senate bill. Now we, of course, have to perfect it, but we'll send it back and maybe this will be easier for them to act. I certainly hope so.

With that, I urge passage of the bill.

I advise my friend that I am prepared to yield back if he yields back.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

Since 1967 the Forest Service has issued two special use permits to the Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District to own and operate two fire stations on National Forest System land.

The District would like to own the parcels of land on which the fire stations sit in order to build an area for firefighter training and bathroom facilities. The land exchange authorized in this legislation will assist the Fire District in its mission and is in the public interest. I support passage of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Colorado, Congressman Polis, sponsored the House companion to this legislation, H.R. 643. I commend Congressman Polis for his work on this bill and wish to yield him such time as he may consume.

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