Y Mountain Access Enhancement Act

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during the week of June 17, 2013. If I were present, I would have voted on the following.

Monday, June 17, 2013:

Rollcall No. 245: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 876, ``yea.''

Rollcall No. 246: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 253, ``yea.''

Rollcall No. 247: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 862, ``yea.''

Tuesday, June 18, 2013:

Rollcall No. 248: Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for H.R. 1947 and 1797, ``nay.''

Rollcall No. 249: Motion on Agreeing to the Resolution on the Rule for H.R. 1947 and 1797, ``nay.''

Rollcall No. 250: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1151, ``yea.''

Rollcall No. 251: Final Passage of H.R. 1797--Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, ``nay.''

Rollcall No. 252: H.R. 1896--To amend part D of title IV of the Social Security Act to ensure that the United States can comply fully with the obligations of the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, ``nay.''

Wednesday June 19, 2013:

Rollcall No. 253: Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for H.R. 1947, ``nay.''

Rollcall No. 254: Motion on Agreeing to the Resolution on the Rule for H.R. 1947, ``nay.''

Rollcall No. 255: Motion on Approving the Journal, ``yea.''

Rollcall No. 256: McGovern of Massachusetts Part B Amendment No. 1, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 257: Foxx of North Carolina Part B Amendment No. 3, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 258: Broun of Georgia Part B Amendment No. 5, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 259: Blumenauer of Oregon Part B Amendment No. 8, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 260: Blumenauer of Oregon Part B Amendment No. 9, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 261: Kaptur of Ohio Part B Amendment No. 14, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 262: Royce of California Part B Amendment No. 15, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 263: Chabot of Ohio Part B Amendment No. 16, ``no.''

Thursday June 20, 2013:

Rollcall No. 264: Brooks of Alabama Part B Amendment No. 18, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 265: Butterfield of North Carolina Part B Amendment No. 25, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 266: Marino of Pennsylvania Part B Amendment No. 26, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 267: Schweikert of Arizona Part B Amendment No. 30, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 268: Tierney of Massachusetts Part B Amendment No. 32, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 269: Polis of Colorado Part B Amendment No. 37, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 270: Garamendi of California Part B Amendment No. 38, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 271: Marino of Pennsylvania Part B Amendment No. 41, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 272: McClintock of California Part B Amendment No. 43, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 273: Gibson of New York Part B Amendment No. 44, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 274: Walorski of Indiana Part B Amendment No. 45, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 275: Courtney of Connecticut Part B Amendment No. 46, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 276: Kind of Wisconsin Part B Amendment No. 47, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 277: Carney of Delaware Part B Amendment No. 48, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 278: Goodlatte of Virginia Part B Amendment No. 99, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 279: Radel of Florida Part B Amendment No. 49, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 280: Walberg of Michigan Part B Amendment No. 50, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 281: Pitts of Pennsylvania Part B Amendment No. 98, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 282: Fortenberry of Nebraska Part B Amendment No. 100, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 283: Huelskamp of Kansas Part B Amendment No. 101, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 284: Southerland of Florida Part B Amendment No. 102, ``no.''

Rollcall No. 285: Motion to Recommit with Instructions for H.R. 1947, ``aye.''

Rollcall No. 286: Final Passage of H.R. 1947--Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 253, the Y Mountain Access Enhancement Act. This legislation would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to sell approximately 80 acres to the U.S. Forest Service land known for years by the residents of the city of Provo, Utah, as ``Y Mountain'' to Brigham Young University.

Located directly east of the BYU campus, the Y Mountain includes a trail that leads 1.2 miles from the mountain's base up to a large white concrete ``Y'' on the mountain's hillside, which was built over 100 years ago. The ``Y,'' which is 380 feet high by 130 feet wide, is even larger than the ``Hollywood'' sign in Hollywood, California, and serves as an insignia for Brigham Young University.

As an alumnus of BYU, I, too, have come to know the ``Y'' as a symbol of campus pride for the students, the alumni, and members of the greater Provo community. Some of my colleagues are probably wondering why did an island boy like me want to go to a place like Utah? I wanted to experience what snow was like; and guess what, you can have all the snow you want because I'm going back to the islands.

But I will say, Mr. Speaker, the ``Y'' is illuminated five times a year, including freshman orientation, homecoming, graduations in April and August, as well as ``Y Days,'' which celebrate BYU's week of service activities. As a nationally recognized symbol of BYU, the Y Mountain is also a featured shot in almost every BYU game broadcast on national television.

BYU currently manages the U.S. Forest Service portion of the trail. H.R. 253, however, proposes that the Federal Government sell Y Mountain at fair market value to Brigham Young University. The bill also guarantees that public access to the ``Y'' and the Y Mountain Trail be maintained following the sale.

Mr. Speaker, it is my strong belief that permitting BYU to purchase this property would result in better maintenance of the trail and mountain. Given the immense source of pride in Y Mountain, BYU ownership of the property would only result in improved maintenance, cleanliness, safety, and access for the public. The transfer of ownership would also allow Brigham Young University to preserve a significant monument for future generations of students and members of the community.

I want to especially thank my colleague, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz), for his sponsorship of the bill, who also happens to be an alumnus of BYU, for introducing this legislation, and I do urge my colleagues to vote in support of this bill.

The gentleman from Utah is very correct, this is very different and not nearly as controversial, I assure you.

H.R. 253, the Y Mountain Access Enhancement Act, directs the Department of Agriculture to sell 80 acres of U.S. Forest Service land to Brigham Young University often referred to as BYU. This parcel of land includes the block Y on Y Mountain, a major landmark in the Provo area.

H.R. 253 requires BYU to pay fair market value for the land and requires BYU to cover administrative and appraisal costs associated with the sale. Proceeds of the land sale would be used to reduce the deficit.

H.R. 253 guarantees public access to the block Y and the Y Mountain trail after the sale. BYU has managed this parcel of land for 50 years and has always allowed public access.

BYU actually owned the entire trail at one point many years ago. H.R. 253 would restore ownership to Brigham Young University, but BYU would have to pay fair market value for the land.

Currently, one part of the trail is owned by BYU and the other is owned by the U.S. Forest Service. Split ownership of the trail complicates trail maintenance and long-term planning, which ultimately puts public access at risk.

Restoring this land to BYU would provide long-term certainty by removing any questions as to who owns the land and who is responsible for maintaining the trail.

Hiking up the Y is a popular pastime in the Provo area, and H.R. 253 ensures that the trail will be maintained for future hikers.

This bill was introduced in the 112th Congress as H.R. 4484 and passed the House on voice vote. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this particular piece of legislation, and I appreciate the bipartisan support and work on this piece.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 253) to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of National Forest System land in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah to Brigham Young University, and for other purposes.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

With that, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am very proud of this particular bill, and I am happy to yield as much time as he may consume to the author of this bill, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz), with the understanding that he will explain to you that Y Mountain is not the same thing as Yucca Mountain.

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

Despite being a graduate of the University of Utah and finding myself surrounded by BYU people here--it makes me terribly uncomfortable--this is still a good bill. It is a win-win situation and will provide the experience of those at BYU and the

area a much safer and pleasant experience on Y Mountain, and so I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, due to my flight to Washington, DC arriving late yesterday, I unexpectedly missed the following rollcall votes:

On rollcall 245, passage of H.R. 876, Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act, I would have voted ``yea.''

On rollcall 246, passage of H.R. 253, Y Mountain Access Enhancement Act, I would have voted ``yea.''

On rollcall 247, passage of H.R. 862, To authorize the conveyance of two small parcels of land within the boundaries of the Coconino National Forest containing private improvements that were developed based upon the reliance of the landowners on an erroneous survey conducted in May 1960, I would have voted ``yea.''