To provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of National Forest System land in Los Padres National Forest in California, and for other purposes.

Thank you to my colleague for yielding and to Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member DeFazio for the work that has gone on in bringing this bill to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 3008. My legislation will authorize the Forest Service to convey a small parcel of land on the perimeter of the Los Padres National Forest in my district to a local nonprofit organization, the White Lotus Foundation.

Over 30 years ago, the White Lotus Foundation purchased property on the border of the Los Padres National Forest in the hills above Santa Barbara, California. Soon after acquiring the property, the foundation received notice of a small encroachment onto a piece of Forest Service land that is detached from the rest of the forest. This encroachment is located on the only road that allows White Lotus and the public access to and from the foundation's property.

Due to the steep topography of the area, there are no other reasonable alternatives that would retain public access to the facility. One piece of the encroachment lies on flat ground that holds equipment for fire and flood emergencies and provides access to a water pump and other necessary equipment. There are no other viable areas to move this equipment. So without this small piece of land, the facility would be forced to close its doors.

White Lotus and the Forest Service have spent several years searching for an administrative solution, but have determined that legislation is the only viable way to permanently resolve this matter. My legislation simply authorizes the Forest Service to enter into a land exchange with the White Lotus Foundation for land worth no less than the appraised market value.

If this land exchange does not occur within 2 years, the Forest Service will sell the small parcel of land to the foundation at fair market value. Prior to the exchange or sale of this land, however, the Forest Service must first certify that it is in the public interest, and it can also impose additional conditions it deems appropriate.

Also, it is important to note that if the land sale does go forward, it will not cost taxpayers a single dime. The legislation requires White Lotus to pay for the land, the survey, and all administrative and related costs. There are no exemptions from NEPA or any other environmental laws, and the land in question is not protected wilderness or any other specifically designated area.

This is a straightforward bill to provide a reasonable solution for the White Lotus Foundation and the Forest Service. In fact, nearly identical legislation, sponsored by our former Republican colleague, Elton Gallegly, passed this House unanimously last Congress. The area is now in my congressional district, and I am pleased to sponsor the bill this Congress.

Again, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for bringing the bill to the floor, and I do urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills:

S. 1049 and H.R. 2166, to direct the Secretary of the

Interior and Secretary of Agriculture to expedite access to

certain Federal lands under the administrative jurisdiction

of each Secretary for good Samaritan search-and-recovery

missions, and for other purposes;

S. 1437, to provide for the release of the reversionary

interest held by the United States in certain land conveyed

in 1954 by the United States, acting through the Director of

the Bureau of Land Management, to the State of Oregon for the

establishment of the Hermiston Agricultural Research and

Extension Center of Oregon State University in Hermiston,

Oregon;

S. 1554, to direct the heads of Federal public land

management agencies to prepare reports on the availability of

public access and egress to Federal public land for hunting,

fishing, and other recreational purposes, to amend the Land

and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to provide funding

for recreational public access to Federal land, and for other

purposes;

S. 1605, for the relief of Michael G. Faber;

S. 1640, to facilitate planning, permitting,

administration, implementation, and monitoring of pinyon-

juniper dominated landscape restoration projects within

Lincoln County, Nevada, and for other purposes;

S. 1888 and H.R. 1241, to facilitate a land exchange

involving certain National Forest System land in the Inyo

National Forest, and for other purposes;

S. 2123, to authorize the exchange of certain Federal land

and non-Federal land in the State of Minnesota;

S. 2616, to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey

certain Federal land to Idaho County in the State of Idaho,

and for other purposes;

H.R. 1684, to convey certain property to the State of

Wyoming to consolidate the historic Ranch A, and for other

purposes; and,

H.R. 3008, to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel

of National Forest System land in Los Padres National Forest

in California, and for other purposes.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to John [email protected].

For further information, please contact Meghan Conklin (202)-224-8046 or John Assini (202)-224-9313.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3008) to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of National Forest System land in Los Padres National Forest in California, 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.

H.R. 3008 would authorize the Forest Service to exchange 5 acres of the Los

Padres National Forest with the White Lotus Foundation to allow public access to their property. The surrounding topography makes the land in question the only practical access point. With no other options for access, the foundation will be forced to cease operations. I would encourage my colleagues to support this bill, which passed the House of Representatives last Congress by voice vote.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, if the gentleman is prepared to close.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 3008, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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

The Los Padres conveyance bill is a technical fix needed to convey 5 acres of land to the White Lotus Foundation and remedy a longstanding land dispute between the foundation and the U.S. Forest Service.

The Federal land in question was encroached on by a previous owner without the foundation's knowledge. Upon discovery of the problem, the foundation made an attempt to work with the Forest Service to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, the fix requires authorization to sell the land at fair market value. The bill simply grants authority to the Secretary to do so.

Congresswoman Capps is to be commended for her leadership on this legislation and her commitment to resolve this issue on behalf of her constituents. We support H.R. 3008 and urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps), the sponsor of the legislation.

In closing, I thank the gentlelady from Wyoming as well, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during the week of January 27, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following:

Rollcall No. 24: H.R. 2166--``yea.''

Rollcall No. 25: H.R. 3008--``yea.''

Rollcall No. 26: Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule--``nay.''

Rollcall No. 27: H. Res. 465--``nay.''

Rollcall No. 28: Approving the Journal--``yea.''

Rollcall No. 29: Motion to Recommit with Instructions on H.R. 7-- ``yea.''

Rollcall No. 30: Final passage of H.R. 7--``nay.''

Rollcall No. 31: Final passage of H.R. 2642, Farm Bill Conference Report--``yea.''