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 in an erroneous survey conducted in May 1960.

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 Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at 10:00 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. 37, to sustain the economic development and recreational

use of National Forest System land and other public land in

the State of Montana, to add certain land to the National

Wilderness Preservation System, to release certain wilderness

study areas, to designate new areas for recreation, and for

other purposes;

S. 343, to provide for the conveyance of certain Federal

land in Clark County, Nevada,

for the environmental remediation and reclamation of the

Three Kids Mine Project Site, and for other purposes;

S. 364, to establish the Rocky Mountain Front Conservation

Management Area, to designate certain Federal land as

wilderness, and to improve the management of noxious weeds in

the Lewis and Clark National Forest, and for other purposes;

S. 404, to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout in the

Glacier Peak Wilderness of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie

National Forest;

S. 753, to provide for national security benefits for White

Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss;

S. 1169, to withdraw and reserve certain public land in the

State of Montana for the Limestone Hills Training Area, and

for other purposes;

S. 1294, to designate as wilderness certain public land in

the Cherokee National Forest in the State of Tennessee, and

for other purposes;

S. 1300, to amend the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of

2003 to provide for the conduct of stewardship end result

contracting projects;

S. 1301, to provide for the restoration of forest

landscapes, protection of old growth forests, and management

of national forests in the eastside forests of the State of

Oregon;

S. 1309, to withdraw and reserve certain public land under

the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior for

military uses, and for other purposes;

H.R. 507, to provide for the conveyance of certain land

inholdings owned by the United States to the Pascua Yaqui

Tribe of Arizona, and for other purposes;

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 in an erroneous survey

conducted in May 1960;

H.R. 876, to authorize the continued use of certain water

diversions located on National Forest System land in the

Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and the Selway-

Bitterroot Wilderness in the State of Idaho, and for other

purposes, and;

H.R. 993 and S. 507, to provide for the conveyance of

certain parcels of National Forest System land to the city of

Fruit Heights, Utah.

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_Assini@energy.senate.gov.

For further information, please contact please contact David Brooks (202) 224-9863, or John Assini (202) 224-9313.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on National Parks. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2013, at 2:30 p.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. 398, to establish the Commission to Study the Potential

Creation of a National Women's History Museum, and for other

purposes;

S. 524, to amend the National Trails System Act to provide

for the study of the Pike National Historic Trail;

S. 618, to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct

certain special resource studies;

S. 702, to designate the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers

Valley National Heritage Corridor as ``The Last Green Valley

National Heritage Corridor'';

S. 781, to modify the boundary of Yosemite National Park,

and for other purposes;

S. 782, to amend Public Law 101-377 to revise the

boundaries of the Gettysburg National Military Park to

include the Gettysburg Train Station, and for other purposes;

S. 869, to establish the Alabama Black Belt National

Heritage Area, and for other purposes;

S. 925, to improve the Lower East Side Tenement National

Historic Site, and for other purposes;

S. 995, to authorize the National Desert Storm Memorial

Association to establish the National Desert Storm and Desert

Shield Memorial as a commemorative work in the District of

Columbia, and for other purposes;

S. 974, to provide for certain land conveyances in the

State of Nevada, and for other purposes;

S. 1044, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to install

in the area of the World War II Memorial in the District of

Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words

that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the United

States on D-Day, June 6, 1944;

S. 1071, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make

improvements to support facilities for National Historic

Sites operated by the National Park Service, and for other

purposes;

S. 1138, to reauthorize the Hudson River Valley National

Heritage Area;

S. 1151, to reauthorize the America's Agricultural Heritage

Partnership in the State of Iowa;

S. 1157, to reauthorize the Rivers of Steel National

Heritage Area, the Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area,

the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, and the

Schuylkill River Valley National Heritage Area;

S. 1168, to reauthorize the Essex National Heritage Area;

S. 1252, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to

designate segments of the Missisquoi River and the Trout

River in the State of Vermont, as components of the National

Wild and Scenic Rivers System;

S. 1253, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to

designate certain segments of the Farmington River and Salmon

Brook in the State of Connecticut as components of the

National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other

purposes;

H.R. 674, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to

study the suitability and feasibility of designating

prehistoric, historic, and limestone forest sites on Rota,

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of

the National Park System;

H.R. 885, to expand the boundary of the San Antonio

Missions National Historical Park, and for other purposes;

H.R. 1033 and S. 916, to authorize the acquisition and

protection of nationally significant battlefields and

associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812

under the American Battlefield Protection Program, and

H.R. 1158, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to

continue stocking fish in certain lakes in the North Cascades

National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and Lake

Chelan National Recreation Area.

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_Assini@energy.senate.gov.

For further information, please contact please contact David Brooks (202) 224-9863 or John Assini (202) 224-9313.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at 2:30 p.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on S. 1240, the Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2013.

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 may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Lauren_Goldschmidt@ energy.senate.gov.

For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571, Dave Berick at (202) 224-2209, or Lauren Goldschmidt at (202) 224-5488.

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.''

Madam President, I thank my colleagues for their prompt consideration and passage of H.R. 862, a bill that would authorize the conveyance of 2.67 acres within the Coconino National Forest to landowners who built on those parcels in reliance on an erroneous survey.

On Tuesday, a relatively small 4-acre wildfire started just north of Sedona, AZ, near the Slide Rock State Park. It took less than 24 hours for the Slide Fire, as it is being called, to explode through the overgrown and dry vegetation and make its way up Oak Creek Canyon. In less than 2 days, estimates put the fire at 4,800 acres. Unfortunately, it appears poised to grow larger.

Some areas have already been evacuated and an estimated 3,200 people in the Kachina Village and Forest Highland communities were put on pre- evacuation notice last night. Nearby, the Mountainaire community sits approximately five miles from the fire line. As they watch smoke fill the sky near their homes, residents are preparing for the possibility of having to evacuate. For some of those residents, the imminent fire threat brings added uncertainly due to a longstanding boundary dispute.

The problem stems from an incorrect survey that was completed in 1960. Unbeknownst to the landowners, homes and other improvements were built based on that errant work. In 2007, a subsequent survey revealed the error and a number of landowners were alerted to the fact that portions of their property are within the Coconino National Forest boundary. As a result, these parcels have a cloud on their title that needs to be resolved through a land conveyance.

The Slide Fire has brought the impact of this survey error into further focus. Some of those homeowners have apparently been told by their insurance companies that if the Slide Fire destroys their homes, they will be compensated. However, it is unlikely they will be able to rebuild on the property because of the boundary dispute.

In my view, the least we can do during this difficult time is remove the boundary issue from the litany of concerns these families in the Mountainaire community are dealing with right now. That is why Senator McCain and I sought expedited consideration of H.R. 862 today through the unanimous consent process. This bill, which was introduced by Representatives Kirkpatrick and Gosar in the House, would enable the conveyance of the 2.67 acres that are tied up in this longstanding boundary issue to the private landowners.

The House passed this measure in June of last year by a vote of 395- 1, and it was favorably reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by voice vote late last year. The Forest Service has also issued a statement signaling its support for this measure.

I am grateful to my colleagues in the Senate, in particular Senators McCain, Landrieu, and Murkowski, for their

support in moving this bill through the Senate today. It provides a much needed sliver of good news for families that are dealing with a significant threat. Likewise, I look forward to working my colleagues to find a path forward to proactively address the catastrophic wildfire situation that continues to plague the West.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the time and her teamwork on this public lands initiative.

But I am very frustrated that it even is necessary for us to re- introduce this legislation. It shouldn't take years and an act of Congress to right a wrong. Last year, the House overwhelmingly passed this bill by a vote count of 421-1. Unfortunately, it was the victim of partisan gridlock in the United States Senate and was not sent to the President before the end of the 112th Congress.

I see this initiative as unfinished business from the last Congress; and I hope, together, we can get this across the finish line very quickly this year.

H.R. 862 is a commonsense solution to an incomprehensible Federal land situation in northern Arizona. In 1960, the Federal Government conducted a survey in which several acres of the United States Forest Service land were misidentified as private property.

It was not until 2007, when the Federal Government contracted another private survey, that the mistakes were realized, and the residents of the Mountainaire neighborhood were informed of these errors.

Until the 2007 survey, many of these residents have maintained these parcels and developed them as their own for years and, in some cases, decades. In essence, the Federal Government seized lands the residents had maintained, developed, and paid taxes on for years.

Questions associated with the land ownership have plummeted property values in the neighborhood and prevented a number of owners from selling their homes. On some of those parcels, the revised boundary goes practically through portions of the residents' homes or backyards.

To fix the untenable situation, we reintroduced H.R. 862. The bill simply authorizes the Forest Service to convey all rights, titles, and interests to approximately 2.67 acres of the Coconino National Forest to the homeowners for a small fee, using an estimation process Congress utilized in another land exchange in the same northern Arizona county from the 109th Congress, Public Law No. 109-110.

The Forest Service does not want to own these people's living rooms, and the property owners certainly do not want to share their homes or their yards with the Forest Service. This bill is a no-brainer, reported out of the Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent.

I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation and relieve some northern Arizonans of this financially burdensome situation.

Mr. Speaker, imagine waking up one day to learn that your property really isn't yours. In fact, that's exactly the situation that a group of residents in my district find themselves in.

They didn't cause the problem. Over 40 years ago it was created because of a land survey that simply got it wrong. For years, even decades, they've lived on their property, they've maintained it, they've invested in it, only to find that their property is within the boundaries of the United States Forest Service.

Now, this has been a real economic hardship for these folks. Today we have an opportunity to solve this for them.

I thank Congressman Gosar and his staff for the opportunity to work together on behalf of the people of Arizona. Our bill, H.R. 862, has a simple, commonsense conveyance which returns this land to its rightful owners and removes this economic hardship that has been hanging over them for so long.

We are pleased that the bill has bipartisan support, that it passed out of Natural Resources with a unanimous vote. And I urge my colleagues to join us today to support H.R. 862, because these people have been living in limbo for way too long.