To provide for the conveyance to the State of Iowa of the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2600) to provide for the conveyance to the State of Iowa of the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, 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.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2600, sponsored by my colleague, Representative David Young of Iowa.

H.R. 2600 directs the Department of the Interior to convey to the State of Iowa the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land in Pottawattamie County.

By the way, there is going to be a test afterwards on this pronunciation.

In 1989, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Interior to provide for the development of a trails interpretive center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Six years later, in 1995, the National Western Trails Center donated property to the Federal Government, and the National Park Service later constructed a trails center on the property to interpret the history of the Lewis and Clark

National Historic Trail, the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, and the Oregon National Historic Trail.

In 1998, the Federal Government donated the trails center and surrounding property to the State Historical Society of Iowa. Federal ownership was transferred to the State subject to a condition that if the trails center is not being used for the purposes specified in the 1989 Act, the land and the center would revert to the United States.

Since 1998, the State has owned and operated the trails center. Presently, visitation at the center is very low, the hours of operation are limited, and maintenance is falling behind. The State of Iowa would like to remove the trails center from its responsibility and possibly transfer the property to the city of Council Bluffs.

The National Park Service currently does not own or directly manage any of the land associated with the 1989 Act. Moreover, it is the Committee's understanding that the National Park Service does not have any interest in taking over operation of the trails center or ownership of the property.

I commend Representative Young for his outstanding work on behalf of his constituents. I would also like to thank the minority for their help and cooperation moving this legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Young).

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

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

H.R. 2600 authorizes the conveyance to the State of Iowa the reversionary interest on the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

In 1989, Congress authorized the Department of the Interior to partner with the State of Iowa to create a trails interpretative center to support three National Historic Trails that cross through the region.

In 1988, the Secretary of the Interior transferred approximately 400 acres to the State of Iowa for use as a visitor center. Ownership was then transferred to the State with a reversionary clause that limits the use of the property to a visitor center.

The National Park Service does not operate or maintain the current visitor center. However, under current law, if the State stops using the site for its intended purpose, ownership will revert back to the Federal Government.

Since its establishment, the trails interpretative center has not lived up to its expectations. Visitation is low and the facility is in need of significant maintenance.

The National Park Service and the State of Iowa have determined that termination of the reversionary interest makes both fiscal and operational sense. This will allow the State to sell the property to the city of Council Bluffs, allowing the city to maintain the facility.

As long as the State continues to provide National Historic Trail interpretive services following the terms of the original agreement, Congress should be allowed to release the reversionary interest to this particular property.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank both of my colleagues from California. I want to thank the chairman and ranking member of the committee for their leadership and working together with me, the National Park Service, the State of Iowa, Pottawattamie County, and the city of Council Bluffs on this bill.

The National Park Service holds reversionary rights to a small parcel of land in Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie County which highlights Lewis and Clark's travels with an interpretation center, as well as highlighting the California National Historic Trail and the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. However, the National Park Service has limited resources and a limited desire to effectively operate this property with the hundreds of properties it already maintains across the country.

So by listening to the Park Service, the State of Iowa, Pottawattamie County, the city of Council Bluffs, and local leaders and residents, a consensus and commonsense solution evolved to allow the city of Council Bluffs to accept responsibility for the property in determining its best use while still recognizing and highlighting the spirit and history of these historic trails.

I thank my colleagues from California, the ranking member, and the chairman of the committee.