Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Colorado for the time and for his positive comments, as well as Mrs. Torres, in support of H.R. 2615.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2615, the Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore is a national park that draws millions of visitors to the islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Islands National Seashore includes the Mississippi barrier islands of Petit Bois, Horn, East and West Ship, and Cat, as well as the Davis Bayou Area.

I am proud to have this important park and its natural beaches, historic sites, and wildlife sanctuaries within my district.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore has been a part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast community since Congress established the park in 1971. Since that establishment, the Gulf Islands National Seashore has worked closely with the Mark Seymour Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699. In fact, the post has shared a road with the seashore for the better part of the last 30 years.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act would make permanent a 30-year easement that has provided an access road and driveway for the VFW. In exchange, the VFW will give the Gulf Islands National Seashore some of its acreage, which also includes valuable wetlands.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore and the Mark Seymour VFW Post strongly support this land exchange, but the Department of the Interior needs congressional approval before it can make the land exchange official. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I encourage the House to pass this bill as a suspension vote.

I would also like to thank the subcommittee chairman, Mr. McClintock, as well as Chairman Bishop and the Committee on Natural Resources for their support and help in bringing this bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, this is also a noncontroversial bill, and I urge the Senate to pass it without delay.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2615, the Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act. The Gulf Islands National Seashore is a national park that draws millions of visitors to the islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Islands National Seashore includes the Mississippi barrier islands of Petit Bois, Horn, East and West Ship, and Cat, as well as the Davis Bayou Area. I am proud to have this important park, its natural beaches, historic sites, and wildlife sanctuaries within my district.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore has been a part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast community since Congress established the park in 1971. Since that establishment, the Gulf Islands National Seashore has worked closely with the Mark Seymour Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW Post 5699. In fact, the post has shared a road with the seashore for the better part of the last 30 years.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act would make permanent a 30-year easement that has provided an access road and driveway for the VFW. In exchange, the VFW will give the Gulf Islands National Seashore some of its acreage, which includes valuable wetlands. The Gulf Islands National Seashore and the Mark Seymour VFW both strongly support this land exchange, but the Department of the Interior needs congressional approval before it can make the land exchange official.

That is why, Mr. Speaker, I encourage the House to pass this bill as a suspension vote. I would also like to thank the subcommittee chairman as well as Chairman Bishop and the ranking member of the Committee on Natural Resources for their support and help in bringing this bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 2615) to authorize the exchange of certain land located in Gulf Islands National Seashore, Jackson County, Mississippi, between the National Park Service and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, 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.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2615, introduced by Congressman Steven Palazzo of Mississippi, authorizes the National Park Service to convey to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699 1.54 acres located within the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Jackson County, Mississippi, in exchange for a 2.16-acre parcel of land owned by the VFW Post.

This bill benefits both the VFW Post and the Park Service. It provides the VFW Post with permanent access to their building via a long driveway currently owned by the Park Service, while also adding land to the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo).

Mr. Speaker, 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.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2615 is a simple bipartisan bill that authorizes the exchange of two small parcels of land to provide needed access for our veterans in Mississippi.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699 is located adjacent to a portion of Gulf Islands National Seashore, and while having a national park in your backyard is a desirable condition, the post has found themselves landlocked and in need of direct access to their facility.

To solve this issue, the Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act will exchange approximately 2 acres of land owned by the VFW with 1.5 acres owned by the Federal Government.

The acreage required by the VFW will be used to establish a short driveway directly to the post while the land given in exchange to the Federal Government will be managed as part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.

This exchange is supported by both the VFW post and the National Park Service and is a simple and logical solution to a local issue. I am pleased to see the National Park Service and the VFW working together to form a solution to this issue. This bill passed the House in the 114th Congress, and I urge all Members to support this commonsense, bipartisan bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2615) to authorize the exchange of certain land located in Gulf Islands National Seashore, Jackson County, Mississippi, between the National Park Service and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Member may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

H.R. 2615, introduced by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo), authorizes the National Park Service to convey to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699 1.54 acres located within the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Jackson County, Mississippi, in exchange for a 2.16-acre parcel of land owned by the VFW post.

This bill benefits both the VFW post and the Park Service. It provides the VFW post with permanent access to their building via a long driveway currently owned by the Park Service while also adding land to the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo).

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