Tulare Youth Recreation and Women's History Enhancement Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 805) to authorize the conveyance of and remove the reversionary interest of the United States in certain lands in the City of Tulare, California.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes), the sponsor of this bill.

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

This is not a significant bill. We are talking about a couple of acres of property that used to be owned by the Federal Government that had no purpose and use for it. So they gave it up. But instead, Congress decided to include a reversionary clause with this stuff so that if they ever wanted to do something different with these 2 acres of property, they would have to come crawling back to us to ask for our permission to do it, which is silly.

It is ridiculous that we have to go through this process time, after time, after time. The Federal Government didn't need this land originally. They still don't need it, but they still have that particular clause attached to it.

This land needs to be given over to the city who uses it so they can make improvements on facilities that have been used since the 1800s. And that we

have to go through an actual law to do this, is a silly practice that we maintain here in Congress. It should not be done. This is a perfect example of why the reversionary clause is no longer needed.

If you really care about people, put a clause in there that says that if they want to change the practice, it has to be for the public interest and the public good. That would be logical. But what we have to do now is illogical in doing this particular bill. It needs to be done. It has to be done for the people who live there and for these properties, but it is silly that we have to go through this process.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to adopt this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 805, releases the reversionary interests on two parcels of land in Tulare County in California. These parcels are currently leased from the Union Pacific Railroad and contain a skate park and historic women's club, owned and operated by the city.

City officials want to make improvements to both facilities, but are unable to secure financing without clean and free titles to the property.

In the 19th century, Congress granted the land to Southern Pacific Railroad, the predecessor of Union Pacific, for use as a railroad right-of-way. Congress subsequently authorized the railroad to lease the land to Tulare for other public purposes. However, the land remains encumbered with a reversionary interest.

Congress passed a law in 1998 that released the reversionary interest on 12 parcels in Tulare. H.R. 805 deals with two additional parcels, allowing Union Pacific to sell the land to Tulare and clear the way for planned improvements.

The 1998 law was the first time Congress authorized the release of a reversionary interest for redevelopment purposes. At the time, the railroad had already sold the land at Tulare, even though it belonged to taxpayers, and Congress had to intervene to remedy the situation. Unlike the situation in 1998, the two parcels affected by this bill have not been sold and under normal circumstances, the Federal Government--not Union Pacific--should receive payment for the parcels if they are no longer used as originally intended by Congress.

However, the history of congressional involvement in Tulare justifies an exception to this standard. Due to the circumstances, I am happy to support this bill and I urge my colleagues to support its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree. I think no Member of Congress enjoys an unnecessary crawl back, but I think the majority of the Members of Congress recognize our duty to protect the public interest.

We resoundingly support what is a very, very good bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for allowing this bill to come up today.

I rise in support of H.R. 805, the Tulare Youth Recreation and Women's History Enhancement Act.

This bill simply removes a Federal revisionary interest in two parcels of land in my hometown of Tulare, California, and offers their conveyance to the city.

This would allow the city to purchase this land from the Union Pacific Railroad, which received the land from the Federal Government by right-of-way in the 19th century. One parcel has long been home to a historic Women's Club House which has served as an important community center for more than 100 years.

The Women's Club House is in need of critical repairs, but the city of Tulare has been reluctant to make repairs without clear title to the land. If this bill were enacted, the city would be making needed repairs to this historical landmark, preserving it for generations to come.

The second parcel of land is home to the Rotary Skate Park, which is a recreational park used by young and old residents alike. Both of these community locations are extremely important to the people of the San Joaquin Valley, and this bill will ensure their continued use for many years to come.

I want to thank, again, the chair and ranking member for their support, and urge my colleagues to support this bill.