To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1829) to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1829, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Representative Crane's bill, H.R. 1829. This is a good bill that would transfer land from the Forest Service to create a retreat facility in Gila County, Arizona, for veterans and their families to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Gila County is home to more than 5,000 veterans. Overall, the State of Arizona has a population of more than 500,000 veterans. Creating this facility will help those who have served our country find healing and reconnect with nature, and it will help ease the transition back to civilian life.

Almost 60 percent of the land in Gila County is federally owned, which creates significant limitations on available land for laudable efforts like this proposed retreat for veterans. This retreat center would be created from a Forest Service site that was scheduled to be torn down. In total, this 232-acre site includes 17 buildings, 2 residences, 2 barracks, a historic ranger house and barn, and helipads.

Gila County intends to remodel many of the buildings to provide an excellent experience for veterans and their families. Repurposing the site in this way is a win-win, as it will be a great resource for Arizona's veterans while freeing the Forest Service from maintaining the property that it no longer needs.

I applaud Representative Crane for his leadership in this effort. His diligent work with Gila County and the Forest Service has led to an important effort which will make a meaningful difference in the lives of Arizona's veterans. I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Crane).

Mr. Speaker, I again applaud Representative Crane for his leadership in this effort. As a veteran himself, I know that he understands just how important this veterans retreat center will be for the community.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1829, which would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.

Adjacent to the rural town of Young, Arizona, the parcel was previously an administrative site for the Forest Service but is no longer in use for this purpose. The conveyance authorized by this bill would provide Gila County with the opportunity to establish a veterans retreat and community center that would support the communities in Young and the surrounding area.

Supporting and uplifting our Nation's veterans is a goal that we can all get behind. It is never enough to tell our veterans: ``Thank you for your service.'' We must always act to show our gratitude by providing veterans the services they need wherever they live.

Our rural and Native American veterans deserve to have a place of their own on their own land to carry out the services we owe these patriotic rural and first Americans. This bill contributes to that goal by conveying Forest Service land to create a vibrant veterans center with family housing, resources, meeting and event spaces, a VA mobile clinic, ceremonial grounds, and access to outdoor recreational opportunities. The partnership made possible by this bill will provide new life to deteriorating buildings, barns, barracks, and existing wastewater systems.

During our hearing on the bill, the chair of the Gila County Board of Supervisors noted the goal of creating ``the ultimate experience for veterans and their families.'' This bill is a win-win.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to put into good use this land for the benefit of our veterans, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of my bill, which was the first piece of legislation I introduced and is a testament to veterans in Arizona. Specifically, my bill would enable Gila County, Arizona, to operate a veterans center on 232 acres in Young, Arizona.

As a veteran myself, I know the importance of providing these resources cannot be overstated. This legislation will serve our State and its heroes well.

The veterans center would protect and maintain the rich history of the property while providing family housing, meeting and activity spaces, resource rooms, veteran ceremonial grounds, and outdoor recreation. It would be the first of its kind in northern Arizona, providing resources and support to primarily rural veterans and their families.

Furthermore, this legislation is an exemplary model of efficient land management. Out West, the Federal Government retains vast amounts of land, limiting States' ability to maintain, conserve, recreate, and responsibly produce on the lands within their own States.

Anytime Congress can vote on legislation that returns power to the State is a good thing. In this case, veterans of northern Arizona will get a space to heal and reconnect with their families after putting their lives on the line for the peace and freedom of all Americans.

I would like to take a moment to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar), my friend who helped lay the foundation for this effort, as well as Senators Sinema and Kelly, who are leading this bill in the Senate.

It is my hope that we can get this bill across the finish line.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of committees were delivered to the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar, as follows:

Mr. WESTERMAN: Committee on Natural Resources. H.R. 1792. A

bill to amend the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988, and for

other purposes; with an amendment (Rept. 118-429). Referred

to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the

Union.

Mr. WESTERMAN: Committee on Natural Resources. H.R. 1829. A

bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the

Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila

County, Arizona; with an amendment (Rept. 118-430). Referred

to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the

Union.