University of Utah Research Park Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2876) to confirm the use of certain non-Federal land in Salt Lake City, Utah, for public purposes, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2876, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2876, the University of Utah Research Park Act, led by Representative Blake Moore of Utah.

H.R. 2876 resolves legal uncertainty surrounding the University of Utah's ownership of 593 acres of land in the heart of Salt Lake City. This uncertainty comprises the university's flagship research park, a key educational and economic development center.

Since its conveyance under the Research and Public Purposes Act in 1968, this parcel has grown into a nationally recognized hub for innovation, home to 81 university departments and more than 50 pharmaceutical, medical research, and biotechnology companies. Today, Research Park employs over 14,000 Utahns and provides invaluable educational opportunities for students preparing to lead in the fields of science and medicine.

Despite this long record of success, a recent BLM review raised questions about whether the park's use of the land aligns with the terms of the original patent.

H.R. 2876 clears up this ambiguity by affirming the park's current use is valid and consistent with the public purpose envisioned at the time of the conveyance.

This is a simple, bipartisan bill that cuts red tape and ensures the University of Utah can continue building on nearly six decades of scientific discovery, economic growth, and global impact. I commend Representative Moore for leading this effort in the House and the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Lee, for championing this bill in the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2876, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore), who is the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2876 resolves an unnecessary cloud over this property by confirming the valid use of the University of Utah's prized Research Park, which has served the public for decades.

This commonsense bill will allow the park to keep driving innovation, supporting thousands of good jobs, and giving students hands-on opportunities to learn and grow.

I thank once again Representative Moore, Senator Lee, and the entire Utah congressional delegation for their work on this important effort. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, to my colleague and friend from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), it is worth actually noting that the area focus of this bill, the location, is a stone's throw from the very cauldron that the Miracle on Ice team lit during the 2002 Winter Olympics. I congratulate the gentleman for getting that bill signed into law, the Congressional Gold Medal Act for those amazing patriots.

I actually watched that movie with my kids over the weekend and saw the patriotism start to brew, really an amazing feat. I thank my friend for that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the University of Utah Research Park Act, which passed unanimously out of the Natural Resources Committee in September.

This legislation addresses legal uncertainties surrounding the University of Utah's use of land initially conveyed to the school by the Bureau of Land Management back in 1968. At that time, the university requested land on the Fort Douglas Military Reservation for academic and research use, a request approved and granted by the BLM. Since then, the university has built a nationally recognized research park housing over 50 companies and employing nearly 14,000 Utahns.

Research Park has been instrumental in establishing Utah as a leader in innovation. Last year, I was proud to welcome my colleagues to the Ways and Means Committee to Research Park for a field hearing to show them first-hand how Utah continues to lead the way in biotech innovation.

Unfortunately, after decades of cooperative engagement between the University of Utah and the Federal Government, there have been questions as to whether the longstanding activities at Research Park are consistent with the original land patent under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. The University of Utah Research Park Act addresses these concerns and makes it clear that the school is operating within the parameters of the law.

With the assurance that the university can continue to operate the park, they will have increased ability to invest institutional resources and improve the park without the worry of additional red tape and regulatory restrictions or, worse, the area reverting back to Federal control.

My bill will provide the university with needed stability and confirm the original intent and approval of the land transfer, allowing the university to plan strategically to meet the needs of its students, the community, and industry.

I thank Chairman Westerman and my colleagues of the Utah House and Senate delegation for joining me in this effort to ensure that the University of Utah's Research Park can continue to serve as a premier research incubator.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2876. Go Utes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the University of Utah's Research Park Act.

The University of Utah's Research Park is comprised of 593 acres that were originally issued as a land patent in 1968 through the Bureau of Land Management. The area was later conveyed under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act for academic expansion of the university. Today, Research Park supports a multitude of uses, including technology, education, and medical facilities.

Although the parcel was conveyed to the university, a reversionary clause remains in place to ensure continued public use. While reversionary clauses are standard practice, in this case it has created challenges for the university in pursuing new opportunities that fall outside the traditional sense of public purposes under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, even though the site was previously approved for university expansion.

H.R. 2876 would clarify and affirm that Research Park is consistent with the original application, so that the university can continue to grow Research Park.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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