To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3187) to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, 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 to include extraneous material on H.R. 3187, 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. 3187, led by my friend and colleague from Arkansas, Representative Hill.

This legislation directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a vacant Forest Service building and less than 1 acre of surrounding land in Perryville, Arkansas, to Perry County.

This property has sat vacant for years, and the Forest Service has no plans for its use. In the meantime, the building has been damaged by weather and continues to decline structurally. Every year, it stays vacant, resulting in higher repair costs and increased liability for the Federal Government and taxpayers. Instead of watching this asset deteriorate, we have the chance to put it to productive use for the local community.

For more than a decade, Perry County sought to acquire this site to meet pressing needs in education, conservation, and youth development. The county intends to renovate and repurpose the building to provide a permanent home for the University of Arkansas Extension Program, the Perry County Conservation District, and 4-H youth programs. Having a dedicated facility will allow these organizations to expand their services and better support the people of Perry County.

This bill is also fiscally responsible. It will eliminate the Federal cost of maintaining an idle, deteriorating building. By transferring the site, we stop wasting resources and empower local leaders to transform a declining Federal property into a hub for education, conservation, and youth programs.

H.R. 3187 is a commonsense solution. It cuts costs, eliminates waste, and supports youth engagement in conservation. I commend Representative Hill for his championing this thoughtful legislation which will support community development in a rural county with limited resources.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3187, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 3187 is about turning a Federal liability into a community asset. Right now, taxpayers are stuck with the cost of a vacant building that continues to deteriorate. With this bill, we can remove that burden, transfer the property to Perry County, Arkansas, and allow local leaders to put it to work serving their community.

This legislation will provide a permanent home for programs that strengthen conservation, support farmers and landowners, and create new opportunities for young people through 4-H extension services.

It is a practical, cost-effective solution that delivers real value. I, once again, thank Representative Hill for his hard work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Stauber for the time.

I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 3187. First, I thank my good friend and fellow Arkansan Chairman Westerman for advancing my bill from the committee to the House floor.

I thank all the members of the Natural Resources Committee for their bipartisan and unanimous support.

As noted, my bill seeks to transfer ownership of a vacant Federal building owned by the U.S. Forest Service at 1069 Fourche Avenue in Perryville, Arkansas, to Perry County.

This property is no longer in use by the Forest Service, and there are no plans for its utilization by them. That has been the case, Mr. Speaker, for well over a decade.

Perry County is a very small, rural community with a population of around 10,000. About 16 percent of the residents there live below the poverty line. About 77 percent of the county is forested, and 72 percent of that land is privately owned.

The U.S. Forest Service is the largest public landowner in the county, managing 119,000 acres as a part of the Ouachita National Forest.

For several years, Perry County has mightily sought to acquire this property. However, due to limited resources and that high poverty rate, this small county has been unable to easily navigate the complex Federal rules and to find a way to purchase the property outright.

My legislation would enable the Federal Government to convey the property at no cost to the county with all the benefits that Mr. Stauber outlined.

The building will require many significant repairs, but the county does have that repair budget appropriated. Once restored, the facility will support many local programs. Specifically, the University of Arkansas extension program, the Perry County Conservation District, and, importantly, it will serve as a meeting place for our 4-H youth development program. These organizations are currently struggling with limited options for meeting space in Perryville. This cures that problem.

My bill provides Perry County with a much-needed facility to expand youth development, agricultural education, and community health initiatives.

I thank Perry County Judge Larry Blackmon, Perryville Mayor John Roland, the Perry County Extension Office, the Perry County Chamber of Commerce, and the Perry County Farm Bureau, all for working with us collectively both on the Natural Resources Committee staff and my staff to bring this forward and make it a reality.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join the committee and me in supporting a unanimous vote for H.R. 3187.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3187, a bill to convey a small but meaningful parcel of Forest Service property to Perry County, Arkansas.

This legislation will direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a little less than 1 acre of land located in Perryville, Arkansas, including any structures on the property, to Perry County, should the county request a transfer within 180 days of enactment.

While modest in size, this land holds important local value. It currently houses a building previously used by the U.S. Forest Service which Perry County hopes to repurpose for local administrative use, public services, or other community-focused purposes.

The conveyance would be subject to existing rights and environmental safeguards and would be made without cost to the county, other than administrative and survey-related expenses, which Perry County would cover.

This is a commonsense, community-driven bill that reflects how Federal land policy can and should be responsive to local needs. It will ensure that unused Federal property can be repurposed for the public good while preserving transparency, accountability, and proper oversight.

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

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for the following Roll Call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: YEA on Roll Call No. 335, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass S. 284, the Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act, and YEA on Roll Call No. 336, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 3187, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I missed two votes on December 15, 2025. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 336, final passage of H.R. 3187, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, and for other purposes, and YEA on Roll Call No. 335, final passage of S. 284, Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act.