19–010

Calendar No. 257

108TH CONGRESS REPORT " SENATE ! 1st Session 108–133

SANDPOINT LAND AND FACILITIES CONVEYANCE ACT OF 

2003

AUGUST 26, 2003.—Ordered to be printed

Filed, under authority of the order of the Senate of July 29 (legislative day, July 

21), 2003

Mr. DOMENICI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 435] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 435) to provide for the conveyance by the Secretary of Agriculture of the Sandpoint Federal Building and adjacent land in Sandpoint, Idaho, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments and 

recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass. 

The amendments are as follows: 

1. On page 6, line 4, insert ‘‘section 13 of’’ before ‘‘the Act’’. 

2. On page 6, lines 6 and 7, strike ‘‘the fourteenth paragraph 

under the heading ‘Forest Service’ in’’. 

PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE

The purpose of S. 435 is to provide for the conveyance by the Secretary of Agriculture of The Sandpoint Federal Building and adjacent land in Sandpoint, Idaho. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

S. 435 transfers ownership of a General Service Administration 

(GSA) building currently housing the Forest Service offices. The 

bill also provides authority for the Forest Service to work with 

Bonner County to transfer the building to Bonner County in exchange for a new and more functional building. This transfer of 

ownership will not only provide the opportunity for the local Forest 

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Service office to obtain a facility that best meets their needs, but 

also will meet the facility needs of Bonner County. 

The transfer of this facility will allow the Forest Service to improve service to the public, improve public and employee safety, 

and make the Idaho Panhandle National Forest more financially 

competitive. In turn, Bonner County will benefit by obtaining a 

building in which they can consolidate county offices so that better 

services can be provided to the local public. 

Additionally, the GSA will dispose of a building that is only partially occupied and is remotely located from other GSA facilities. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 435 was introduced by Senator Craig for himself and Senator 

Crapo on February 25, 2003. The Subcommittee on Public Lands 

and Forests held a hearing on S. 435 on June 12, 2003. The Committee favorably reported S. 435 with an amendment on July 23, 

2003. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in an open 

business session on July 23, 2003, by a voice vote of a quorum 

present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 435, if amended as 

described herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources adopted two 

amendments that made minor technical corrections to two of the citations in section 3(c)(2) and (3) of the bill. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 provides the short title for the bill.

Section 2(a) directs the Administrator of General Services Administration to transfer the Sandpoint Federal Building to the Secretary of Agriculture. 

Subsection (b) requires the Secretary to assume the obligation of 

the Administrator of General Service Administration to the Federal 

Finance Bank. 

Subsection (c) authorizes the Secretary to convey the property 

identified in subsection (a) by quitclaim deed. This subsection also 

authorizes the Secretary to solicit and reject offers for the conveyance of the property. 

Subsection (d) provides that (1) an amount equal to the fair market value of the property will be paid to the Secretary; such 

amount can be paid with cash or construction of facilities for the 

Forest Service; (2) if the consideration is construction, such construction must be built according to terms and conditions of the 

Secretary; and (3) cash equalization may be accepted that equals 

an amount greater than 25 percent of the land value. 

Section 3(a) directs the Secretary to deposit the proceeds derived 

from conveyances in the fund established by the Sisk Act to pay for 

the acquisition, construction, or improvement of administrative facilities for the Forest Service, or the acquisition of lands and interests in the Northern Region of the Forest Service in the State of 

Idaho. 

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Subsection (c) imposes limits on the use of funds deposited under 

this section and directs that they cannot be distributed to states or 

counties. 

Subsection (d) directs that lands acquired under this Act be managed in accordance with the Weeks Law. 

Subsection (e) states that the conveyance of property under this 

section shall be subject to the laws applicable to conveyances of National Forest System land. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The Congressional Budget Office estimate of the costs of this 

measure has been requested but was not received at the time the 

report was filed. When the report is available, the Chairman will 

request it to be printed in the Congressional Record for the advice 

of the Senate. 

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation 

of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out 

S. 435. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. 

No personal information would be collected in administering the 

program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy. 

Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 425, as ordered reported. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has requested 

legislative reports from the Department of Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget setting forth Executive agency recommendations on S. 435. These reports had not been received at 

the time the report on S. 435 was filed. When the reports become 

available, the Chairman will request that they be printed in the 

Congressional Record for the advice of the Senate. The testimony 

provided by the United States Forest Service at the Subcommittee 

hearing follows:

STATEMENT OF TOM THOMPSON, DEPUTY CHIEF, NATIONAL

FOREST SYSTEM, FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

S. 435 directs the Administrator of General Services Administration to transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture, 

without reimbursement, administrative jurisdiction over 

the Sandpoint Federal Building and 3.17 acres of land in 

Sandpoint, Idaho. The bill requires the Secretary to assume the obligation of the Administrator to repay to the 

Federal Finance Bank the debt incurred with respect to 

the property. 

S. 435 authorizes the Secretary to sell or exchange all 

right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the 

property for market value. An exchange consideration 

may, if elected by the Secretary, include the construction 

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of administration facilities for the National Forest System 

in Bonner County, Idaho. The bill requires the entity acquiring the property to honor any outstanding indebtedness on the property to the Federal Finance Bank. 

Further, the Secretary can use proceeds from the sale of 

the property only for: (1) the acquisition, construction, or 

improvement of administrative facilities and associated 

land; and (2) the acquisition of land and interests in land 

for addition to National Forest System in the Northern Region of the Forest Service in Idaho. 

The Forest Service has leased the General Services Administration Sandpoint Federal Building for almost 30 

years. The building is too large for the combined federal 

presence and steps should be taken to address this problem. The Administration is still developing a position on 

this bill.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 435 as ordered reported.

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