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[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 80 (Monday, May 15, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H4927-H4928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 584, CONVEYANCE OF THE FAIRPORT 
              NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY TO THE STATE OF IOWA

  Mrs. WALDHOLTZ. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, 
I call up House Resolution 145 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 145

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 1(b) of rule 
     XXIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 584) to direct the Secretary of the Interior 
     to convey a fish hatchery to the State of Iowa. The first 
     reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. General debate 
     shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour 
     equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on Resources. After general 
     debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 
     five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. At the 
     conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the 
     Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with 
     such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous 
     question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and 
     amendments thereto to final passage without intervening 
     motion except one motion to recommit.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Weller). The gentlewoman from Utah [Mrs. 
Waldholtz] is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mrs. WALDHOLTZ. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Beilenson] pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the 
purpose of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 145 is a very simple resolution. The 
proposed rule is an open rule providing for 1 hour of general debate 
equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Resources.
  After general debate the bill shall be considered as read for 
amendment under the 5-minute rule. At the conclusion of consideration 
of the bill for amendment the committee shall rise and report the bill 
to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. 
[[Page H4928]] 
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, the rule provides one motion to recommit.
  Mr. Speaker, the chairman of the Committee on Resources, Mr. Young, 
requested an open rule for this legislation. The open rule was reported 
out of the Committee on Rules by voice vote. Under the proposed rule 
each Member has an opportunity to have their concerns addressed, 
debated, and ultimately voted up or down by this body.
  Once again, Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation directs the 
Secretary of the Interior to convey a Federal fish hatchery, this time 
located in the State of Iowa in Fairport, IA. For the last 22 years the 
State of Iowa has operated the facility. And at this point in time the 
State would like to upgrade the facility, but is unable to justify the 
expense of the improvements without having legal title to the property.
  H.R. 584 would transfer ownership of the hatchery and immediate 
property and buildings to the State of Iowa. The bill is supported by 
both the State of Iowa and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and it 
was reported out of the Committee on Resources by voice vote.
  Once again, Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for any amendments to be 
brought up. We understand that a similar amendment to the preceding 
legislation that was just discussed may be offered, but under the open 
rule all Members will have the opportunity to have their voices aired, 
discussed, and voted on.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this open rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BEILENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is, as the gentlewomen pointed out, an open rule 
for a noncontroversial bill. We support the rule, and we urge our 
colleagues to do the same.
  We also support the objective of the bill, H.R. 584, to convey the 
fish hatchery to the State of Iowa, which has been operating it for 
several years now.
  We do have some concerns about transferring this property to the 
State of Iowa, which has been using the hatchery very successfully for 
State recreational purposes, without reimbursement. The gentleman from 
California [Mr. Miller], who is the ranking member on the Resources 
Committee and its former chairman, may offer an amendment to the bill 
that we think deserves the attention of our colleagues.
  Mr. Miller raised several important points in his dissenting views on 
this bill. He questioned the give-away of Federal assets to the State 
of Iowa without reimbursement to the Federal taxpayers for their 
investment, especially since no one knows the true value of the 
property--there has been no appraisal of the buildings and land since 
1983.
  His amendment would require an updated appraisal of this property 
that has a choice location and a commercial potential that could result 
in significant revenue for the United States. Mr. Miller's amendment 
would also require payment of fair market value by the State to 
reimburse Federal taxpayers for their investment.
  Under this open rule, Mr. Miller and any other Member may offer 
germane amendments such as this one.
  Again, we urge our colleagues to approve this rule for the bill 
conveying ownership of the Fairport Fish Hatchery to the State of Iowa.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WALDHOLTZ. Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for time, I 
yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on 
the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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