I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2736
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to dispose of certain Federal land
holdings in the State of Oklahoma, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 7, 1995
Mr. LUCAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture and
Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to dispose of certain
Federal land holdings in the State of Oklahoma, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I—DISPOSAL OF LANDS IN
OKLAHOMA
SECTION 101. SALE OF BLACK KETTLE AND RITA BLANCA
NATIONAL 
GRASSLANDS 
AND 
PROPERTY
SURROUNDING OPTIMA LAKE AND RECRE-
ATION AREA.
(a) GENERAL DIRECTIVE.—Not later than Septem-
ber 30, 1996, and in accordance with this Act—
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture shall offer for
sale to the public at fair market value all right, title,
and interest of the United States in and to the sur-
face estate of those portions of the Cibola National
Forest, other than the property subject to section
102, which are more particularly described as—
(A) the Black Kettle National Grasslands,
located in the State of Oklahoma; and
(B) the Rita Blanca National Grasslands,
located in the State of Oklahoma; and
(2) the Secretary of the Army, acting through
the Chief of Engineers, shall offer for sale to the
public at fair market value all right, title, and inter-
est of the United States in and to the real property
acquired by the United States for the project for
flood control, Optima Lake, North Canadian River
Basin, Oklahoma, authorized by the Flood Control
Act of 1936 (49 Stat. 1570).
(b) RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.—Prior to offering
lands for sale to the public under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall afford the individuals from whom the lands
were acquired by the United States or their descendants
the opportunity to acquire the lands at fair market value.
(c) WAIVER.—The sale and transfer of lands under
this Act shall not be subject to the Federal Property and
Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471).
SEC. 102. TRANSFERS OF PROPERTY FOR CERTAIN PUBLIC
PURPOSES.
(a) SKIPOUT
LAKE, DEAD
INDIAN
LAKE, AND
SPRING CREEK LAKE.—Not later than September 30,
1996, and upon request of the State of Oklahoma, the
Secretary of Agriculture shall transfer, without consider-
ation, to the Department of Tourism and Recreation of
the State of Oklahoma those lands located in Roger Mills
County, Oklahoma, known as Skipout Lake, Dead Indian
Lake, and Spring Creek Lake, more particularly described
as follows:
(1) SKIPOUT LAKE.—West Half and Northeast
Quarter of Section 5, Township 13 North, Range 25
West, Indian Meridian, Roger Mills County, Okla-
homa.
(2) DEAD INDIAN LAKE.—East Half of Section
26 and the East Half of Northwest Quarter of Sec-
tion 26, Township 15 North, Range 24 West, Indian
Meridian, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma.
Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of
Section 23, Township 15 North, Range 24 West, In-
dian Meridian, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma.
(3) SPRING CREEK LAKE.—East Half of the
Southwest Quarter of Section 15, Township 15
North, Range 25 West, Indian Meridian, Roger
Mills County, Oklahoma.
West Half of the Southwest Quarter of Section
14, Township 15 North, Range 25 West, Indian Me-
ridian, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma.
(b) OPTIMA LAKE, NORTH CANADIAN RIVER BASIN,
OKLAHOMA.—
(1) PROJECT DEAUTHORIZATION.—The project
for flood control, Optima Lake, North Canadian
River Basin, Oklahoma, authorized by the Flood
Control Act of 1936 (49 Stat. 1570), is not author-
ized after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) TRANSFER OF PROPERTY.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
transfer to the State of Oklahoma, without con-
sideration, all right, title, and interest of the
United States to that portion of the real prop-
erty described in subparagraph (C), including
all works, structures, and other improvements
to the real property.
(B) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The deed
of conveyance for the transfer of real property
and improvements under subparagraph (A)
shall include such terms and conditions as may
be necessary to ensure that—
(i) the State of Oklahoma will hold
the United States harmless from all claims
arising from or through the operation of
the real property and improvements; and
(ii) the State of Oklahoma will pro-
hibit in perpetuity the construction of any
residential or commercial structure in the
flood plain created by the dam located on
the real property and if the State does not
prohibit such construction all or any por-
tion of the real property will in its then ex-
isting condition, at the option of the Unit-
ed States, revert to the United States.
(C) The real property referred to in sub-
paragraph (A) consists of lands associated with
the earthen dam, and the recreation area adja-
cent to the dam, as generally depicted on the
map of the Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District,
entitled ‘‘Optima Lake Public Hunting Area’’,
dated 1993.
TITLE 
II—WASHITA 
BATTLE-
FIELD NATIONAL HISTORIC
SITE
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Washita Battlefield
National Historic Site Act of 1995.’’.
SEC. 202. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
(1) the Battle of the Washita, November 27,
1868, was one of the largest engagements between
Plains tribes and the United States Army on the
Southern Great Plains. The site is a registered Na-
tional Historic Landmark;
(2) Lt. Colonel George A. Custer, leading the
7th United States Calvary, attacked the sleeping
Cheyenne village of peace chief Black Kettle. Cus-
ter’s attack resulted in more than 150 Indian cas-
ualties, many of them women and children;
(3) the Battle of the Washita symbolizes the
struggle of the Southern Great Plains tribes to