National Forest Small Tracts Act Amendments Act of 2015

Floor Speech

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1214) to amend the Small Tracts Act to expand the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange small parcels of National Forest System land to enhance the management of the National Forest System, to resolve minor encroachments, and for other purposes, as amended.

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1214 would amend the Small Tracts Act to allow for the sale of small, isolated, federally owned parcels outside of the main body of a national forest as well as parcels encumbered with certain special uses such as cemeteries. The management of these isolated and encumbered parcels takes considerable resources away from the core mission of the Forest Service. Proceeds from the sale of these parcels would be deposited into a Sisk Act fund and may be used for deferred maintenance, acquisition of lands for administrative sites or recreational access, or to reimburse the Forest Service for administrative costs in preparing the sales.
The U.S. Forest Service has a challenging mission. Enabling it to develop a more manageable land base is simply good government, which is why this bill has such broad-based support.

I also want to thank Chairman Conaway of the Agriculture Committee for his assistance in expediting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would urge the adoption of the bill.

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