Rocky Mountain National Park Ownership Correction Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5459) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to correct a land ownership error within the boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5459

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Rocky Mountain National Park Ownership Correction Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the approximately 0.18 acres of land depicted as ``TR04-168-1'' on the map.

(2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Rocky Mountain National Park Proposed Forsyth Family Land Exchange'', numbered 121/154,326, and dated June 2019.

(3) Non-federal land.--The term ``non-Federal land'' means the approximately 0.18 acres of land depicted as ``TR04-169'' on the map.

(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. SEC. 3. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK LAND EXCHANGE.

(a) Authorization of Exchange.--To correct a longstanding land ownership error, if the owner of the non-Federal land offers to convey to the Secretary all right, title, and interest of the owner in and to the non-Federal land, the Secretary shall convey to the owner of the non-Federal land, subject to valid existing rights, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Federal land.

(b) Valuation.--The value of the Federal land and the non- Federal land to be exchanged under this Act shall be considered to be of equal value.

(c) Administration.--The non-Federal land acquired by the Secretary under this section shall be administered by the Secretary as part of Rocky Mountain National Park.

(d) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available for inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5459, the Rocky Mountain National Park Ownership Correction Act, introduced again by my colleague, Joe Neguse.

In the 1970s, a tiny 0.18-acre plot of land containing the Forsyth family cabin was erroneously transferred to Rocky Mountain National Park when the Park Service purchased land surrounding a private inholding.

Since the error was discovered, the Park Service has been working with the Forsyth family to correct the legal ownership and exchange parcels, and the family is currently using its cabin through a special use permit. This bill would permanently resolve this ownership issue and ensure the intent of the original purchase is met by authorizing an equal value land exchange between the Forsyth family and the Secretary of the Interior.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Neguse for his efforts to resolve this longstanding ownership issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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