Conveyance of Specified Forest Service Property to Perry County, Arkansas

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3187, a bill to convey a small but meaningful parcel of Forest Service property to Perry County, Arkansas.

This legislation will direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a little less than 1 acre of land located in Perryville, Arkansas, including any structures on the property, to Perry County, should the county request a transfer within 180 days of enactment.

While modest in size, this land holds important local value. It currently houses a building previously used by the U.S. Forest Service which Perry County hopes to repurpose for local administrative use, public services, or other community-focused purposes.

The conveyance would be subject to existing rights and environmental safeguards and would be made without cost to the county, other than administrative and survey-related expenses, which Perry County would cover.

This is a commonsense, community-driven bill that reflects how Federal land policy can and should be responsive to local needs. It will ensure that unused Federal property can be repurposed for the public good while preserving transparency, accountability, and proper oversight.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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