[House Report 106-226]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 106-226
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TRANSFER OF STEFFENS FAMILY PROPERTY IN WYOMING
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July 12, 1999.--Referred to the Private Calendar and ordered to be
printed
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Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 449]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(S. 449) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer to
the personal representative of the estate of Fred Steffens of
Big Horn County, Wyoming, certain land comprising the Steffens
family property, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
purpose of the bill
The purpose of S. 449 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to transfer to the personal representative of the
estate of Fred Steffens of Big Horn County, Wyoming, certain
land comprising the Steffens family property.
background and need for legislation
The property outlined in S. 449 (about 80 acres) has been a
part of the Steffens' family working farm since the land was
purchased in 1928. Mr. Steffens was issued a warranty deed to
the property by Mr. Frank McKinney. Apparently, however, Mr.
McKinney had neither title to the property nor an assignable
right of entry. In good faith, Mr. Steffens purchased the
property and, according to the Big Horn County Assessor's
office, paid taxes on it since the date of purchase.
Upon Mr. Steffens' death, in an attempt to settle his
estate, it was discovered that a patent had never been issued
for these lands. Mr. Steffens' sister and representative of the
estate filed a Color of Title application with the Bureau of
Land Management's (BLM) Wyoming office, but the title was
rejected because the lands at issue were, and continue to be,
withdrawn by the Bureau of Reclamation for the Shoshone
Reclamation Project. Regulations specifically preclude claims
under the Color of Title Act when lands are withdrawn for
federal purposes.
The only option to remedy this situation is to pass S. 449.
The bill transfers the title and surface estate to the
Steffens. BLM will keep the mineral rights.
committee action
S. 449 was introduced by Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY) on
February 24, 1999. The bill was referred to the Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources which reported the
bill favorably without amendment on March 22, 1999 (S. Report
106-32). The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent
without amendment on April 19, 1999.
S. 449 was referred to the Committee on Resources on June
17, 1999. The Committee ordered the bill favorably reported
without amendment on June 30, 1999, by voice vote.
S. 449 is identical to H.R. 509, introduced by
Congresswoman Barbara Cubin (R-WY). H.R. 509 was referred to
the Committee on Resources, which reported the bill favorably
with a technical amendment on March 3, 1999, by voice vote (H.
Report 106-67). The House of Representatives passed H.R. 509 on
May 4, 1999, by voice vote.
committee oversight findings and recommendations
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations
are reflected in the body of this report.
constitutional authority statement
Article I, section 8 and Article IV, section 3 of the
Constitution of the United States grant Congress the authority
to enact this bill.
compliance with house rule xiii
1. Cost of Legislation.--Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B)
of that Rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
2. Congressional Budget Act.--As required by clause 3(c)(2)
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures.
3. Government Reform Oversight Findings.--Under clause
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee has received no report of
oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on
Government Reform on this bill.
4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.--Under clause
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, July 2, 1999.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 449, an act to
direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer to the
personal representative of the estate of Fred Steffens of Big
Horn County, Wyoming, certain land comprising the Steffens
family property.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Victoria Heid
Hall.
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
S. 449.--An act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer to
the personal representative of the estate of Fred Steffens of
Big Horn County, Wyoming, certain land comprising the Steffens
family property
S. 449 would direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Bureau of Land Management, to transfer without
consideration about 80 acres of land in Big Horn County,
Wyoming, to the representative of the estate of Mr. Fred
Steffens. The federal government would retain the mineral
interests in the land.
CBO estimates that enacting this legislation would have no
significant impact on the federal budget. Because S. 449 would
not affect direct spending or receipts, pay-as-you-go
procedures would not apply. S. 449 contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandate Reform Act and would have no significant
impact on the budgets of state, local or tribal governments.
On March 10, 1999, CBO prepared a cost estimate for S. 449
as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources on March 4, 1999. The two versions of S. 449
are identical, as are the two cost estimates.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Victoria Heid
Hall. This estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
compliance with public law 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
preemption of state, local or tribal law
This bill does not intend to preempt State, local or tribal
law.
changes in existing law
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.