What This Bill Does
This bill requires the federal government to maintain a "no net increase" in the total amount of land owned by four federal agencies. Whenever the Secretary of the Interior or Secretary of Agriculture buys new land for the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, or Forest Service, they must sell an equal number of acres from one of those same agencies. The money from selling the land goes toward reducing the national debt.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest Service.
Key Provisions
- When these federal agencies acquire land that would increase their total acreage, the responsible Secretary must offer an equal number of acres for sale under the same agency's jurisdiction (Sec. 2(a))
- Easements (rights to use land) acquired by either Secretary to manage federal lands are exempt from this requirement (Sec. 2(b))
- Land offered for sale must be priced at fair market value based on comparable local sales, and the price drops 10 percent each month if unsold after 6 months (Sec. 2(c))
- All money earned from selling land goes directly to the U.S. Treasury to reduce the national debt (Sec. 2(e))
- Land sales remain subject to valid existing rights held by other parties (Sec. 2(d))
What Changes
Federal agencies can no longer expand their total land holdings without selling off equal acreage. Land sales will follow a specific pricing structure that decreases monthly if properties remain unsold.
Important Definitions
None defined in the bill text.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 172
To provide for no net increase in the total acreage of certain Federal land
under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, the National
Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest
Service, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 9, 2023
Mr. GRIFFITH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agri-
culture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for no net increase in the total acreage of certain
Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of
Land Management, the National Park Service, the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest
Service, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Acre In, Acre Out
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Act’’.
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•HR 172 IH
SEC. 2. NO NET INCREASE IN CERTAIN FEDERAL LANDS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—For acquisition of land by the
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Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture
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that would result in a net increase of total land acreage
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under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the
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United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of
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Land Management, or the Forest Service, the Secretary
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concerned shall offer for sale an equal number of acres
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of Federal land that is under the same jurisdictional sta-
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tus.
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(b) EXEMPTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to
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easements acquired—
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(1) by the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate
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management of Federal lands; or
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(2) by the Secretary of Agriculture to facilitate
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management of Federal lands.
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(c) CONSIDERATION.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Land sold pursuant to sub-
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section (a) shall be offered for sale—
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(A) at fair market value (based on local
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comparable sales); and
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(B) at a price that is reduced by 10 per-
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cent each month if the land is not sold or under
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contract to be sold by the date that is 6 months
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after the land was first offered for sale.
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•HR 172 IH
(2) EXCEPTION.—Time periods during which
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land is under contract for sale or withdrawn from
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the market shall not be counted for the purposes of
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price reduction under paragraph (1)(B).
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(d) EXISTING RIGHTS.—The sale of Federal lands
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pursuant to this section shall be subject to valid existing
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rights.
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(e) PROCEEDS OF SALE OF LANDS.—All net proceeds
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from the sale of Federal lands pursuant to this section
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shall be deposited directly into the Treasury for reduction
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of the public debt.
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Æ
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