H.R. 1442 is being considered on the floor under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage on Monday, July 13, 2009. This legislation was introduced by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) on March 11, 2009. The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, which held a mark-up and reported the bill on July 10, 2009.
H.R. 1442 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to sell approximately 60 acres of land to the Mount Olivet Cemetery Association of Salt Lake City, Utah, within one year of an appraisal of the land. Under the bill, the Cemetery Association would be required to pay for all costs associated with the conveyance, including the cost of the survey. All proceeds from the transfer would be deposited into the Federal Land Disposal Account and made available to the Secretary for to purchase lands in Utah.
The 60 acres the H.R. 1442 would require the Secretary to sell to the Mount Olivet Cemetery Association of Salt Lake City, Utah, were originally transferred to the cemetery in 1909. Under that transfer agreement, the land would revert back to the government if it was not used as a cemetery. While the specified 60 acres was not used for burials, the Cemetery Association still maintained the land and leased it for commercial purposes under an agreement with the government. H.R. 1442 would require the Secretary to sell the land to the Cemetery Association in order for them to legally sell the land for commercial use. The proceeds from the sale would be set aside for the Secretary to use for the future purchase of land in Utah without appropriation.
According to CBO H.R. 1442 would have "no net effect on direct spending and no effect on revenues."
