HR-10159-119
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Sponsored by Richard Hudson (R-NC)
What it does
This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Army to transfer, at no cost, about 20 acres of land at Fort Bragg (Parcel 3B) in Harnett County, North Carolina, to the state so it can build a state veterans' home. North Carolina would have to pay all administrative, survey, and environmental review costs, and the land would revert to the federal government if it is ever used for something other than a veterans' home.
Who benefits
North Carolina veterans and their families who could use the planned state veterans' home; the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, which would gain land for the facility; local contractors and workers who may be hired to build and staff the home; nearby communities in Harnett County that could see economic activity from construction and operations.
Who is hurt
No group is meaningfully harmed; the Army gives up a small, specific parcel it no longer needs for training and retains a reversionary right if the land is misused. North Carolina taxpayers would bear the conveyance and development costs, and federal taxpayers forgo any sale proceeds from the land.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this bill provides no-cost federal land for a state-run veterans' home, directly serving veterans in North Carolina, home to one of the nation's largest military populations near Fort Bragg. They contend the reversionary clause and cost-reimbursement requirements protect federal interests while letting the state efficiently use underutilized training land for a clear public benefit.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that conveying military land without consideration, even for a worthy purpose, sets a precedent for reducing federal real property holdings that could later be needed for training or defense purposes. They contend that Congress should more carefully weigh long-term military land needs before permanently transferring parcels, even small ones, especially given Fort Bragg's ongoing training requirements.