House advances Virginia land-use bill over Dem objections

The bill would terminate all federal deed restrictions on a parcel of land in Virginia so that it could be developed; currently, it must be used for recreation. Republican sponsor Scott Rigell (R-Va.) cast the bill as a jobs bill for Accomack County, Va.

But Democrats were skeptical in brief debate on the rule. House Rules Committee ranking member Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) said the House would spend its time more efficiently if it focused on the Senate-passed transportation bill, which she said would create jobs around the country.

{mosads}”Instead of creating thousands of jobs through a bipartisan transportation bill… we are talking about an $800,000 earmark to benefit a single county in a single state,” she said. “In other words, instead of creating the millions of new jobs that would result from a strong bipartisan transportation bill, we’re spending the entire day debating a bill that affects 32 acres of land in a single state.”

While Democrats cast the bill as an earmark, Republicans rejected that, saying the bill sends no money to Virginia and instead just lifts deed restrictions on land, something Congress has approved in prior sessions without controversy.

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said the Department of the Interior has decided not to lift the deed restrictions for Accomack County, which is why the bill is needed.

“There has to be some time when common sense takes over and we actually do things because it’s the right thing to do, because it is the better thing to do,” he said.