H.R. 837: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.
Sponsor
Elijah Crane
Republican · AZ-2
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Feb 4, 2026
Passed the House, received in Senate
Gila County could get 233 acres for veterans, free
Why it matters
232.9 acres of national forest land would change hands for $0, headed to Gila County, Arizona to serve veterans. Use the site for anything else and the federal government can take it back.
H.R. 837 directs the Forest Service to hand the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site, about 232.9 acres in the Tonto National Forest, over to Gila County, Arizona. The land and all the buildings on it come with the deal.
The county pays nothing for the land itself. But it does have to cover the cost of making the transfer happen: surveys, environmental analysis, and historic preservation review. So the federal government's direct cost stays low while local officials foot the paperwork bill.
There's a catch. The county can use the property only to serve and support veterans of the Armed Forces. If it ever puts the land to a different use, the Forest Service can reclaim it.
The transfer also comes with limited legal guarantees. It would be made by quitclaim deed, subject to existing rights, and with no federal warranty about the site's environmental condition. Supporters frame the bill as turning an underused federal site into a veterans resource; the open question is whether handing over national forest land and buildings at no cost is the right trade.
H.R. 837 Bill Summary
What H.R. 837 actually does.
County gets the land for free
The Forest Service must convey the property without consideration, meaning Gila County pays nothing to the federal government for the land itself.
232.9 acres and the buildings on it
The transfer covers the parcel mapped as the Gila County Area in the Tonto National Forest, including all land and improvements.
County has 180 days to ask
Gila County must submit a written request to the Secretary of Agriculture within 180 days of the bill becoming law, or the transfer doesn't happen.
County pays the transfer costs
Gila County covers all conveyance costs, including any survey, environmental analysis, and historic preservation review.
Locked to veterans use
The county may use the property only to serve and support veterans of the Armed Forces.
Misuse triggers a reversion
If the land is used in a way that breaks the veterans-only rule, all rights revert to the United States at the Secretary's discretion.
Who benefits from H.R. 837?
Veterans in Gila County and nearby areas
They could gain access to new services, facilities, or support programs built around the transferred property.
Gila County government
The county would gain control of a large site and its improvements without paying for the land itself.
Local veterans organizations
Groups serving former service members could gain a dedicated place for programs, housing support, outreach, or community services.
Federal land managers
The Forest Service could shed responsibility for a site that Congress no longer wants it to manage for federal administrative purposes.
Who is affected by H.R. 837?
Gila County taxpayers
They may benefit from veteran-focused development, but the county would have to pay all transfer-related review and survey costs.
Forest Service
The agency would have to complete the transfer and give up control of the property, while setting any protective conditions it sees as necessary.
Users of Tonto National Forest land nearby
They could see a change in how this parcel is managed and accessed once it moves from federal forest administration to county use.
Environmental and public lands advocates
They may watch closely because the bill gives public land to a local government at no cost and limits federal cleanup assurances.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 837 has come up 10 times in the Congressional Record so far.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 837, which is led by my friend from Arizona, Representative Crane. This is a good bill that would transfer land from the Forest Service to create a retreat facility in Gila County, Arizona, for veterans and their families. Over 5,000 veterans call Gila County home, and there are over 500,000 veterans in all of Arizona. Creating this facility will help the brave men and women who have served our country find healing, reconnect with nature, and ease the transition back to civilian life.
H.R. 837 also appeared in 3 routine cosponsor filings.
HR837 Legislative Journey
Passed Committee
Feb 4, 2026
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Committee Action
Feb 6, 2025
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
House: Vote Held
Feb 5, 2025
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H480)
House: Committee Action
Jan 31, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
About the Sponsor
Elijah Crane
Republican, Arizona's 2nd congressional district · 3 years in Congress
Committees: Homeland Security, Oversight and Government Reform
View full profile →
Committee Sponsors
Energy and Natural Resources Committee
0 of 20 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
Natural Resources Committee
0 of 45 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
36 Republicans across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 837 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Introduced
- Jan 31, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Feb 4, 2026
Official Sources
The official bill page tracking H.R. 837's text, actions, and status through the 119th Congress.
The Congressional Budget Office found the conveyance would not affect the federal budget because the county pays all costs and the land generates no federal receipts.
The Forest Service district that contains the 232.9-acre administrative site H.R. 837 would convey to Gila County.
The national forest unit managed by the Forest Service that currently holds the land slated for transfer.
The historic preservation law whose review process Gila County must fund as a condition of the conveyance under SEC. 1(e).
The official full text of the bill as introduced in the House.
H.R. 837 Common Questions
What land does H.R. 837 give to Gila County?
About 232.9 acres in the Tonto National Forest, plus all the buildings on it. It's the old Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site near Young, Arizona.
Does Gila County have to pay for the land?
Not for the land itself. H.R. 837 transfers it without consideration, meaning no purchase price. But the county does have to cover the transfer costs: surveys, environmental analysis, and historic preservation review.
Can the county use the land for anything it wants?
No. H.R. 837 says the property can be used only to serve and support veterans of the Armed Forces. That restriction is the core condition of the deal.
What happens if the county stops using it for veterans?
The land goes back. If Gila County uses the property in a way that breaks the veterans-only rule, all rights revert to the United States at the Forest Service's discretion.
How long does Gila County have to claim the land?
180 days. The county must send a written request to the Secretary of Agriculture within 180 days of H.R. 837 becoming law, or the transfer doesn't go through.
Does the government guarantee the land is environmentally clean?
No. H.R. 837 says the Forest Service doesn't have to provide any covenant or warranty about the environmental condition of the land or buildings. The county takes it as is.
Where does H.R. 837 stand in Congress?
The House passed it by voice vote in February 2025. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has ordered it reported favorably with an amendment, so a Senate floor vote could come next.
Based on H.R. 837 bill text
H.R. 837 Bill Text
“To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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