H.R. 952: Reversionary Interest Conveyance Act
Sponsor
Doris Matsui
Democrat · CA-7
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Mar 4, 2026
Passed the House, received in Senate
Sacramento owners can buy out an 1862 railroad claim
Why it matters
About 8.43 acres in Sacramento sit under a reversionary interest the federal government has carried since an 1862 railroad land grant. H.R. 952 lets the current owners pay fair market value to buy out that claim and clear their title, and it gives the Interior Department two years to close once an owner asks.
H.R. 952 covers roughly 8.43 acres in Sacramento that the Bureau of Land Management still holds a reversionary interest in, a leftover from a railroad land grant dating to 1862.
The bill lets the current owner of record ask to buy out that federal interest. Once they request it, the Interior Department has two years to make the offer and complete the sale. The price can't fall below fair market value, set by a formal appraisal, and the buyer covers every cost along the way: surveys, appraisals, and administrative fees.
The sale doesn't erase anyone else's rights. Existing legal claims stay in place, and the railroad corridor running through the land keeps its protected width. Proceeds go into a federal land account.
The House passed it by voice vote in May 2025. In March 2026 the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee ordered it reported favorably, clearing the way for a full Senate vote.
H.R. 952 Bill Summary
What H.R. 952 actually does.
Owners can buy out the federal claim
The owner of record of a covered parcel can request to purchase the United States' remaining reversionary interest in about 8.43 acres in Sacramento.
Interior gets two years to close
Once an owner requests the conveyance, the Interior Department must offer the federal interest and complete the sale within two years.
Price floor: fair market value
The federal interest can't be sold for less than fair market value, set by an appraisal done under federal and professional appraisal standards.
Buyers pay every cost
On top of the purchase price, the buyer covers all surveys, appraisals, and administrative costs tied to the conveyance.
Existing rights stay intact
Any sale is subject to valid existing rights, so the bill doesn't override easements or other lawful claims already attached to the land.
Railroad corridor stays protected
The bill says it can't shrink the rail right-of-way below 50 feet on each side of the center of the main track, and it doesn't validate claims based on adverse possession.
Who benefits from H.R. 952?
Current parcel owners in Sacramento
They get a clear path to buy out the federal government's lingering claim and finally settle the question of who owns the land.
Local real estate and developers
Clean title makes the parcels easier to sell, finance, redevelop, and plan around.
Bureau of Land Management
The agency gets a defined process to resolve an old, narrow federal interest and recover value through a formal sale.
Federal land programs
Sale proceeds flow into the Federal Land Disposal Account, where they fund land transactions under existing rules.
Who is affected by H.R. 952?
Owners of the covered parcels
They are the only parties allowed to request the buyout, and they must pay both fair market value and all associated costs.
Railroad right-of-way holders
Their corridor protections are preserved, since the bill bars reducing the right-of-way below the specified width.
Parties with existing rights nearby
Their valid existing rights remain in place, so the bill doesn't automatically override easements or other lawful interests.
Taxpayers and the federal government
The transfer must happen at no less than fair market value, with buyers absorbing the administrative costs.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 952 has come up 10 times in the Congressional Record so far.
H.R. 952 also appeared in 1 more House floor reference and 2 routine cosponsor filings.
HR952 Legislative Journey
Passed Committee
Mar 4, 2026
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee Action
Feb 12, 2026
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
Committee Action
May 14, 2025
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
House: Vote Held
May 13, 2025
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1982)
House: Committee Action
Feb 4, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
About the Sponsor
Doris Matsui
Democrat, California's 7th congressional district · 21 years in Congress
Committees: Energy and Commerce
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
28 Democrats across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 952 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Introduced
- Feb 4, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Mar 4, 2026
Official Sources
Official bill page with the full text, status, and action history for the Reversionary Interest Conveyance Act.
Explains the Federal Land Disposal Account that sale proceeds from the reversionary interest would flow into.
The statute creating the account where H.R. 952 directs sale proceeds to be deposited and used.
How the Bureau of Land Management handles land tenure and disposal, the realty process behind this conveyance.
The subcommittee that held hearings on H.R. 952 before the full committee ordered it reported in March 2026.
Who is lobbying on H.R. 952?
1 organization lobbying on this bill
FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY | 8 |
Showing 1-1 of 1 organizations
H.R. 952 Common Questions
Can Sacramento property owners buy out the federal claim on their land?
Yes. H.R. 952 lets the current owner of record of a covered Sacramento parcel ask to buy the United States' reversionary interest in their land and own it free and clear.
Why does the federal government have a claim on this Sacramento land?
The land carries a reversionary interest tracing back to an 1862 railroad land grant. It's a leftover federal right that, on paper, could pull the property back to the government. H.R. 952 lets owners pay it off.
How much land does H.R. 952 cover?
About 8.43 acres of Bureau of Land Management land in Sacramento, California, as shown on a map dated November 7, 2022.
How long would the Interior Department have to complete the sale?
No more than two years. Once an owner requests the buyout, the Interior Department must offer the reversionary interest and convey it on payment within that window.
How much would owners have to pay under H.R. 952?
At least fair market value, set by a formal appraisal, plus all costs of the sale, including surveys, appraisals, and administrative fees.
Does H.R. 952 erase easements or the railroad right-of-way?
No. The sale is subject to valid existing rights, so easements and other lawful interests stay in place. The bill also keeps the rail corridor from shrinking below 50 feet on each side of the main track.
Where does H.R. 952 stand in Congress?
The House passed it by voice vote in May 2025. In March 2026 the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ordered it reported favorably, so it's awaiting a full Senate vote.
Based on H.R. 952 bill text
H.R. 952 Bill Text
“To convey the reversionary interest of the United States in certain land in Sacramento, California.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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