Senate passes bill to transfer land to center

Legislation to transfer 4.48 acres from the Bureau of Land Management to the Carson City Senior Citizens Center has passed the U.S. Senate.

Earlier this week, the bill was officially referred to the Resources Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives for its consideration.

The land is being requested by U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., on behalf of the senior center for future expansion needs.

Expansion plans include additional medical facilities and an assisted living residence. The property, which is immediately east of the senior center, currently houses administrative offices for the BLM.

When it was learned the agency would be vacating the premises, representatives from the city asked Bryan for his assistance in securing the property from the federal government.

"Now that this legislation has passed the Senate, I believe it is well on its way to becoming a reality," said Bryan.

"With such an overwhelming need to expand the Carson City Senior Citizens Center, coupled with the fact that there is excess BLM property sitting right next door, this legislation just makes common sense. And, since there has been a 40 percent increase in meals, services and activities, the senior center has no choice by to expand to meet this growing demand."

It is not known how long it will take the bill to pass through the House of Representatives. In most circumstances like this, the bill would be bundled with others similar to it, and passed as one unit.

"The important thing is, is that it's not controversial," said Dave Lemmon, aide to Bryan in Washington, D.C. "The BLM supports it and has testified to that fact. Everyone's on board. We hope it passes by the end of the year."