By Elizabeth Troutman |

The House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday which would enable Gila County, Arizona to operate a veterans center on 232 acres in Young, Arizona.

Introduced by Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., the bill creates the first center of its kind in northern Arizona, providing resources and support to primarily rural veterans and their families.

This veterans center is so crucial for rural veterans in northern Arizona who selflessly served our nation,” Crane said. “I’m grateful to see my colleagues in the House recognize the significance of this land transfer.”

The federal government retains large amounts of land, limiting states’ ability to maintain, conserve, recreate, and responsibly produce on the lands within their own borders, according to Crane. Transferring ownership to Gila County would guard the property’s history and provide family housing, meeting and activity spaces, resource rooms, Veteran Ceremonial Grounds, and outdoor recreation.

“This was the first piece of legislation I introduced and is a testament to the significance of northern Arizona’s veterans,” Crane said. “Anytime Congress can vote on legislation that returns power to the states is a good thing.” 

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and former Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz., co-sponsored the bipartisan effort legislation last Congress. 

Crane thanked the House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman and Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany for their leadership. Westerman said Congress must do all it can to thank veterans and their families for their sacrifice. 

“The commonsense, bipartisan land transfer provided by H.R. 1829 will do just that by opening up new experiences to veterans in the area for recreation and recovery,” Westerman said. “A veteran himself, Representative Crane has led on these issues this Congress, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to get this bill through the Senate and signed into law.”

Democratic Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Krysten Sinema introduced the bill in the Senate. 

In the hearing, Crane asked Gila County Supervisor Woody Cline about the purpose of the veterans center. 

Gila County Supervisor Woody Cline testified before the House Natural Resources Committee on the significant impacts and outstanding resources the center would provide for veterans and their families in the region. He said the site would be one of two in Arizona. 

“It’s huge for our local community as well,” he said. “We have a local veteran community of about 100 people right there in that small town. And then right there between us and Payson, there’s roughly another 5,000-7,000 more right there. Having this accessible, not only to the local members, the state members, the national members, but also, we’re adjacent to the White Mountain Apache Tribe that is not very far away that has a number of veterans in that reservation as well that have been big supporters of this project. It means everything to these folks.” 

Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.