S. 277 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 28, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryTransfers Tennessee forest land to church
A small parcel of forest land in Chester County, Tennessee, has a church building on it that technically doesn't belong there. This bill resolves that problem by having the federal Forest Service give up its remaining interest in the land so that Tennessee can have full ownership. The Forest Service will release its reversionary interest and transfer any mineral rights it has in the parcel to the state at no cost, though Tennessee would pay the Forest Service's administrative expenses.
How it affects you
This bill has no direct effect on most people. It settles a specific property matter between the federal government and Tennessee involving a small parcel of forest land and a church in Chester County.
Read the official summary (Reported to Senate, Oct 27, 2025)
This bill provides for the transfer of the Forest Service's interest in the approximately 0.62-acre parcel of land within the Chickasaw State Forest to the state of Tennessee in order to resolve the encroachment of Bethel Baptist Church on that parcel. Both the parcel and the church are located in Chester County, Tennessee.
On August 12, 1955, the Forest Service conveyed the parcel to the state but retained a reversionary interest in the land that takes effect if the state forest land ceases to be used for public purposes. The bill directs the Forest Service to release the reversionary interest to the state.
Additionally, the Forest Service must convey to the state its mineral interest in the parcel. The conveyance must be done by quitclaim deed and without warranty or consideration (such as payment).
As a condition of the release and the conveyance, the state must pay for any administrative costs incurred by the Forest Service in carrying out the release and conveyance. The Forest Service must release the reversionary interest and convey the parcel without undertaking any appraisal, environmental review, or other report.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 277
A BILL
A bill to release a Federal reversionary interest and convey mineral interests in Chester County, Tennessee, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) · Introduced Jan 28, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Oct 27, 2025: “Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 207.”
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 2 official versions.