[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2069 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2069

   To permit the leasing of mineral rights, in any case in which the 
Indian owners of an allotment that is located within the boundaries of 
 the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and held in trust by the United 
  States have executed leases to more than 50 percent of the mineral 
                       estate of that allotment.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 12, 1998

Mr. Dorgan (for himself and Mr. Conrad) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To permit the leasing of mineral rights, in any case in which the 
Indian owners of an allotment that is located within the boundaries of 
 the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and held in trust by the United 
  States have executed leases to more than 50 percent of the mineral 
                       estate of that allotment.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. LEASES OF ALLOTTED LANDS OF THE FORT BERTHOLD INDIAN 
              RESERVATION.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Approval by secretary of the interior.--
                    (A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law (including the Act of March 3, 1909 
                (35 Stat. 783, chapter 263; 25 U.S.C. 396) and the 
                regulations issued under that Act), the Secretary of 
                the Interior or a designee of the Secretary may approve 
                mineral leases of an allotment described in paragraph 
                (2) in any case in which the Indian owners of that 
                allotment have executed leases to more than 50 percent 
                of the mineral estate of that allotment.
                    (B) Benefits of leases.--At such time as mineral 
                leases on an allotment have been approved for all 
                Indian ownership interests pursuant to this section, 
                all Indian owners of the allotment shall be entitled to 
                the benefits of the leases.
            (2) Allotment.--An allotment described in this paragraph is 
        an allotment that--
                    (A) is located in the Fort Berthold Indian 
                Reservation, North Dakota; and
                    (B) is held in trust by the United States.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--This Act supersedes the Act of March 3, 
1909 (35 Stat. 783, chapter 263; 25 U.S.C. 396) only to the extent 
provided in subsection (a).
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