[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2880 Reported in House (RH)]






                                                 Union Calendar No. 299
107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 2880

                          [Report No. 107-499]

  To amend laws relating to the lands of the citizens of the Muscogee 
     (Creek), Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Nations, 
 historically referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

           September 12 (legislative day, September 11), 2001

   Mr. Watkins of Oklahoma (for himself, Mr. Carson of Oklahoma, Mr. 
   Kildee, and Mr. Condit) introduced the following bill; which was 
                 referred to the Committee on Resources

                             June 11, 2002

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
    [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on 
                          September 12, 2001]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend laws relating to the lands of the citizens of the Muscogee 
     (Creek), Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Nations, 
 historically referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Five Nations 
Indian Land Reform Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Purposes.
Sec. 4. Definitions.

             TITLE I--RESTRICTIONS; REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIONS

Sec. 101. Restrictions on real property.
Sec. 102. Reinvestment of proceeds from condemnation or conveyance of 
                            restricted property.
Sec. 103. Restricted funds.
Sec. 104. Period of restrictions.
Sec. 105. Removal of restrictions.
Sec. 106. Exemptions from prior claims.
Sec. 107. Fractional interests.

 TITLE II--ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF CONVEYANCES, PARTITIONS, LEASES, 
             AND MORTGAGES; MANAGEMENT OF MINERAL INTERESTS

Sec. 201. Approval authority for conveyances and leases.
Sec. 202. Approval of conveyances.
Sec. 203. Reimposition of restrictions on conveyances of property to 
                            Indian housing authorities.
Sec. 204. Administrative approval of partition in kind.
Sec. 205. Surface leases.
Sec. 206. Secretarial approval of mineral leases or agreements.
Sec. 207. Management of mineral interests.
Sec. 208. Mortgages.

   TITLE III--PROBATE, HEIRSHIP DETERMINATION, AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS 
                 AFFECTING TITLE TO RESTRICTED PROPERTY

Sec. 301. Actions affecting restricted property.
Sec. 302. Heirship determinations and probates.
Sec. 303. Actions to cure title defects.
Sec. 304. Involuntary partitions.
Sec. 305. Requirements for actions to cure title defects and 
                            involuntary partitions.
Sec. 306. Pending State proceedings.

                        TITLE IV--MISCELLANEOUS

Sec. 401. Regulations.
Sec. 402. Validation of certain transactions; savings clause.
Sec. 403. Repeals.
Sec. 404. Secretarial trust responsibility.
Sec. 405. Representation by attorneys for the Department of the 
                            Interior.
Sec. 406. Filing requirements; constructive notice.
Sec. 407. Publication of designated officials.
Sec. 408. Rule of construction.
Sec. 409. Effective date.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Since 1970, Federal Indian policy has encouraged Indian 
        self-determination and economic self-sufficiency. The exercise 
        of Federal instrumentality jurisdiction by the Oklahoma State 
        courts over the Indian property that is subject to Federal 
        restrictions against alienation belonging to enrollees and 
        descendants of enrollees whose names appear on the final 1906 
        Indian rolls of the Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Cherokee, 
        Chickasaw, and Choctaw Nations, historically referred to as the 
        Five Civilized Tribes, but now referred to as the Five Nations, 
        is inconsistent with that policy.
            (2) It is a goal of Congress to recognize the Indian land 
        base as an integral part of the culture and heritage of Indian 
        people.
            (3) The exercise of Federal instrumentality jurisdiction by 
        the courts of the State of Oklahoma over conveyances and 
        inheritance of restricted property belonging to Individual 
        Indians--
                    (A) is costly, confusing, and cumbersome, and 
                effectively prevents any meaningful Indian estate 
                planning, and unduly complicates the probating of 
                Indian estates and other legal proceedings relating to 
                Individual Indians and their lands; and
                    (B) has impeded the self-determination and economic 
                self-sufficiency of Individual Indians within the 
                exterior boundaries of the Five Nations.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are as follows:
            (1) To correct the disparate Federal treatment of 
        individual allotted lands of Individual Indians that resulted 
        from prior Federal legislation by equalizing the Federal 
        legislative treatment of restricted and trust lands.
            (2) To eliminate unnecessary legal and bureaucratic 
        obstacles that impede the highest and best use of restricted 
        property belonging to Individual Indians.
            (3) To provide for an efficient process for the 
        administrative review and approval of conveyances, voluntary 
        partitions, and leases, and to provide for Federal 
        administrative proceedings in testate and intestate probate and 
        other cases that involve the restricted property of Individual 
        Indians, which concern the rights of Individual Indians to hold 
        and acquire such property in restricted and trust status.
            (4) To transfer to the Secretary the Federal 
        instrumentality jurisdiction of the Oklahoma State courts 
        together with other authority currently exercised by such 
        courts over the conveyance, devise, inheritance, lease, 
        encumbrance, and certain voluntary partition actions involving 
        restricted property belonging to such Individual Indians.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Five nations.--The term ``Five Nations'' means the 
        Cherokee Nation, the Chickasaw Nation, the Choctaw Nation of 
        Oklahoma, the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and the Muscogee 
        (Creek) Nation, collectively, which were historically referred 
        to as the ``Five Civilized Tribes''.
            (2) Indian country.--The term ``Indian country'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 1151 of title 18, United 
        States Code, which includes restricted property and trust 
        property (as such terms are defined in this Act).
            (3) Indian nation.--The term ``Indian Nation'' means one of 
        the individual Five Nations referred to in paragraph (1).
            (4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)).
            (5) Individual indian.--The term ``Individual Indian'' 
        means a member or citizen of one of the individual Five Nations 
        referred to in paragraph (1), an enrollee on the final Indian 
        rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes closed in 1906, or an 
        individual who is a lineal descendant by blood of an Indian 
        ancestor enrolled on the final Indian rolls of the Five 
        Civilized Tribes closed in 1906, regardless of whether such 
        person is an enrolled member of one of the Five Nations.
            (6) Restricted property.--(A) The term ``restricted 
        property'' means any right, title, or interest in real property 
        owned by an Individual Indian that is subject to a restriction 
        against alienation, conveyance, lease, mortgage, creation of 
        liens, or other encumbrances imposed by this Act and other laws 
        of the United States expressly applicable to the property of 
        enrollees and lineal descendants of enrollees on the final 
Indian rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes in 1906.
            (B) The term ``restricted property'' includes, without 
        limitation, those interests in the estate of a decedent 
        Individual Indian who died prior to the effective date of this 
        Act that were, immediately prior to the decedent's death, 
        subject to restrictions against alienation imposed by the laws 
        of the United States but that had not, as of the effective date 
        of this Act--
                    (i) been the subject of a final order determining 
                the decedent's heirs and distributing the restricted 
                property issued by a State district court or a United 
                States district court;
                    (ii) been conveyed by heirs by deed approved in 
                State district court;
                    (iii) been conveyed by heirs of less than one-half 
                degree of Indian blood with or without State district 
                court approval; or
                    (iv) been the subject of Secretarial approval of 
                removal of restrictions.
            (C) The term ``restricted property'' does not include 
        Indian trust allotments made pursuant to the General Allotment 
        Act (25 U.S.C. 331 et seq.) or any other trust property.
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior or the designee of the Secretary of the 
        Interior.
            (8) Trust property.--The term ``trust property'' means 
        Indian property, title to which is held in trust by the United 
        States for the benefit of an Individual Indian or an Indian 
        Nation, provided that such property was acquired in trust by 
        the United States under the authority of the Act of June 18, 
        1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.) (commonly known as the ``Indian 
        Reorganization Act'') or the Act of June 26, 1936 (25 U.S.C. 
        501 et seq.) (commonly known as the ``Oklahoma Indian Welfare 
        Act''), within the boundaries of the State of Oklahoma.

             TITLE I--RESTRICTIONS; REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIONS

SEC. 101. RESTRICTIONS ON REAL PROPERTY.

    (a) Application.--Beginning on the effective date of this Act, all 
restricted property shall be subject to restrictions against 
alienation, conveyance, lease, mortgage, creation of liens, or other 
encumbrances, regardless of the degree of Indian blood of the 
Individual Indian who owns such property.
    (b) Continuation.--
            (1) In general.--Any restricted property, including any 
        restricted property referred to in subsection (a), shall remain 
        restricted property notwithstanding the acquisition of such 
        property by an Individual Indian by inheritance, devise, gift, 
        or exchange.
            (2) With waiver.--Any restricted property, including any 
        restricted property referred to in subsection (a), shall remain 
        restricted property upon the acquisition of such property by an 
        Individual Indian by election to take at partition or by 
        purchase, but only if--
                    (A) prior to the execution of the deed transferring 
                such restricted property, the Individual Indian who 
                owned such property prior to such election to take or 
                purchase executes a written waiver of his or her right 
                to acquire other property in restricted status pursuant 
                to section 102; and
                    (B) such restrictions appear in the deed 
                transferring such property to the Individual Indian 
                electing to take at partition or purchasing such 
                property, together with certification on said deed by 
                the Secretary that the requirements of this paragraph 
                have been met.

SEC. 102. REINVESTMENT OF PROCEEDS FROM CONDEMNATION OR CONVEYANCE OF 
              RESTRICTED PROPERTY.

    (a) Requirement.--Upon the conveyance of the restricted property of 
an Individual Indian pursuant to this Act, or upon the conveyance or 
condemnation of such property pursuant to section 3 of the Act of March 
3, 1901 (25 U.S.C. 357) or other Federal laws generally applicable to 
the condemnation of Indian trust or restricted property, any proceeds 
from such conveyance or condemnation shall be used to purchase from a 
willing seller other property designated by such Individual Indian, and 
such designated property shall be restricted property if--
            (1) such proceeds were deposited into a segregated account 
        in a trust fund under the supervision of the Secretary at the 
        request of the Individual Indian;
            (2) such Individual Indian provides a written request to 
        the Secretary for payment of all or a portion of such proceeds 
        for purchase of property to be held in restricted status;
            (3) such Individual Indian has not executed a written 
        waiver of his or her right to acquire other property in 
        restricted status pursuant to section 101;
            (4) such restrictions appear in the conveyance to the 
        Individual Indian with certification by the Secretary that the 
        requirements of this section have been met; and
            (5) such property is located within the State of Oklahoma.
    (b) Fair Market Value in Excess of Proceeds.--If the fair market 
value of any property designated under subsection (a) exceeds the 
amount of proceeds that are derived from the conveyance or condemnation 
involved, a specific tract of land within the property shall be 
designated by the Individual Indian for placement in restricted status. 
The size of the restricted tract of land so designated shall be in the 
same proportion to the whole of the property as the proceeds derived 
from the conveyance or condemnation bears to the fair market value of 
the whole of the property. Such restrictions shall appear on the face 
of the deed with certification by the Secretary describing that portion 
of the property which is subject to restrictions.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--The provisions of subsections (a) and 
(b) of this section shall apply to the reinvestment of proceeds derived 
from the conveyance or condemnation of restricted property of an 
Individual Indian pursuant to the Act of March 2, 1931, as amended by 
the Act of June 30, 1932 (25 U.S.C. 409a), where such reinvestment 
occurs after the effective date of this Act.

SEC. 103. RESTRICTED FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--All funds and securities held or supervised by the 
Secretary derived from restricted property or Individual Indian trust 
property on or after the effective date of this Act, including proceeds 
from any conveyance or condemnation as provided for in section 102, are 
deemed to be restricted and shall remain subject to the jurisdiction of 
the Secretary.
    (b) Use of Funds.--Funds, securities, and proceeds described in 
subsection (a) may be released or expended by the Secretary for the use 
and benefit of the Individual Indians to whom such funds, securities, 
and proceeds belong, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary 
may prescribe.

SEC. 104. PERIOD OF RESTRICTIONS.

    Subject to the provisions of this Act that permit restrictions to 
be removed, the period of restriction against alienation, conveyance, 
lease, mortgage, creation of liens, or other encumbrances of restricted 
property and funds belonging to Individual Indians, is hereby extended 
until an Act of Congress determines otherwise.

SEC. 105. REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIONS.

    (a) Procedure.--
            (1) Application.--An Individual Indian who owns restricted 
        property, or the legal guardian of a minor Individual Indian or 
        an Individual Indian who has been determined to be legally 
incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction (including a tribal 
court), may apply to the Secretary for an order removing restrictions 
on any interest in restricted property owned by such Individual Indian.
            (2) Consideration of application.--An application under 
        paragraph (1) shall be considered by the Secretary only as to 
        the tract, tracts, or severed mineral or surface interest 
        described in the application. Not later than 90 days after the 
        date on which an application is submitted, the Secretary shall 
        either issue the removal order or disapprove the application.
            (3) Disapproval.--The Secretary shall disapprove an 
        application under paragraph (1) if--
                    (A) in the Secretary's judgment, the applicant has 
                been subjected to fraud, undue influence, or duress by 
                a third party; or
                    (B) the Secretary determines it is otherwise not in 
                the Individual Indian owner's best interest.
    (b) Removal of Restrictions.--When an order to remove restrictions 
becomes effective under subsection (a), the Secretary shall issue a 
certificate describing the property and stating that the Federal 
restrictions have been removed.
    (c) Submission of List.--Not later than April 1 of each year, the 
Secretary shall cause to be filed with the county treasurer of each 
county in the State of Oklahoma where restricted property is situated, 
a list of restricted property that has lost its restricted status 
during the preceding calendar year in accordance with the provisions of 
this Act.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to--
            (1) abrogate valid existing rights to property that is 
        subject to an order to remove restrictions under this section; 
        and
            (2) remove restrictions on any other restricted property 
        owned by the applicant.

SEC. 106. EXEMPTIONS FROM PRIOR CLAIMS.

    Sections 4 and 5 of the Act of May 27, 1908 (35 Stat. 312, chapter 
199), shall apply to all restricted property.

SEC. 107. FRACTIONAL INTERESTS.

    Upon application by an Individual Indian owner of an undivided 
unrestricted interest in property of which a portion of the interests 
in such property is restricted as of the effective date of this Act, 
the Secretary shall forthwith convert that unrestricted interest into 
restricted status if all of the interests in the property are owned by 
Individual Indians as tenants in common as of the date of the 
application under this section. The conversion into restricted status 
shall be effective upon the date of filing of a restricted form deed 
with the county clerk of the county where the property is situated; 
provided that such deed must be executed by the applicant and approved 
by the Secretary.

 TITLE II--ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF CONVEYANCES, PARTITIONS, LEASES, 
             AND MORTGAGES; MANAGEMENT OF MINERAL INTERESTS

SEC. 201. APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR CONVEYANCES AND LEASES.

    The Secretary shall have exclusive jurisdiction to approve 
conveyances and leases of restricted property by an Individual Indian 
or by any guardian or conservator of any Individual Indian who is a 
ward in any guardianship or conservatorship proceeding pending in any 
court of competent jurisdiction, except that petitions for such 
approvals that are filed in Oklahoma district courts prior to the 
effective date of this Act shall be heard and adjudicated by such 
courts pursuant to the procedures described in section 1 of the Act of 
August 4, 1947 (61 Stat. 731, chapter 458), as in effect on the day 
before the effective date of this Act, unless the Individual Indian, 
guardian, or conservator dismisses the petition or otherwise objects to 
the conveyance or lease prior to final court approval.

SEC. 202. APPROVAL OF CONVEYANCES.

    (a) Procedure.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (b), 
        restricted property may be conveyed by an Individual Indian 
        pursuant to the procedures described in this subsection.
            (2) Requirements.--An Individual Indian may only convey 
        restricted property--
                    (A) after the property is appraised by the 
                Secretary;
                    (B) for an amount that is not less than 90 percent 
                of the appraised value of the property;
                    (C) to the highest bidder through the submission to 
                the Secretary of closed, silent bids or negotiated 
                bids; and
                    (D) upon the approval of the Secretary.
    (b) Exception.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (a)(2), an 
        Individual Indian may convey his or her restricted property, or 
        any portion thereof, to any of the individuals described in 
        paragraph (2) without soliciting bids, providing notice, or for 
        consideration which is less than the appraised value of the 
        property, if the Secretary determines that the conveyance is 
        not contrary to the best interests of the Individual Indian and 
        that the Individual Indian has been duly informed of and 
        understands the fair market appraisal, and is not being coerced 
        into the conveyance.
            (2) Individuals.--An individual described in this paragraph 
        is the Individual Indian spouse (if he or she is an Individual 
        Indian, father, mother, brother or sister, son, daughter or 
        other lineal descendant, aunt or uncle, cousin, niece or 
        nephew, or Individual Indian co-owner.

SEC. 203. REIMPOSITION OF RESTRICTIONS ON CONVEYANCES OF PROPERTY TO 
              INDIAN HOUSING AUTHORITIES.

    (a) In General.--In any case where the restrictions have been 
removed from restricted property for the purpose of allowing 
conveyances of the property to Indian housing authorities to enable 
such authorities to build homes for individual owners or relatives of 
owners of restricted property, the Secretary shall issue a Certificate 
of Restricted Status describing the property and imposing restrictions 
thereon upon written request by the Individual Indian homebuyer or a 
successor Individual Indian homebuyer. Such request shall include 
evidence satisfactory to the Secretary that the homebuyer's contract 
has been paid in full and be delivered to the Secretary not later than 
3 years after the housing authority conveys such property back to the 
original Individual Indian homebuyer or an Individual Indian assignee 
or successor of the original Individual Indian homebuyer.
    (b) Existing Liens.--Prior to issuing a certificate under 
subsection (a) with respect to property, the Secretary may require the 
elimination of any existing liens or other encumbrances which would 
substantially interfere with the use of the property.
    (c) Application to Certain Homebuyers.--Individual Indian 
homebuyers described in subsection (a) who acquired ownership of 
property prior to the effective date of this Act shall have 3 years 
from such effective date to request that the Secretary issue a 
certificate under such subsection.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to limit or affect the rights of Individual Indians described in this 
section under other Federal laws and regulations relating to the 
acquisition and status of trust property.

SEC. 204. ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF PARTITION IN KIND.

    (a) Jurisdiction.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall have exclusive 
        jurisdiction to approve the partition in kind of property, 
        where--
                    (A) all of said property is held in trust or 
                restricted status in common ownership by more than 1 
                Individual Indian owner;
                    (B) all owners consent to the partition in writing; 
                and
                    (C) all other requirements of subsections (b) and 
                (c) are met.
            (2) Voluntary partition in kind.--The Secretary shall have 
        jurisdiction to approve the voluntary partition in kind of 
        property consisting of both restricted and unrestricted, or 
        both trust and nontrust, undivided interests if all owners 
        consent to such partition in kind in writing.
    (b) Application for Partition.--
            (1) In general.--An owner or owners of an undivided 
        interest in any property described in subsection (a) may make 
        written application, on a form approved by the Secretary, for 
        the partition in kind of their trust or restricted property.
            (2) Determination.--If, based on an application submitted 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary determines that the property 
        involved is susceptible to partition in kind, the Secretary 
        shall initiate partition of the property by--
                    (A) notifying the owners of such determination;
                    (B) providing the owners with a partition plan; and
                    (C) affording the owners a reasonable time to 
                respond, object, or consent in accordance with 
                subsection (c).
    (c) Partition Procedures.--
            (1) Proposed land division plan.--The Secretary shall give 
        applicants under subsection (b) and all other owners of 
        property subject to a partition application under this section 
        with a reasonable opportunity to negotiate a proposed land 
        division plan for the purpose of securing ownership of a tract 
        on the property equivalent to their respective interests in the 
        undivided estate, prior to taking any action related to 
        partition in kind of the property under this section.
            (2) Approval.--The Secretary may attempt to negotiate for 
        partition in kind or for sale of all or a portion of the 
        property, and secure appropriate deeds from all interest 
        owners, subject to the Secretary's approval, if a plan under 
        paragraph (1) is approved by--
                    (A) Individual Indian owners of more than 50 
                percent of the property which is entirely in trust 
                status (as distinguished from restricted status) and if 
                the Secretary finds the plan to be reasonable, fair, 
                and equitable, the Secretary may issue an order 
                partitioning the trust property in kind; or
                    (B) any Individual Indian who owns an undivided 
                interest which is held in restricted status (as 
                distinguished from trust status) and if the Secretary 
                finds the plan to be reasonable, fair, and equitable.
            (3) Limitation.--No partition under paragraph (2)(B) shall 
        be effected unless all of the owners have consented to the plan 
        in writing.

SEC. 205. SURFACE LEASES.

    The surface of restricted property may be leased by an Individual 
Indian pursuant to the Act of August 9, 1955 (25 U.S.C. 415 et seq.), 
except that the Secretary may approve any agricultural lease or permit 
with respect to restricted property in accordance with the provisions 
of section 105 of the American Indian Agricultural Resource Management 
Act (25 U.S.C. 3715) and section 219 of the Indian Land Consolidated 
Act (25 U.S.C. 2218).

SEC. 206. SECRETARIAL APPROVAL OF MINERAL LEASES OR AGREEMENTS.

    (a) Approval.--
            (1) General rule.--No lease or agreement purporting to 
        convey or create any mineral interest in restricted or trust 
        property that is entered into or renewed after the effective 
        date of this Act shall be valid unless approved by the 
        Secretary.
            (2) Requirements.--The Secretary may approve a lease or 
        agreement described in paragraph (1) only if--
                    (A) the Individual Indian owners of a majority of 
                the undivided interest in the restricted or trust 
                mineral estate that is the subject of the lease or 
                agreement (including any interest covered by a lease or 
                agreement executed by the Secretary under subsection 
                (c)) consent to the lease or agreement;
                    (B) the Secretary determines that approving the 
                lease or agreement is in the best interest of the 
                Individual Indian owners of the restricted or trust 
                mineral interests; and
                    (C)(i) the Secretary has accepted the highest bid 
                for such lease or agreement after a competitive bidding 
                process has been conducted by the Secretary, or
                    (ii) the Secretary has determined that it is in the 
                best interest of the Individual Indian owners to award 
                a lease made by negotiation, and the Individual Indian 
                owners so consent in writing.
    (b) Effect of Approval.--Upon the approval of a lease or agreement 
by the Secretary under subsection (a), the lease or agreement shall be 
binding upon all owners of the restricted or trust undivided interests 
subject to the lease or agreement and all other parties to the lease or 
agreement, to the same extent as if all of the owners of the restricted 
or trust mineral interests involved had consented to the lease or 
agreement.
    (c) Execution of Lease or Agreement by Secretary.--The Secretary 
may execute a mineral lease or agreement that affects restricted or 
trust property interests on behalf of an Individual Indian owner if 
that owner is deceased and the heirs to, or devisees of, the interest 
of the deceased owner have not been determined, or if the heirs or 
devisees have been determined but one or more of the heirs or devisees 
cannot be located.
    (d) Distribution of Proceeds.--The proceeds derived from a mineral 
lease or agreement approved by the Secretary under subsection (a) shall 
be distributed in accordance with the interest held by each owner 
pursuant to such rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the 
Secretary.
    (e) Communitization Agreements.--Restricted or trust mineral 
interests underlying property located within a spacing and drilling 
unit approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission shall not be 
drained of any oil or gas by a well within such unit without a 
communitization agreement prepared and approved by the Secretary, 
except that in the event of any such drainage without a communitization 
agreement approved by the Secretary, 100 percent of all revenues 
derived from the production from any such restricted or trust property 
shall be paid to the Individual Indian owner free of all lifting and 
other production costs.

SEC. 207. MANAGEMENT OF MINERAL INTERESTS.

    (a) Oil and Gas Conservation Laws.--
            (1) In general.--The oil and gas conservation laws of the 
        State of Oklahoma shall apply to restricted property.
            (2) Enforcement.--The Oklahoma Corporation Commission shall 
        have the authority to perform ministerial functions related to 
the enforcement of the laws referred to in paragraph (1), including 
enforcement actions against well operators, except that no order of the 
Corporation Commission affecting restricted Indian property shall be 
valid as to such property until such order is submitted to and approved 
by the Secretary.
            (3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
        be construed to grant to the State of Oklahoma regulatory 
        jurisdiction over the protection of the environment and natural 
        resources of restricted property, except to the limited extent 
        granted by this subsection.
    (b) Implementation of Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act.--
Beginning on the effective date of this Act, the Secretary shall 
exercise all the duties and responsibilities of the Secretary under the 
Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (30 U.S.C. 1702 et 
seq.) with respect to an oil and gas lease where--
            (1) the Secretary has approved the oil and gas lease 
        pursuant to section 206(a);
            (2) the Secretary has, prior to the effective date of this 
        Act, approved the oil and gas lease pursuant to the Act of May 
        27, 1908 (35 Stat. 312, chapter 199); or
            (3) the Secretary has, before the effective date of this 
        Act, approved an oil and gas lease of lands of any of the Five 
        Nations pursuant to the Act of May 11, 1938 (25 U.S.C. 396a et 
        seq.).

SEC. 208. MORTGAGES.

    An Individual Indian may mortgage restricted property only in 
accordance with and under the authority of the Act of March 29, 1956 
(25 U.S.C. 483a).

   TITLE III--PROBATE, HEIRSHIP DETERMINATION, AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS 
                 AFFECTING TITLE TO RESTRICTED PROPERTY

SEC. 301. ACTIONS AFFECTING RESTRICTED PROPERTY.

    The Secretary shall have jurisdiction over actions affecting title 
to, or use or disposition of, trust property or restricted property. 
The United States District Court in the State of Oklahoma and the 
courts of the State of Oklahoma shall have jurisdiction over actions 
affecting title to, or use or disposition of, trust property or 
restricted property only to the extent expressly authorized by this Act 
or by other Federal laws applicable to trust property or restricted 
property.

SEC. 302. HEIRSHIP DETERMINATIONS AND PROBATES.

    (a) Jurisdiction.--The Secretary shall have exclusive jurisdiction, 
to probate wills or otherwise determine heirs of deceased Individual 
Indians and to adjudicate all such estate actions to the extent that 
they involve individual trust property, restricted property, or 
restricted or trust funds or securities held or supervised by the 
Secretary derived from such property, subject to the following 
exceptions:
            (1) The Secretary shall not have jurisdiction over such 
        estate actions that are pending in the courts of the State of 
        Oklahoma as provided in section 306.
            (2) The Secretary shall not have jurisdiction over any 
        estate for which a final order of probate or determination of 
        heirs was issued by a court of the State of Oklahoma or a 
        United States district court.
    (b) Governing Laws.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
the Secretary shall exercise the Secretary's jurisdiction and authority 
under this section in accordance with the Indian Land Consolidation Act 
(25 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) and such rules and regulations which 
heretofore have been, or will be, prescribed by the Secretary for the 
probate of wills, determination of heirs, and distribution of property 
in estates of Indian decedents, subject to the following requirements:
            (1) Law applicable to estates of individual indian 
        decedents who died prior to effective date.--The administrative 
        law judge or other official designated by the Secretary shall 
        apply the laws of descent and distribution of the State of 
        Oklahoma contained in title 84 of the Oklahoma Statutes, 
        chapter 4, to all restricted property, trust property, and all 
        restricted or trust funds or securities derived from such 
        property in the estates of deceased Individual Indians who died 
        intestate prior to the effective date of this Act.
            (2) Law applicable to wills executed prior to effective 
        date.--The Secretary shall determine the validity and effect of 
        wills as to estates containing trust property or restricted 
        property when such wills were executed by Individual Indians 
        prior to the effective date of this Act, in accordance with the 
        laws of the State of Oklahoma governing the validity and effect 
        of wills, provided that the will of a full-blood Individual 
        Indian which disinherits the parent, spouse, or one or more 
        children of such full-blood Individual Indian shall not be 
        valid with respect to the disposition of restricted property 
        unless the requirements of section 23 of the Act of April 26, 
        1906 (34 Stat. 137, chapter 1876), as in effect on the day 
        before the effective date of this Act, are met.
            (3) Law applicable to wills executed on or after effective 
        date.--
                    (A) In general.--Any Individual Indian who has 
                attained age 18 and owns restricted property or trust 
                property shall have the right to dispose of such 
                property by will, executed on or after the effective 
                date of this Act in accordance with regulations which 
                heretofore have been, or will be, prescribed by the 
                Secretary for the probate of wills, provided--
                            (i) no will so executed shall be valid or 
                        have any force or effect unless and until such 
                        will has been approved by the Secretary; and
                            (ii) that the Secretary may approve or 
                        disapprove such will either before or after the 
                        death of the Individual Indian testator.
                    (B) Fraud.--In any case where a will has been 
                approved by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) and it 
                is subsequently discovered that there was fraud in 
                connection with the execution or procurement of the 
                will, the Secretary is authorized, within 1 year after 
                the death of the testator, to cancel approval of the 
                will. If an approval is canceled in accordance with the 
                preceding sentence, the property purported to be 
                disposed of in the will shall descend or be distributed 
                in accordance with the Secretary's rules and 
                regulations applicable to estates of Indian decedents 
                who die intestate.
            (4) Federal law controls.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of this section, Federal law governing personal 
        claims against the estate of a deceased Individual Indian or 
        against trust property or restricted property, including the 
        restrictions imposed by this Act or other applicable Federal 
        law against the alienation, conveyance, lease, mortgage, 
        creation of liens, or other encumbrances of trust property or 
        restricted property shall apply to all such property contained 
        in the estate of the deceased Individual Indian.

SEC. 303. ACTIONS TO CURE TITLE DEFECTS.

    (a) Jurisdiction.--Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), 
the United States district courts in the State of Oklahoma and the 
State courts of Oklahoma shall retain jurisdiction over actions seeking 
to cure defects affecting the marketability of title to restricted 
property, except that all such actions shall be subject to the 
requirements of section 305.
    (b) Adverse Possession.--No cause of action may be brought to claim 
title to or an interest in restricted property by adverse possession or 
the doctrine of laches on or after the effective date of this Act, 
except that--
            (1) all such causes that are pending on the effective date 
        of this Act in accordance with the provisions of section 3 of 
        the Act of April 12, 1926 (44 Stat. 239, chapter 115), shall be 
        subject to section 306; and
            (2) an action to quiet title to an interest in restricted 
        property on the basis of adverse possession may be filed in the 
        courts of the State of Oklahoma provided that all requirements 
        of Oklahoma law for acquiring title by adverse possession, 
        including the running of the full 15-year limitations period, 
        have been met prior to the effective date of this Act, the 
        claimant in any such action has shown by clear and convincing 
        evidence that the limitations period had run in full prior to 
        the effective date of this Act, and the procedures set forth in 
        section 305 are followed.
    (c) Heirship Determinations and Dispositions.--Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to authorize a determination of heirs in a 
quiet title action in Federal or State court in derogation of the 
Secretary's exclusive jurisdiction to probate wills or otherwise 
determine heirs of the deceased Individual Indians owning restricted 
property and to adjudicate all such estate actions involving restricted 
property pursuant to section 302, or in derogation of the Secretary's 
exclusive jurisdiction over the disposition of restricted property 
under this Act. Any grantee of an heir who, prior to the effective date 
of this Act and in accordance with applicable Federal laws, conveyed, 
leased, or otherwise encumbered his or her interest in the restricted 
property of an unprobated estate of an Individual Indian decedent shall 
have standing to request that the Secretary determine the heirs of the 
decedent in order to establish marketable title in said grantee. For 
purposes of this subsection the term grantee shall include any grantee, 
lessee, or mortgagee of such heir and any successors or assigns of such 
grantee.

SEC. 304. INVOLUNTARY PARTITIONS.

    (a) Petition; Jurisdiction and Applicable Law; Requirements.--
            (1) Petitions.--Any person who owns any undivided interest 
        in a tract of property consisting entirely or partially of 
        undivided restricted interests, regardless of the size of that 
        person's interest in the whole tract, may file an action in the 
        United States district court in the district wherein the tract 
        is located or the Oklahoma State district court for the county 
        wherein the tract is located for the involuntary partition of 
        such tract.
            (2) Jurisdiction; applicable law.--The United States 
        district courts in the State of Oklahoma and the State courts 
        of Oklahoma shall have jurisdiction over actions for the 
        involuntary partition of property filed pursuant to this 
        section, subject to all requirements and limitations of this 
        section and the requirements in sections 305 and 306. The laws 
        of the State of Oklahoma governing the partition of property 
        shall be applicable to all actions for involuntary partition 
        under this section, except to the extent that any such laws are 
        in conflict with any provisions of this section and sections 
        305 and 306.
            (3) Agreement after initiation of action.--If after the 
        initiation of any action authorized by this section, the 
        parties to the suit reach an agreement for the partition of the 
        property in kind or by sale, such agreement shall not be valid 
        or binding as to the restricted interests until it is approved 
        by the Secretary.
            (4) Approval of election or sale.--If the tract consists of 
        wholly or partially undivided restricted interests, the court 
        may approve an election by any undivided interest owner to take 
        the property at the full appraised value pursuant to the laws 
        of the State of Oklahoma governing partitions or, if there is 
        no such election, to approve the sale of the property at public 
        auction for no less than two-thirds of the appraised value 
        pursuant to the laws of the State of Oklahoma governing 
        partitions.
            (5) Determination of value.--The Secretary shall determine 
        the value of the property and submit an appraisal to the court. 
        If the value of the property determined by the Secretary is 
        greater than the valuation or appraisement of the property made 
        pursuant to law of the State of Oklahoma, the court shall set a 
        hearing at which time the Secretary and any other party shall 
        be afforded an opportunity to present evidence regarding the 
        value of the property, following which the court may accept the 
        Secretary's valuation, or accept the valuation and appraisement 
        made pursuant to law of the State of Oklahoma, or order a new 
        valuation and appraisement pursuant to law of the State of 
        Oklahoma.
    (b) Payment to Nonconsenting Owners of Restricted Interests.--
Nonconsenting owners of undivided restricted interests shall receive 
for the sale of such interests their proportionate share of the greater 
of--
            (1) the proceeds paid at the partition sale; or
            (2) an amount equal to 90 percent of the appraised value of 
        the tract.
    (c) Costs.--A nonconsenting Individual Indian owner of restricted 
interests shall not be liable for any filing fees or costs of an action 
under this section, including the cost of an appraisal, advertisement, 
and sale, and no such costs shall be charged against such nonconsenting 
owner's share of the proceeds of sale.

SEC. 305. REQUIREMENTS FOR ACTIONS TO CURE TITLE DEFECTS AND 
              INVOLUNTARY PARTITIONS.

    (a) In General.--All actions authorized by sections 303 and 304 
shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements and procedures 
described in this section.
    (b) Parties.--
            (1) United states.--The United States shall not be a 
        necessary and indispensable party to an action authorized under 
        section 303 or 304. The Secretary may participate as a party in 
        any such action.
            (2) Participation of the secretary.--If the Secretary 
        elects to participate in an action as provided for under 
        paragraph (1), the responsive pleading of the Secretary shall 
        be made not later than 20 days after the Secretary receives the 
        notice required under subsection (c), or within such extended 
        time as the trial court in its discretion may permit.
            (3) Judgment binding.--After the appearance of the 
        Secretary in any action described in paragraph (1), or after 
        the expiration of the time in which the Secretary is authorized 
        to respond under paragraph (2), the proceedings and judgment in 
        such action shall be binding on the United States and the 
        parties upon whom service has been made and shall affect the 
        title to the restricted property which is the subject of the 
        action, in the same manner and extent as though nonrestricted 
        property were involved.
            (4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
        construed to waive the requirement of service of summons in 
        accordance with applicable Federal or State law upon the 
        Individual Indian landowners, who shall be necessary and 
        indispensable parties to all actions authorized by sections 303 
        and 304.
    (c) Notice.--
            (1) In general.--The plaintiff in any action authorized by 
        sections 303 and 304 shall serve written notice of the filing 
        of such action and of a petition or complaint, or any amended 
        petition or complaint which substantially changes the nature of 
        the action or includes a new cause of action, upon the 
        Secretary not later than 10 days after the filing of any 
such petition or complaint or any such amended petition or complaint.
            (2) Filing with clerk.--At least one duplicate original of 
        any notice served under paragraph (1) shall be filed with the 
        clerk of the court in which the action is pending.
            (3) Requirements.--The notice required under paragraph (1) 
        shall be--
                    (A) accompanied by a certified copy of all 
                pleadings on file in the action at the time of the 
                filing of the duplicate original notice with the clerk 
                under paragraph (2);
                    (B) signed by the plaintiff to the action or his or 
                her counsel of record; and
                    (C) served by certified mail, return receipt 
                requested, and due return of service made thereon, 
                showing date of receipt and service of notice.
            (4) Failure to serve.--If the notice required under 
        paragraph (1) is not served within the time required under such 
        paragraph, or if return of service thereof is not made within 
        the time permitted by law for the return of service of summons, 
        alias notices may be issued and filed until service and return 
        of notice is made, except that in the event that service of the 
        notice required under such paragraph is not made within 60 days 
        following the filing of the petition or complaint or amendments 
        thereof, the action shall be dismissed without prejudice.
            (5) Limitation.--In no event shall the United States or the 
        parties named in a notice filed under paragraph (1) be bound, 
        or title to the restricted property be affected, unless written 
        notice is served upon the Secretary as required under this 
        subsection.
    (d) Removal.--
            (1) In general.--The United States shall have the right to 
        remove any action to which this section applies that is pending 
        in a State court to a United States district court by filing 
        with the State court, not later than 20 days after the service 
        of any notice with respect to such action under subsection (c), 
        or within such extended period of time as the trial court in 
        its discretion may permit, a notice of the removal of such 
        action to a United States district court, together with the 
        certified copy of the pleadings in such action as served on the 
        Secretary under subsection (c).
            (2) Duty of state court.--It shall be the duty of a State 
        court to accept a notice filed under paragraph (1) and proceed 
        no further in said suit.
            (3) Pleadings.--Not later than 20 days after the filing of 
        a notice under paragraph (1), the copy of the pleadings 
        involved (as provided under such paragraph) shall be entered in 
        the United States district court and the defendants and 
        intervenors in such action shall, not later than 20 days after 
        the pleadings are so entered, file a responsive pleading to the 
        complaint in such action.
            (4) Proceedings.--Upon the submission of the filings 
        required under paragraph (3), the action shall proceed in the 
        same manner as if it had been originally commenced in the 
        United States district court, and its judgment may be reviewed 
        by certiorari, appeal, or writ of error in like manner as if 
        the action had been originally brought in such district court.

SEC. 306. PENDING STATE PROCEEDINGS.

    The courts of the State of Oklahoma shall continue to exercise 
authority as a Federal instrumentality over all heirship, probate, 
partition, and other actions involving restricted property that are 
pending on the effective date of this Act until the issuance of a final 
judgment and exhaustion of all appeal rights in any such action, or 
until the petitioner, personal representative, or the State court 
dismisses the action in accordance with State law.

                        TITLE IV--MISCELLANEOUS

SEC. 401. REGULATIONS.

    The Secretary may promulgate such regulations as may be necessary 
to carry out this Act, except that failure to promulgate such 
regulations shall not limit or delay the effect of this Act.

SEC. 402. VALIDATION OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS; SAVINGS CLAUSE.

    (a) Validation of Certain Title Transactions.--Any person having 
the legal capacity to own real property in the State of Oklahoma who 
claims ownership of an interest in such property through an unbroken 
chain of title of record, the title to which interest is or may be 
defective as a result of any transaction described in paragraphs (1) 
through (5) of this subsection that occurred in such chain of title, 
may cure the defect in title and validate the transaction by following 
the procedures of this section. When all conditions and requirements of 
this section have been met, and if no notice of objection has been 
timely filed by the Secretary under subsection (c) or by any other 
person under subsection (f), the transaction shall be validated and 
shall not be considered a defect in the muniments of title but only 
insofar as the defect is based on or arises from Federal statutes 
applicable to the conveyance or inheritance of restricted property in 
effect at the time of the transaction. The transactions referred to in 
this subsection are the following:
            (1) Any probate order issued by a county court of the State 
        of Oklahoma prior to the effective date of the Act of June 14, 
        1918 (40 Stat. 606) purporting to probate the estate of an 
        Individual Indian who died owning property which was subject to 
        restrictions against alienation pursuant to Federal statutes in 
        effect at the time of issuance of such probate order.
            (2) Any probate order issued by a county or district court 
        of the State of Oklahoma more than 30 years prior to the 
        effective date of this Act purporting to probate the estate of 
        a deceased Individual Indian who died owning property which was 
        subject to restrictions against alienation pursuant to Federal 
        law in effect at the time of issuance of such probate order, 
        where notice was not given as required by Federal statutes in 
        effect at the time.
            (3) Any conveyance of record, including an oil and gas or 
        mineral lease, of an interest in individual trust property or 
        property which was subject to restrictions against alienation 
        pursuant to Federal statutes in effect at the time of the 
        conveyance executed by a person who was an heir or purported 
        heir of the Individual Indian decedent who owned such property 
        at the time of his death, if such conveyance was approved by a 
        county or district court in Oklahoma more than 30 years before 
        the effective date of this Act but where no judicial or 
        administrative order of record was issued before or after such 
        approval finding that such person was in fact the heir to the 
        interest conveyed.
            (4) Any conveyance of record, including an oil and gas or 
        mineral lease, of individual trust property or property which 
        was subject to restrictions against alienation pursuant to 
        Federal statutes in effect at the time of the conveyance that 
        was approved by a county or district court in Oklahoma or by 
        the Secretary more than 30 years before the effective date of 
        this Act, where--
                    (A) approval was not in compliance with the notice 
                requirements of Federal statutes governing the 
                conveyance of said individual trust property or said 
                restricted property; or
                    (B) approval was given by a county or district 
                court in Oklahoma of a conveyance of the property by a 
                personal representative in a probate action over which 
                said county or district court possessed jurisdiction, 
                without compliance with Federal statutes governing the 
                conveyance of the property in effect at the time of the 
conveyance.
            (5) Any conveyance of record, including an oil and gas or 
        mineral lease, of individual trust property or property which 
        was subject to restrictions against alienation pursuant to 
        Federal statutes in effect at the time of the conveyance that 
        was approved by a county or district court in Oklahoma or by 
        the Secretary at any time before the effective date of this 
        Act, where--
                    (A) approval was given by the Secretary where the 
                Federal statutes governing the conveyance of the 
                property required approval by a county or district 
                court in Oklahoma; or
                    (B) approval was given by a county or district 
                court in Oklahoma where the Federal statutes governing 
                the conveyance of the property in effect at the time of 
                the conveyance required approval of the Secretary.
    (b) Notice of Claim; Service and Recording.--Any claimant described 
in subsection (a) must serve written notice of his or her claim by 
certified mail, return receipt requested, on the Secretary, and file 
the notice of claim, together with a copy of the return receipt showing 
delivery to the Secretary and filing in the office of county clerk in 
the county or counties wherein the property is located. The notice 
shall not be complete for the purposes of this section until it has 
been served on the Secretary and filed of record as herein provided. 
The notice of claim shall set forth the following:
            (1) The claimant's name and mailing address.
            (2) An accurate and full description of all property 
        affected by such notice, which description shall be set forth 
        in particular terms and not be general inclusions; but if said 
        claim is founded upon a recorded instrument, then the 
        description in such notice may be the same as that contained in 
        such recorded instrument.
            (3) A specific reference to or description of each title 
        transaction in the chain of title that the claimant is 
        attempting to validate pursuant to this section.
            (4) A list of all documents of record that are part of the 
        claimant's unbroken chain of title, copies of which documents 
        shall be served with the notice.
    (c) Response Deadline; Extension.--The Secretary shall have 60 days 
from date of receipt of the notice of claim in which to notify the 
claimant in writing that the Secretary exercises discretionary 
authority to object to the claim for any reason. The Secretary shall be 
entitled to an automatic extension of time of 60 days in which to 
object to the claim upon the Secretary's service of written notice of 
extension on the claimant within the initial 60-day response period.
    (d) Notice of Objection; Remedies.--The Secretary shall send the 
notice of objection and any notice of extension of time to the claimant 
by certified mail to the address set forth in the claimant's notice to 
the Secretary. The Secretary's notice of objection or notice of 
extension of time shall include a description of the property and shall 
be effective on the date of mailing. The Secretary shall file the 
notice of objection or notice of extension of time in the office of the 
county clerk for the county or counties wherein the property is located 
within 30 days after the date of mailing of the notice to the claimant. 
If the Secretary notifies the claimant that the Secretary objects to 
the claim, such decision shall be final for the Department and the 
claimant's sole remedies shall be to file an action to cure title 
defects pursuant to section 303 of this Act or to request a 
determination of heirs in accordance with section 302 of this Act.
    (e) Undisputed Claim.--If, in the exercise of discretionary 
authority pursuant to subsection (c), the Secretary does not object to 
the claim, then the Secretary may notify the claimant that the matter 
is not in dispute. Failure of the Secretary to notify the claimant of 
the Secretary's objection within the initial 60-day period, or within 
the 60-day extension period if notice of an extension was given, shall 
constitute acceptance of the claim. If the Secretary notifies the 
claimant that the matter is not in dispute or fails to file an 
objection to the claim of record within the time required by subsection 
(d), the title transaction described in the claimant's notice shall be 
deemed validated and shall not be considered a defect in the muniments 
of the claimant's title based on or arising from Federal statutes 
governing the conveyance of restricted property in effect at the time 
of the transaction, provided that no written notice of objection is 
timely filed by other parties in accordance with subsection (f) of this 
section.
    (f) Notice of Objection by Other Parties to Applicability of This 
Section.--Any person claiming ownership of an interest in property the 
record title to which includes a title transaction described in 
subsection (a) of this section may prevent the application of 
subsections (a) through (e) to said interest by filing for record in 
the office of the county clerk for the county or counties wherein the 
property in question is located, no later than 3 years after the 
effective date of this Act, a written notice of objection in the form 
of a declaration made under oath setting forth the following:
            (1) The declarant's name and mailing address.
            (2) An accurate and full description of all of the 
        declarant's property interests to be affected by such notice, 
        which description shall be set forth in particular terms and 
        not be general inclusions; but if said declarant's claim to 
        ownership is founded upon a recorded instrument, then the 
        description in such notice may be the same as that contained in 
        such recorded instrument.
            (3) A statement that the declarant claims in good faith to 
        be the owner of an interest in the property described in the 
        notice and that the declarant objects to the operation of this 
        section with respect to any title transaction that would 
        otherwise be subject to validation under this section.
    (g) Interests of Heirs of Less Than Half-Blood.--Nothing in this 
Act shall be construed to invalidate--
            (1) any conveyance of record, including a surface, oil and 
        gas, or mineral lease, of an interest in property made prior to 
        the effective date of this Act by an heir of a deceased 
        Individual Indian without district court approval where such 
        heir was of less than one-half degree of Indian blood, even 
        though the property was held in restricted status immediately 
        prior to the decedent Individual Indian's death; or
            (2) any other encumbrance that attached prior to the 
        effective date of this Act to an interest in property of an 
        heir of a deceased Individual Indian where such heir was of 
        less than one-half degree of Indian blood, even though the 
        property was held in restricted status immediately prior to the 
        decedent Individual Indian's death.
    (h) Terms.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) A person shall be deemed to have an unbroken chain of 
        title when the official public records, including probate and 
        other official public records, as well as records in the county 
        clerk's office, disclose a conveyance or other title 
        transaction of record not less than 30 years prior to the 
        effective date of this Act, which said conveyance or other 
        title transaction purports to create such interest, either in--
                    (A) the person claiming such interest; or
                    (B) some other person from whom, by 1 or more 
                conveyances or other title transactions of record, such 
                purported interest has become vested in the person 
                claiming such interest; with nothing appearing of 
                record, in either case, purporting to divest such 
                claimant of such purported interest.
            (2) The term recording, when applied to the official public 
        records of any officer or court, includes filing with the 
        officer or court.

SEC. 403. REPEALS.

    (a) In General.--The following provisions are repealed:
            (1) The Act of August 11, 1955 (69 Stat. 666, chapter 786, 
        25 U.S.C. 355 note).
            (2) Sections 1 through 5, 7 through 9, and 11 through 13 of 
        the Act of August 4, 1947 (61 Stat. 731, chapter 458, 25 U.S.C. 
        355 note).
            (3) The Act of December 24, 1942 (56 Stat. 1080, Chapter 
        813).
            (4) The Act of February 11, 1936 (25 U.S.C. 393a, Chapter 
        50).
            (5) The Act of January 27, 1933 (47 Stat. 777, chapter 23, 
        25 U.S.C. 355 note).
            (6) Sections 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the Act of May 10, 1928 (45 
        Stat. 495, chapter 517).
            (7) The Act of April 12, 1926 (44 Stat. 239, chapter 115).
            (8) Sections 1 and 2 of the Act of June 14, 1918 (Chapter 
        101, 25 U.S.C. 375 and 355, respectively).
            (9) Sections 1 through 3 and 6 through 12 of the Act of May 
        27, 1908 (35 Stat. 312, chapter 199).
            (10) Sections 6, 11, 15, 18, 20, and 23 of the Act of April 
        26, 1906 (34 Stat. 137, chapter 1876).
    (b) Technical Amendments.--
            (1) Section 28 of the Act of April 26, 1906 (34 Stat. 137, 
        chapter 1876) is amended--
                    (A) by striking the first proviso; and
                    (B) by striking ``Provided further'' and inserting 
                ``Provided''.
            (2) Section 6 of the Act of August 4, 1947 (61 Stat. 733, 
        chapter 458) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (c), by inserting before the 
                final period the following: ``: Provided further, That 
                any interest in restricted and tax-exempt lands 
                acquired by descent, devise, gift, exchange, partition, 
                conveyance, or purchase with restricted funds after the 
                date of the enactment of the Five Nations Indian Land 
                Reform Act by an Indian of the Five Civilized Tribes 
                shall continue to be tax-exempt during the restricted 
                period''; and
                    (B) in subsection (e), by striking the first 
                sentence.
            (3) The Act of May 7, 1970 (84 Stat. 203, Public Law 91-
        240, 25 U.S.C. 375d), is amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``Creek,'' after ``Cherokee,''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``derived and shall'' and inserting 
                the following: ``derived. Such lands, interests, and 
                profits, and any restricted Indian lands or interests 
                therein allotted by any such Indian nation that are 
                reacquired by that Indian nation by conveyance 
                authorized under section 202(a) of the Five Nations 
                Indian Land Reform Act shall''.
            (4) Section 1 of the Act of October 22, 1970 (84 Stat. 
        1091, Public Law 91-495), is amended by striking the last 
        sentence.

SEC. 404. SECRETARIAL TRUST RESPONSIBILITY.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to waive, modify, or 
diminish in any way the trust responsibility of the United States over 
restricted property.

SEC. 405. REPRESENTATION BY ATTORNEYS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 
              INTERIOR.

    Attorneys of the Department of the Interior may--
            (1) represent the Secretary in any actions filed in the 
        State courts of Oklahoma involving restricted property;
            (2) when acting as counsel for the Secretary, provide 
        information to all Individual Indians owning restricted 
        property (and to private counsel for such Individual Indians if 
        any) regarding their legal rights with respect to the 
        restricted property owned by such Individual Indians;
            (3) at the request of any Individual Indian owning 
        restricted property, take such action as may be necessary to 
        cancel or annul any deed, conveyance, mortgage, lease, contract 
        to sell, power of attorney, or any other encumbrance of any 
        kind or character, made or attempted to be made or executed in 
        violation of this Act or any other Federal law, and take such 
        action as may be necessary to assist such Individual Indian in 
        obtaining clear title, acquiring possession, and retaining 
        possession of restricted property; and
            (4) in carrying out paragraph (3), refer proposed actions 
        to be filed in the name of the United States in a district 
        court of the United States to the United States Attorney for 
        that district, and provide assistance in an of-counsel capacity 
        in those actions that the United States Attorney elects to 
        prosecute.

SEC. 406. FILING REQUIREMENTS; CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE.

    (a) Requirement for Filing.--The Secretary shall file the following 
orders or other decision documents which concern restricted property 
and are issued after the effective date of this Act by the Secretary in 
the appropriate offices of the Department of the Interior, as 
designated by the Secretary, and in the office of the county clerk in 
the county where such restricted property is located:
            (1) Any order or other decision document removing 
        restrictions, imposing restrictions, approving conveyances, 
        approving leases, approving voluntary partitions, approving 
        mortgages, probating wills, or determining heirs.
            (2) Any notice issued by the Secretary pursuant to section 
        402.
    (b) Constructive Notice.--The filing of said documents pursuant to 
this section shall constitute constructive notice to the public of the 
effect of said documents filed.
    (c) Certification of Authenticity.--The Secretary shall have 
authority to certify the authenticity of copies of such documents and 
title examiners shall be entitled to rely on said authenticated copies 
for the purpose of determining marketability of title to the property 
described therein.

SEC. 407. PUBLICATION OF DESIGNATED OFFICIALS.

    The Secretary shall identify each designee for purposes of the 
receipt of notices or the performance of any Secretarial duty or 
function under this Act by publication of notice in the Federal 
Register.

SEC. 408. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit or affect the 
rights of Individual Indians under other Federal laws relating to the 
acquisition and status of trust property, including without limitation, 
the following:
            (1) The Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.) 
        (commonly known as the ``Indian Reorganization Act'').
            (2) The Act of June 26, 1936 (25 U.S.C. 501 et seq.) 
        (commonly known as the ``Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act'').
            (3) The Indian Land Consolidation Act (25 U.S.C. 2201 et 
        seq.).
            (4) Regulations relating to the Secretary's authority to 
        acquire lands in trust for Indians and Indian tribes.

SEC. 409. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2003.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend laws 
        relating to the lands of the enrollees and lineal descendants 
        of enrollees whose names appear on the final 1906 Indian rolls 
        of the Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and 
        Choctaw Nations, historically referred to as the Five Civilized 
        Tribes, and for other purposes.''.




                                                 Union Calendar No. 299

107th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 2880

                          [Report No. 107-499]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To amend laws relating to the lands of the citizens of the Muscogee 
     (Creek), Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Nations, 
 historically referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 11, 2002

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed