[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 140 (Wednesday, October 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1901-E1902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         OMNIBUS PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1996

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BILL RICHARDSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, September 28, 1996

  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support the Presidio 
bill which includes the Taos Bottleneck bill. The nearly 765-acre 
bottleneck tract is one of the most sacred sites for the Taos Pueblo 
people: It has had religious significance for these people for 
thousands of years. In fact, the area we call the bottleneck is known 
as the ``Path of Life Lands'' to the Pueblo people because it contains 
their most sacred religious lands. Additionally, the Taos Pueblo was 
recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site in 1992 in 
recognition of its status as one of the last remaining pre-Columbian 
civilizations in North America.
  Legislation signed by President Richard Nixon in 1970 returned to the 
Taos Pueblo all lands that had been seized by the Federal Government 
with the exception of the bottleneck tract. Inclusion of the bottleneck 
lands would have decreased the acreage of the adjacent Wheeler Peak 
Wilderness below the legal limit required for wilderness designation so 
the land was not returned to the Pueblo.
  The Wheeler Peak Wilderness has subsequently been expanded several 
times and the transfer of the 764.33 acres of the bottleneck tract 
would not affect the wilderness designation of the Wheeler Peak 
Wilderness. My legislation would end this saga and bring to an end the 
responsibilities of the Federal Government to return land to the Taos 
Pueblo.
  The land transfer to the Pueblo affected by this bill will enable the 
Pueblo to guard against the public intrusions that are presently 
occurring on surrounding Indian lands and sacred sites. These 
intrusions have occurred during sacred religious activities and are 
wholly inappropriate for such an area. Unfortunately, the Pueblo is 
powerless to prevent such intrusions without the return of the land to 
their management and jurisdiction.
  Under the terms of the bill, the bottleneck lands would be used for 
traditional purposes only, such as religious ceremonies, hunting, 
fishing, and as a source of water, forage for domestic livestock, wood, 
timber, and other natural resources.
  Enactment of this legislation will not result in the transfer of the 
land out of wilderness status. The Pueblo will manage the land as 
wilderness under strict requirements allowing only tribal access to the 
area for the specific activities, consistent with the Wilderness Act, 
which I have just described.
  In the past, this legislation has been supported by the entire, 
bipartisan New Mexico congressional delegation and by a broad coalition 
of environmental organizations including The Wilderness Society, the 
Audubon Society, and the Sierra Club at the local, State, and national 
levels.
  This legislation has been passed by the full House in previous 
Congresses, yet never enacted into law. Throughout this period, the 
Taos Pueblo has continued to suffer the indignity of public intrusions 
on their sacred land. It is time to put this long, sad story behind us 
by enacting this legislation. It is time to return the bottleneck to 
the Taos Pueblo people.
  I am pleased to support the omnibus parks bill and I hope the Senate 
will support the bill

[[Page E1902]]

so that the Taos Pueblo will receive the land that they deserve.

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