[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 14, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5159-S5160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  MAKING TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO THE STATUS OF CERTAIN LAND HELD IN 
           TRUST FOR THE MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS

  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 595, S. 1967.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1967) to make technical corrections to the 
     status of certain land held in trust for the Mississippi Band 
     of Choctaw Indians, to take certain land into trust for that 
     Band, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. ALLARD. I ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time and 
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any 
statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1967) was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1967

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

[[Page S5160]]

     SECTION 1. STATUS OF CERTAIN INDIAN LANDS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law--
       (1) all land taken in trust by the United States for the 
     benefit of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians on or 
     after December 23, 1944, shall be part of the Mississippi 
     Choctaw Indian Reservation;
       (2) all land held in fee by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw 
     Indians located within the boundaries of the State of 
     Mississippi, as shown in the report entitled ``Report of Fee 
     Lands owned by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians'', 
     dated September 28, 1999, on file in the Office of the 
     Superintendent, Choctaw Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
     Department of the Interior, is hereby declared to be held by 
     the United States in trust for the benefit of the Mississippi 
     Band of Choctaw Indians; and
       (3) land made part of the Mississippi Choctaw Indian 
     Reservation after December 23, 1944, shall not be considered 
     to be part of the ``initial reservation'' of the tribe for 
     the purposes of section 20(b)(1)(B)(ii) of the Indian Gaming 
     Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2719(b)(1)(B)(ii)).
       (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to alter the application or the requirements of the 
     Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) with 
     respect to any lands held by or for the benefit of the 
     Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians regardless of when such 
     lands were acquired.

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