[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 22 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S1692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Domenici, and 
        Mr. Smith):
  S. 2134. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement or contract with 
Indian tribes meeting certain criteria to carry out projects to protect 
Indian forest land; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce a bipartisan 
bill today that gives Native American tribes a chance to protect their 
reservation lands from catastrophic fire. I want to thank my 
cosponsors, Chairman Pete Domenici of the Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee, and Chairman Ben Nighthorse Campbell of the Committee on 
Indian Affairs.
  Like other Americans, many Native American tribes are concerned about 
the risk of catastrophic forest fires spreading from nearby Federal 
lands onto their own lands. Last summer, at least 18 reservations were 
invaded by fire from adjacent Federal public forest lands.
  This bill attempts to give the tribes a chance to defend themselves 
and their ancestral lands by involving them in brush-clearing projects 
on Federal lands near their reservations.
  This is not just a theoretical problem, as tribes from my State know 
all too well.
  Last fall's devastating wildfires in southern California caused 
disproportionate suffering for Native Americans: Over 30,000 acres 
burned on 11 tribal reservations. Most tragically, 10 lives were lost 
on or near reservations.
  I am determined to give the tribes of my State and from around the 
country the opportunity to prevent this tragedy from recurring: The 
bill sets up a process for the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land 
Management to enter into contracts with the tribes for fuel reduction 
purposes. If a tribe requests a brush-clearing project on federal lands 
near its reservation, the agencies are encouraged to respond within 
specific timeframes and suggest remedies for any agency concerns with 
the tribe's proposal. There remains free and open competition for 
timber contracts on Federal land. However, in determining the 
recipients of the contracts, the agencies are encouraged to consider 
such factors as tribal treaty rights or cultural and historical 
affiliation to the land involved.
  Nearly 100 Native American tribes support this legislation, including 
most, if not all, the tribes in the State of California.
  So I am pleased to introduce this bill today, and I hope my 
colleagues will support it.
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