[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 55 (Tuesday, May 9, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H2191-H2193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PUYALLUP INDIAN TRIBE LAND CLAIMS SETTLEMENT

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1382) to require the Secretary of the Interior to 
accept the conveyance of certain land, to be held in trust for the 
benefit of the Puyallup Indian tribe.

[[Page H2192]]

  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1382

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

     SECTION 1. PUYALLUP INDIAN TRIBE LAND CLAIMS SETTLEMENT.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall--
       (1) accept the conveyance of the parcels of land within the 
     Puyallup Reservation described in subsection (b); and
       (2) hold the land in trust for the benefit of the Puyallup 
     Indian tribe.
       (b) Land Description.--The parcels of land referred to in 
     subsection (a) are as follows:
       (1) Parcel a.--Lot B, boundary line adjustment 9508150496, 
     as depicted on the map dated August 15, 1995, held in the 
     records of the Pierce County Auditor, situated in the city of 
     Fife, county of Pierce, State of Washington.
       (2) Parcel b.--
       (A) In general.--Parcel B shall be comprised of land 
     situated in the city of Fife, county of Pierce, State of 
     Washington, more particularly described as follows:
       (i) Lots 3 and 4, Pierce County Short Plat No. 8908020412, 
     as depicted on the map dated August 2, 1989, held in the 
     records of the Pierce County Auditor, together with portion 
     of SR 5 abutting lot 4, conveyed by the deed recorded under 
     Recording No. 9309070433, described as follows:

       (I) That portion of Government lot 1, sec. 07, T. 20 N., R. 
     4 E., of the Willamette Meridian, described as commencing at 
     Highway Engineer's Station AL 26 6+38.0 P.O.T. on the AL26 
     line survey of SR 5, Tacoma to King County line.
       (II) Thence S8854'30" E., along the north line of said lot 
     1 a distance of 95 feet to the true point of beginning.
       (III) Thence S0105'30" W87.4' feet.
       (IV) Thence westerly to a point opposite Highway Engineer's 
     Station AL26 5+50.6 P.O.T. on said AL26 line survey and 75 
     feet easterly therefrom.
       (V) Thence northwesterly to a point opposite AL26 5+80.6 on 
     said AL26 line survey and 55 feet easterly therefrom.
       (VI) Thence northerly parallel with said line survey to the 
     north line of said lot 1.
       (VII) Thence N8854'30" E., to the true point of beginning.

       (ii) Chicago Title Insurance Company Order No. 4293514 lot 
     A boundary line adjustment recorded under Recording No. 
     9508150496, as depicted on the map dated August 15, 1995, 
     held in the records of the Pierce County Auditor.
       (B) Exclusion.--Excluded from Parcel B shall be that 
     portion of lot 4 conveyed to the State of Washington by deed 
     recorded under recording number 9308100165 and more 
     particularly described as follows:
       (i) Commencing at the northeast corner of said lot 4.
       (ii) Thence N8953'30" W., along the north line of said lot 
     4 a distance of 147.44 feet to the true point of beginning 
     and a point of curvature.
       (iii) Thence southwesterly along a curve to the left, the 
     center of which bears S006'30" W., 55.00 feet distance, 
     through a central angle of 8901'00", an arc distance of 
     85.45 feet.
       (iv) Thence S0105'30" W., 59.43 feet.
       (v) Thence N8854'30" W., 20.00 feet to a point on the 
     westerly line of said lot 4.
       (vi) Thence N057'10" E., along said westerly line 113.15 
     feet to the northwest corner of said lot 4.
       (vii) Thence S8953'30" east along said north line, a 
     distance of 74.34 feet to the true point of beginning.
       (3) Additional lots.--Any lots acquired by the Puyallup 
     Indian tribe located in block 7846, 7850, 7945, 7946, 7949, 
     7950, 8045, or 8049 in the Indian Addition to the city of 
     Tacoma, State of Washington.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1382 will expedite the approval process for 
relocating a casino owned by the Puyallup Indian tribe of Washington 
State. This business is affected by the planned expansion of the Port 
of Tacoma. On November 16, 2004 the Port of Tacoma, State of 
Washington, the tribe and the cities of Fife and Tacoma signed an 
agreement to pursue a major expansion of terminal facilities at that 
time Port of Tacoma.
  The agreement allows the tribe to move its Emerald Queen Casino, 
which is impacted by the construction of the new Port of Tacoma 
terminal facility, to a new location within the boundaries of the 
tribe's reservation. The agreement will create nearly 4,000 jobs for 
the local area and increase the cargo capacity of the Port of Tacoma, 
already the seventh busiest waterborne freight gateway in the United 
States.
  S. 1382 has the full support of the Washington State delegation, and 
I look forward to the support of this House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I rise in strong support of this legislation and to 
congratulate the gentleman from Washington, Norm Dicks, who is the 
author of the House companion bill.
  Mr. Dicks has worked tirelessly over the last several months to bring 
this bill before us today. This provision would enable the Puyallup 
Indian tribe to continue its ability to provide needed services to its 
members and to preserve a significant number of jobs held by both 
Indians and non-Indians.
  The port and other State and local entities support the tribe's 
effort to have this land placed into trust. Once enacted, this 
legislation will assist the tribe in its business ventures.
  I would again pay tribute to Congressman Dicks for his tenacity in 
getting this bill moved through the House. This provision has already 
passed the Senate and has the support of State and local government.
  I urge all of our colleagues to support the passage of S. 1382.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he might consume to 
the sponsor of the bill, Mr. Dicks.
  Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the distinguished gentlewoman 
from the Virgin Islands for recognizing me. I want to thank the 
chairman and the others who presented the bill.
  I rise in strong support of this bill, S. 1382, which would require 
that reservation land be put into trust on behalf of the Puyallup 
Indians. I introduced similar legislation in the House, which was 
approved by the Resources Committee in March.
  Passage of the Senate bill today will clear the legislation for the 
President's signature. I want to thank Resources Chairman Pombo for his 
support of this legislation and the action of the Resources Committee 
took to move the bill forward. I also want to extend my gratitude 
toward ranking Democratic Member Rahall for his assistance. The staff 
of both of these Members have been very helpful.
  The legislation is consistent with previous actions that Congress has 
taken on behalf of the Puyallup tribe. After many years of 
negotiations, the tribe and the local community came together to settle 
the serious and long-standing land claims that affected a large portion 
of what is now the Port of Tacoma.
  When the settlement agreement was reached in 1989, Congress approved 
specific legislation authorizing the terms of this landmark settlement, 
which has now led to robust development in the Port of Tacoma. The 
creation of a substantial number of new jobs in shipping and trade-
related businesses and to the development of many new tribal 
enterprises that will sustain the current and next generation of 
Puyallup tribe members really was a win-win situation for the tribe, 
the Port of Tacoma, the city of Tacoma, the city of Fife and for Pierce 
County.
  With the support of Congress, it has resulted in a very productive 
working relationship between all of those parties. A prime example of 
this improved relationship is the mutually beneficial situation that 
led to the legislation we are considering today.
  A few years ago, the Port of Tacoma was presented with the 
opportunity to build a large new container terminal that would lead to 
the creation of many new family wage jobs if it could build on tribal-
owned land in the port. After some negotiation, the tribe agreed to 
relocate a casino that was situated on this land in order to allow for 
the type of cargo-handling development to occur at the waterfront, 
consistent with the goals of the settlement agreement.
  This is another case in which everyone wins. The State of Washington 
and

[[Page H2193]]

all local governments have recognized the tribe's cooperative spirit 
and have actively supported this relocation. Thus, this legislation 
would simply allow for the alternate parcel of reservation land in Fife 
to be put into trust status in order to meet the requirements of the 
State of Washington.
  Again, I want to thank the chairman, the ranking member and the 
Resources Committee for their assistance in moving this piece of 
legislation that will result in further job creation and economic 
development in the Port of Tacoma, not only helping the tribe in the 
local community, but positively affecting our Nation's balance of 
trade.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1382.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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