[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8827-H8828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SAGINAW CHIPPEWA TRIBE OF INDIANS OF MICHIGAN LAND CONVEYANCE

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for the 
immediate consideration in the House of the bill (H.R. 2952) to 
authorize the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Indians of the State of 
Michigan to convey land and interests in land owned by the Tribe.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?

[[Page H8828]]

  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                               H.R. 2952

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

     SECTION 1. LAND AND INTERESTS OF THE SAGINAW CHIPPEWA INDIAN 
                   TRIBE OF MICHIGAN.

       (a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law (including 
     regulations), the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan 
     (including any agent or instrumentality of the Tribe) 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Tribe''), may transfer, 
     lease, encumber, or otherwise convey, without further 
     authorization or approval, fee simple land owned by the 
     Tribe.
       (b) Effect of Section.--Nothing in this section is intended 
     to authorize the Tribe to sell any lands that are held in 
     trust by the United States for the benefit of the Tribe.


                          Committee Amendment

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the committee 
amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Committee amendment:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

                               H.R. 2952

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

     SECTION 1. LAND AND INTERESTS OF THE SAGINAW CHIPPEWA INDIAN 
                   TRIBE OF MICHIGAN.

       (a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law (including 
     regulations), the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan 
     (including any agent or instrumentality of the Tribe) 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Tribe''), may transfer, 
     lease, encumber, or otherwise convey, without further 
     authorization or approval, all or any part of the Tribe's 
     interest in any real property that is not held in trust by 
     the United States for the benefit of the Tribe.
       (b) Effect of Section.--Nothing in this section is intended 
     to authorize the Tribe to transfer, lease, encumber, or 
     otherwise convey, any lands, or any interest in any lands, 
     that are held in trust by the United States for the benefit 
     of the Tribe.
       (c) Liability.--The United States shall not be held liable 
     to any party (including the Tribe or any agent or 
     instrumentality of the Tribe) for any term of, or any loss 
     resulting from the term of any transfer, lease, encumbrance, 
     or conveyance of land made pursuant to this Act unless the 
     United States or an agent or instrumentality of the United 
     States is a party to the transaction or the United States 
     would be liable pursuant to any other provision of law. This 
     subsection shall not apply to land transferred or conveyed by 
     the Tribe to the United States to be held in trust for the 
     benefit of the Tribe.

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that the committee amendment be considered as read and printed 
in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
  There was no objection.
  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is similar to the 
bill we just considered in that it also deals with an exemption from 
the Non-Intercourse Act.
  Our colleague, Representative Dale Kildee, introduced this measure to 
exempt the conveyance of non-trust lands made by Tribe located in 
Michigan. In this particular case, the law is preventing this Tribe 
from fully engaging in non-gaming economic development. The pending 
measure is necessary so that the Tribe can sell fee lands bought for 
investment purposes and to otherwise engage in real estate investment.
  I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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