[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TUOLUMNE ME-WUK LAND TRANSFER ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 2008

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to express 
my support for H.R. 3490, the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Land Transfer Act of 
2007. H.R. 3490 was considered and approved by the House of 
Representatives yesterday. This bill provides for the transfer of three 
small parcels of land from the Bureau of Land Management to the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs in trust for the benefit of the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribe 
located in Tuolumne, California.
  I introduced this bill on behalf of the Tuolumne Me-Wuk, a federally 
recognized tribe in my district. In addition to providing for the land 
transfer, H.R. 3490 also extends the boundaries of the Tuolumne Me-Wuk 
Reservation to encompass the BLM lands and other certain lands that 
have either been taken into trust for the Tribe, or that the federal 
government has announced plans to take into trust for the Tribe.
  The lands to be transferred are located in close proximity to the 
existing Tuolumne Me-Wuk Reservation. They include a small parcel which 
contains an active tribal burial ground, a parcel originally intended 
as an inter-tribal health facility that was never built, and a third 
parcel located near the first two. These lands will be available to 
meet the needs of tribal housing, along with cultural and 
infrastructure improvements. Furthermore, the Tuolumne Me-Wuk burial 
ground deserves to be properly maintained and preserved by the Tribe. 
None of these lands are to be used for tribal gaming.
  The Bureau of Land Management expressed support for this land 
transfer in the Natural Resources Committee hearing earlier this month 
and has listed the parcels as available for disposal. In addition, 
there is local support for this non-controversial land transfer from 
the community and the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors.
  I thank my colleagues for recognizing the benefits of this 
legislation and unanimously supporting the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Land 
Transfer Act of 2007. Furthermore, I look forward to working with my 
colleagues in the Senate to continue the movement of this important 
legislation.

                          ____________________