[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 173 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H8980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              LEASE AUTHORIZATION FOR OHKAY OWINGEH PUEBLO

  Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (S. 3903) to authorize leases of up to 99 
years for lands held in trust for Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3903

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

     SECTION 1. OHKAY OWINGEH PUEBLO LEASING AUTHORITY.

       Subsection (a) of the first section of the Act of August 9, 
     1955 (25 U.S.C. 415(a)), is amended in the second sentence by 
     inserting ``and lands held in trust for Ohkay Owingeh 
     Pueblo'' after ``of land on the Devils Lake Sioux 
     Reservation,''.

  Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to ask my colleagues to 
support an important measure that will allow the Pueblo of Ohkay 
Owingeh, in Northern New Mexico, to expand economic opportunities for 
their tribal members.
  Ohkay Owingeh is a small tribal community (Pueblo) in the northern 
part of my district and is part of the cultural fabric of Northern New 
Mexico. Since before Spanish rule, and American Manifest Destiny the 
small pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh used it's surrounding lands to provide 
for its people.
  As history moved to present day the Federal government and tribal 
communities entered into trust treaties to provide for the well being 
of Indian people across our nation. As part of the federal government's 
trust obligation to tribal communities, putting lands into trust for 
use by tribal people is something that is fundamental to the 
government-to-government relationship between the United States and 
individual tribal communities.
  In the modern age many tribes develop part of their trust lands to 
create economic opportunities for their people. In many cases their 
ventures are successful and the tribe can use their trust lands as they 
see fit, but in other cases like that of Ohkay Owingeh the cumbersome 
nature of obtaining approval to lease their lands for economic activity 
can prevent very beneficial business ventures from ever taking place 
and, thus, hindering the tribes ability to provide for its own people.
  The importance of allowing tribal governments to enter into long term 
leases is paramount to giving them the ability to create better 
opportunities for their tribal members, their children and future 
generations. Many tribes have vast lands that can benefit the tribe and 
surrounding areas economically, but because of the process of getting 
secretarial approval to lease their own lands can be detrimental for 
the tribe.
  I am asking my colleagues to support this no cost measure that will 
allow the tribe of Ohkay Owingeh to enter into long term leases to 
expand economic opportunities for the tribe and to lift the cumbersome 
requirement of Secretarial Approval for use of their own lands.
  Many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have supported such 
measures for other tribes around the country in this congress and in 
congresses past; and this kind bipartisan support is crucial to 
providing opportunities for the small Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh.
  The bill was ordered to be 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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