[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 108 (Monday, July 13, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H5103-H5104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TRIBAL LAND EXCHANGE ACT

  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 387) to provide for certain land to be taken into trust for the 
benefit of Morongo Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 387

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Economic Development Through 
     Tribal Land Exchange Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions 
     apply:
       (1) Banning.--The term ``Banning'' means the City of 
     Banning, which is located in Riverside County, California 
     adjacent to the Morongo Indian Reservation.
       (2) Fields.--The term ``Fields'' means Lloyd L. Fields, the 
     owner of record of Parcel A.
       (3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled `Morongo 
     Indian Reservation, County of Riverside, State of California 
     Land Exchange Map', and dated May 22, 2014, which is on file 
     in the Bureau of Land Management State Office in Sacramento, 
     California.
       (4) Parcel a.--The term ``Parcel A'' means the 
     approximately 41.15 acres designated on the map as ``Fields 
     lands''.
       (5) Parcel b.--The term ``Parcel B'' means the 
     approximately 41.15 acres designated on the map as ``Morongo 
     lands''.
       (6) Parcel c.--The term ``Parcel C'' means the 
     approximately 1.21 acres designated on the map as ``Banning 
     land''.
       (7) Parcel d.--The term ``Parcel D'' means the 
     approximately 1.76 acres designated on the map as ``Easement 
     to Banning''.
       (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (9) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Morongo Band of 
     Mission Indians, a federally recognized Indian tribe.

     SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF LANDS; TRUST LANDS, EASEMENT.

       (a) Transfer of Parcel A and Parcel B and Easement Over 
     Parcel D.--Subject to any valid existing rights of any third 
     parties and to legal review and approval of the form and 
     content of any and all instruments of conveyance and policies 
     of title insurance, upon receipt by the Secretary of 
     confirmation that Fields has duly executed and deposited with 
     a mutually acceptable and jointly instructed escrow holder in 
     California a deed conveying clear and unencumbered title to 
     Parcel A to the United States in trust for the exclusive use 
     and benefit of the Tribe, and upon receipt by Fields of 
     confirmation that the Secretary has duly executed and 
     deposited into escrow with the same mutually acceptable and 
     jointly instructed escrow holder a patent conveying clear and 
     unencumbered title in fee simple to Parcel B to Fields and 
     has duly executed and deposited into escrow with the same 
     mutually acceptable and jointly instructed escrow holder an 
     easement to the City for a public right-of-way over Parcel D, 
     the Secretary shall instruct the escrow holder to 
     simultaneously cause--
       (1) the patent to Parcel B to be recorded and issued to 
     Fields;
       (2) the easement over Parcel D to be recorded and issued to 
     the City; and
       (3) the deed to Parcel A to be delivered to the Secretary, 
     who shall immediately cause said deed to be recorded and held 
     in trust for the Tribe.
       (b) Transfer of Parcel C.--After the simultaneous transfer 
     of parcels A, B, and D under subsection (a), upon receipt by 
     the Secretary of confirmation that the City has vacated its 
     interest in Parcel C pursuant to all applicable State and 
     local laws, the Secretary shall immediately cause Parcel C to 
     be held in trust for the Tribe subject to--
       (1) any valid existing rights of any third parties; and
       (2) legal review and approval of the form and content of 
     any and all instruments of conveyance.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Cook) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Cook).


                             General Leave

  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous materials 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. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The Morongo Band of Mission Indians, a tribe located about 20 miles 
west of Palm Springs, California, along with the city of Banning and a 
private property owner who resides in California together have asked 
Congress to enact H.R. 387, providing for the exchange of certain lands 
within or adjacent to the Morongo Reservation.
  The bill also directs the Secretary of the Interior to grant an 
easement to the city of Banning for the use of certain lands currently 
held in trust on behalf of the tribe. The easement will provide the 
city with the ability to install electric, sewer, water, and related 
utility lines to accommodate commercial activity in the area.
  This bill will accomplish three goals. First, it will promote the 
consolidation of the tribe's reservation lands. Second, it will resolve 
a land use dispute between a private landowner, the city, and the 
tribe. Third and finally, it will facilitate commercial development on 
lands adjacent to the tribe's reservation, which will be beneficial for 
the city of Banning and the tribe as well as for the private landowner.
  This bill truly represents a win-win-win agreement without any of the 
parties having to compromise their desired goals.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I am proud to rise in support of my bill, H.R. 387, the Economic 
Development Through Tribal Land Exchange Act.
  This non-controversial, bipartisan bill passed unanimously out of the 
House Natural Resources Committee and is supported by the Department of 
the Interior. The bill would aid economic development in the city of 
Banning, California, through a land swap that is supported by all of 
the parties involved.
  Currently, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and a private 
landowner, Mr. Lloyd Fields, would like to exchange two parcels of land 
which are nearly identical in size and value, but they are restrained 
from doing so because one of the parcels is currently held in trust by 
the United States on behalf of the tribe.
  My bill facilitates an equitable land swap between the Morongo tribe 
and the landowner to provide more consolidated reservation land for the 
tribe and commercial development opportunities for the landowner, the 
city of Banning, and Riverside County.
  This bill serves as a model for how land use issues can be addressed 
by communities coming together while upholding the sacred government-
to-government relationship between the Federal Government and Indian 
tribes.
  I would like to thank Chairman Robert Martin of the Morongo Band of 
Mission Indians and the city of Banning for bringing this issue to my 
attention.
  I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Paul Cook from 
California, for being an original cosponsor, and Senator Boxer from 
California for introducing the bill in the Senate.
  I would also like to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member 
Grijalva for expediting this bill through committee so that we could 
bring it to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, this is the type of bill that we can all support for the 
simple reason that it benefits all parties involved and spurs economic 
development and job creation.
  We passed this bill unanimously on the floor last year. Let's move it 
once again. I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 387.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this just basically shows that you 
can actually get some things done at the local, State, and Federal 
levels.
  This battle has been going on for a long while. I used to represent 
the area when I was in the State House. And when you can finally get 
all of the parties together and work in a bipartisan fashion, good 
things can happen.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This is a clear example, as Representative Paul Cook said, of two 
neighboring districts from different parties coming together for the 
benefit of economic development, for the betterment of our tribes, and 
for the betterment of our counties.
  At this point, Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank my colleague, 
Representative Paul Cook, for his support of this legislation, as well 
as to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their work 
to bring this non-controversial bill to the floor before the end of the 
summer.

[[Page H5104]]

  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California 
(Mrs. Torres), my friend and colleague, who also sits on the Indian, 
Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Subcommittee.

                              {time}  1700

  Ms. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 387, which directs 
the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land into trust for the 
benefit of Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
  This legislation is a commonsense approach that will benefit the 
tribe, the city of Banning, and the larger local economy. Taking land 
into trust on behalf of tribes is one of the visible and impactful 
actions our government can undertake to uphold our trust obligations to 
the 567 sovereign tribal nations around the country.
  Indian lands are critical for the exercise of tribal self-governance 
and self-determination and often represent great spiritual and cultural 
significance to tribal nations.
  This bill represents an opportunity for the Morongo Band of Mission 
Indians to consolidate their land base and provide for their people 
while also resolving longstanding disputes that will clear the way for 
increased private economic development opportunities for the region. 
This legislation is a win-win for the tribe, the city, and private 
enterprise.
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from 
California, Norma Torres, for her remarks in support of the bill. I 
would like to thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to again thank 
Representative Paul Cook for his support of this legislation.
  I would like to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for 
their work to bring this noncontroversial bill to the floor before the 
end of the summer. I look forward to working together in the future on 
additional legislation to provide our tribal nations with the tools to 
create their own economic opportunity through self-determination and 
self-governance.
  I urge my colleagues to come together, once again, and pass this 
commonsense bill that will create jobs and spur economic development 
for the Morongo Tribe and the city of Banning. Vote ``yes'' on H.R. 
387.
  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. Ruiz) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 387.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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