[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 146 (Tuesday, October 6, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H6820-H6821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALBUQUERQUE INDIAN SCHOOL LAND TRANSFER ACT
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 986) to require the Secretary of the Interior to take into
trust 4 parcels of Federal land for the benefit of certain Indian
Pueblos in the State of New Mexico.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 986
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 ``Albuquerque Indian School
Land Transfer Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) 19 pueblos.--The term ``19 Pueblos'' means the New
Mexico Indian Pueblos of--
(A) Acoma;
(B) Cochiti;
(C) Isleta;
(D) Jemez;
(E) Laguna;
(F) Nambe;
(G) Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan);
(H) Picuris;
(I) Pojoaque;
(J) San Felipe;
(K) San Ildefonso;
(L) Sandia;
(M) Santa Ana;
(N) Santa Clara;
(O) Santo Domingo;
(P) Taos;
(Q) Tesuque;
(R) Zia; and
(S) Zuni.
(2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``The
Town of Albuquerque Grant, Bernalillo County, within Township
10 North, Range 3 East, of the New Mexico Principal Meridian,
New Mexico--Metes and Bounds Survey'' and dated August 12,
2011.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means Secretary of
the Interior.
SEC. 3. LAND TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR BENEFIT OF 19 PUEBLOS.
(a) Action by Secretary.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall take into trust all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the
Federal land described in subsection (b) for the benefit of
the 19 Pueblos immediately after the Secretary determines
that the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) have been satisfied
regarding the trust acquisition of the Federal land.
(2) Administration.--The Secretary shall--
(A) take such action as the Secretary determines to be
necessary to document the transfer under paragraph (1); and
(B) appropriately assign each applicable private and
municipal utility and service right or agreement.
(b) Description of Land.--The Federal land referred to in
subsection (a)(1) is the 4 tracts of Federal land, the
combined acreage of which is approximately 11.11 acres, that
were historically part of the Albuquerque Indian School, more
particularly described as follows:
(1) Abandoned indian school road.--The approximately 0.83
acres located in sec. 7 and sec. 8 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of
the New Mexico Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
as identified on the map.
(2) Southern part tract d.--The approximately 6.18 acres
located in sec. 7 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico
Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified
on the map.
(3) Tract 1.--The approximately 0.41 acres located in sec.
7 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico Principal Meridian
in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified on the map.
(4) Western part tract b.--The approximately 3.69 acres
located in sec. 7 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico
Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified
on the map.
(c) Survey.--The Secretary shall conduct a survey of the
Federal land to be transferred consistent with subsection (b)
and may make minor corrections to the survey and legal
description of the Federal land described in subsection (b)
as the Secretary determines to be necessary to correct
clerical, typographical, and surveying errors.
(d) Use of Land.--The Federal land taken into trust under
subsection (a) shall be used for the educational, health,
cultural, business, and economic development of the 19
Pueblos.
(e) Limitations and Conditions.--The Federal land taken
into trust under subsection (a) shall remain subject to any
private or
[[Page H6821]]
municipal encumbrance, right-of-way, restriction, easement of
record, or utility service agreement in effect on the date of
enactment of this Act.
(f) Bureau of Indian Affairs Use.--
(1) In general.--The 19 Pueblos shall allow the Bureau of
Indian Affairs to continue to use the land taken into trust
under subsection (a) for the facilities and purposes as in
existence on the date of enactment of this Act, in accordance
with paragraph (2).
(2) Requirements.--The use by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
under paragraph (1) shall--
(A) be free of any rental charge; and
(B) continue until such time as the Secretary determines
there is no further need for the existing Bureau of Indian
Affairs facilities.
SEC. 4. EFFECT OF OTHER LAWS.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), Federal land
taken into trust under section 3(a) shall be subject to
Federal laws relating to Indian land.
(b) Gaming.--No class I gaming, class II gaming, or class
III gaming (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Gaming
Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)) shall be carried out on the
Federal land taken into trust under section 3(a).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Newhouse) and the gentleman from Northern Mariana
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
General Leave
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 986, which would direct
the Secretary of the Interior to place 11 acres of Federal land into
trust for the collective benefit of 19 Pueblos in the State of New
Mexico.
These 11 acres were historically part of the Albuquerque Indian
School site, which are culturally and historically significant to the
Pueblos. Upon transfer, the lands may be used by the 19 Pueblos for the
educational, health, cultural, business, and economic development
purposes by these Pueblo tribes. One important thing to note is this
land may not be used for gaming purposes under this bill.
Since 1976, the 19 Pueblos have used the lands of the former
Albuquerque Indian School for the cultural and economic benefit of the
19 Pueblos. This is the last portion of Federal lands of the former
school site, which has not been conveyed to the 19 Pueblos.
This bill is supported by the entire New Mexico congressional
delegation. Recognizing the support of the local delegation, the House
companion bill, H.R. 1880, sponsored by Congresswoman Lujan Grisham,
was favorably reported by the Natural Resources Committee on September
30 of 2015.
I urge passage of this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, Senate bill S. 986 would direct the Secretary of the
Interior to convey approximately 11 acres of land to the United States
to be held in trust for the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico.
The land taken into trust shall be used for the educational, health,
cultural, business, and economic development of the 19 Pueblos.
Passage of this bill will finally complete the process started in
1969 when the United States began converting the Albuquerque Indian
School Reserve into land under the jurisdiction and control of the 19
Pueblos.
I would like to thank our colleague, Ms. Lujan Grisham, for
introducing and championing the House version of the act and to
Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for moving it swiftly
through committee.
I would also like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from
Washington, for joining me tonight in managing this bill.
Just as Mr. Newhouse stated, this legislation is supported by the
entire New Mexico delegation. I urge its quick adoption.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham), the
sponsor of the House version of the bill.
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I thank
Representative Sablan and Representative Newhouse for their support. I
also thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their help
in bringing this legislation to the floor. Of course, I extend my
gratitude to our Senator Tom Udall for working with me on this
important piece of legislation.
I am the proud sponsor of the House companion to the Albuquerque
Indian School Land Transfer Act, which, as you have heard, directs the
Secretary of the Interior to take into trust four tracts of land for
the New Mexico 19 Pueblos.
The land taken into the trust would be used for educational, health,
cultural, business, and economic development of the New Mexico Pueblos.
The four parcels are located within a former Federal Indian boarding
school site called the 1884 Albuquerque Indian School Reserve in
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In 1969, the United States started the long process of converting the
Reserve into land under the jurisdiction and control of the New Mexico
Pueblos. Since then, Congress has enacted legislation in 1978, 2001,
and 2008 to convey additional land from the Reserve in trust for the
New Mexico Pueblos.
Pursuant to the 2008 legislation, the Bureau of Land Management
conducted a new survey of the former school properties and identified
minor discrepancies in the previous trust deeds and, also, identified
the correct boundaries of two additional tracts of land within the
Reserve that the Bureau of Indian Affairs no longer needed for its
administrative functions.
This legislation addresses those technical discrepancies identified
by BLM's survey, and it would complete the process of transferring
BIA's portion of the Reserve to New Mexico's Pueblos.
This transfer allows the Pueblos to expand their current economic
development plan for the region, which creates jobs, expands
educational and cultural opportunities, while continuing to generate
revenue for the New Mexico Pueblos.
I urge my colleagues to support this noncontroversial legislation,
which, as you have heard, has the support of the entire New Mexico
delegation and would benefit the New Mexico 19 Pueblos.
Mr. SABLAN. We have no further speakers.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support S.
986.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 986.
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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