[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H3485-H3486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NEVADA NATIVE NATIONS LAND ACT
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2733) to require the Secretary of the Interior to take land into
trust for certain Indian tribes, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2733
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 ``Nevada Native Nations Land
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY.
In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
the Interior.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF LAND TO BE HELD IN TRUST FOR CERTAIN
INDIAN TRIBES.
(a) Conveyance of Land to Be Held in Trust for the Fort
Mcdermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe.--
(1) Definition of map.--In this subsection, the term
``map'' means the map entitled ``Fort McDermitt Indian
Reservation Expansion Act'', dated February 21, 2013, and on
file and available for public inspection in the appropriate
offices of the Bureau of Land Management.
(2) Conveyance of land.--Subject to valid existing rights,
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
the land described in paragraph (3)--
(A) is held in trust by the United States for the benefit
of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe; and
(B) shall be part of the reservation of the Fort McDermitt
Paiute and Shoshone Tribe.
(3) Description of land.--The land referred to in paragraph
(2) is the approximately 19,094 acres of land administered by
the Bureau of Land Management as generally depicted on the
map as ``Reservation Expansion Lands''.
(b) Conveyance of Land to Be Held in Trust for the Shoshone
Paiute Tribes.--
(1) Definition of map.--In this subsection, the term
``map'' means the map entitled ``Mountain City Administrative
Site Proposed Acquisition'', dated July 29, 2013, and on file
and available for public inspection in the appropriate
offices of the Forest Service.
(2) Conveyance of land.--Subject to valid existing rights
and paragraph (4), all right, title, and interest of the
United States in and to the land described in paragraph (3)--
(A) is held in trust by the United States for the benefit
of the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian
Reservation; and
(B) shall be part of the reservation of the Shoshone Paiute
Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation.
(3) Description of land.--The land referred to in paragraph
(2) is the approximately 82 acres of land administered by the
Forest Service as generally depicted on the map as ``Proposed
Acquisition Site''.
(4) Condition on conveyance.--The conveyance under
paragraph (2) shall be subject to the reservation of an
easement on the conveyed land for a road to provide access to
adjacent National Forest System land for use by the Forest
Service for administrative purposes.
(5) Facilities and improvements.--The Secretary of
Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the Forest Service)
shall convey to the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley
Indian Reservation any existing facilities or improvements to
the land described in paragraph (3).
(c) Conveyance of Land to Be Held in Trust for the Summit
Lake Paiute Tribe.--
(1) Definition of map.--In this section, the term ``map''
means the map entitled ``Summit Lake Indian Reservation
Conveyance'', dated February 28, 2013, and on file and
available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of
the Bureau of Land Management.
(2) Conveyance of land.--Subject to valid existing rights,
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
the land described in paragraph (3)--
(A) is held in trust by the United States for the benefit
of the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe; and
(B) shall be part of the reservation of the Summit Lake
Paiute Tribe.
(3) Description of land.--The land referred to in paragraph
(2) is the approximately 941 acres of land administered by
the Bureau of Land Management as generally depicted on the
map as ``Reservation Conveyance Lands''.
(d) Conveyance of Land to Be Held in Trust for the Reno-
sparks Indian Colony.--
(1) Definition of map.--In this subsection, the term
``map'' means the map entitled ``Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
Expansion'', dated June 11, 2014, and on file and available
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the
Bureau of Land Management.
(2) Conveyance of land.--Subject to valid existing rights,
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
the land described in paragraph (3)--
(A) is held in trust by the United States for the benefit
of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony; and
(B) shall be part of the reservation of the Reno-Sparks
Indian Colony.
(3) Description of land.--The land referred to in paragraph
(2) is the approximately 13,434 acres of land administered by
the Bureau of Land Management as generally depicted on the
map as ``RSIC Amended Boundary''.
(e) Conveyance of Land to Be Held in Trust for the Pyramid
Lake Paiute Tribe.--
(1) Map.--In this subsection, the term ``map'' means the
map entitled ``Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation Expansion'',
dated April 13, 2015, and on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land
Management.
(2) Conveyance of land.--Subject to valid existing rights,
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
the land described in paragraph (3)--
(A) is held in trust by the United States for the benefit
of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe; and
(B) shall be part of the reservation of the Pyramid Lake
Paiute Tribe.
(3) Description of land.--The land referred to in paragraph
(2) is the approximately 6,357 acres of land administered by
the Bureau of Land Management as generally depicted on the
map as ``Reservation Expansion Lands''.
(f) Conveyance of Land to Be Held in Trust for the
Duckwater Shoshone Tribe.--
(1) Map.--In this subsection, the term ``map'' means the
map entitled ``Duckwater Reservation Expansion'', dated
October 15, 2015, and on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land
Management.
(2) Conveyance of land.--Subject to valid existing rights,
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
the land described in paragraph (3)--
(A) is held in trust by the United States for the benefit
of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe; and
(B) shall be part of the reservation of the Duckwater
Shoshone Tribe.
(3) Description of land.--The land referred to in paragraph
(2) is the approximately 31,229 acres of land administered by
the Bureau of Land Management as generally depicted on the
map as ``Reservation Expansion Lands''.
(g) Revocation of Public Land Orders.--Any public land
order that withdraws any portion of land conveyed to an
Indian tribe under this section shall be revoked to the
extent necessary to permit the conveyance of the land.
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Survey.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a survey
of the boundary lines to establish the boundaries of the land
taken into trust for each Indian tribe under section 3.
(b) Use of Trust Land.--
(1) Gaming.--Land taken into trust under section 3 shall
not be eligible, or considered to have been taken into trust,
for class II gaming or class III gaming (as those terms are
defined in section 4 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25
U.S.C. 2703)).
(2) Thinning; landscape restoration.--With respect to the
land taken into trust under section 3, the Secretary, in
consultation and coordination with the applicable Indian
tribe, may carry out any fuel reduction and other landscape
restoration activities, including restoration of sage grouse
habitat, on the land that is beneficial to the Indian tribe
and the Bureau of Land Management.
[[Page H3486]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nevada (Mr. Hardy) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada.
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 2733, the Nevada Native Nations Land Act.
I commend my colleague from Nevada (Mr. Amodei), the sponsor of this
bill, for his tireless work on this important piece of legislation.
Because he will speak further on the details that affect his district,
I will provide a brief summary of the bill.
H.R. 2733, as amended, would require the Secretary of the Interior to
place, approximately, 71,000 acres of Federal land into trust for six
tribes in the State of Nevada. Gaming would be prohibited on these
lands.
Located in my district, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe would have,
approximately, 31,000 acres of land placed into trust by the Secretary
of the Interior. The tribe intends to utilize these lands for economic
development and community growth. Specifically, the additional lands
will allow the tribe to expand agricultural operations, additional
housing and facilities development, and to protect cultural sites and
wildlife.
Over 85 percent of the land that is located in Nevada is federally
controlled, and tribes continue to have a small land base. This bill is
an important step in promoting economic activity that will generate
jobs in the tribal communities, benefitting both reservation economies.
I thank Mr. Amodei for his efforts in getting this legislation to the
floor.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The six Nevada tribes that are affected by this legislation want to
expand their reservations for a variety of purposes, including for
recreational use, residential construction, and energy and mineral
development. H.R. 2733 will allow the tribes to pursue these goals. By
passing this bill, they will be able to preserve their cultural
heritage and traditions, expand housing for their members, and realize
new economic development opportunities.
The final legislation is the result of years of negotiations between
the tribes, the Federal Government, the State of Nevada, and local
stakeholders.
I commend my colleague from Nevada (Mr. Amodei) for his work on
behalf of the Nevada tribes and on this legislation. I urge its quick
adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Nevada (Mr. Amodei).
Mr. AMODEI. I thank my colleague from the Silver State and my
colleague from the Show Me State. I appreciate the background.
Mr. Speaker, this is the return of a bill that was passed in the
114th Congress by a voice vote in the House of Representatives. It went
to the Senate. I can't tell you what happened there, but the good news
is that the 114th Congress, the Senate, has moved on a companion bill;
so we might actually get some resolution of this.
I note that my colleague from the Show Me State mentioned patience
and hard work. I want to point out that, for the folks of the Fort
McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe, the 19,000-acre transfer that is
proposed in this piece of legislation was first before the United
States Congress in a bill that was introduced in 1972 by then-Nevada
Senators Alan Bible and Howard Cannon. Certainly, that tribe gets the
``patience'' award in terms of waiting to fill in what is largely
checkerboard-type holdings to consolidate their holdings in the whole
thing.
As a whole, about 31,000 acres are in my colleague's CD4 district,
and 40,000 acres are in the rest of CD2. There is a variety of things
to provide housing to attract healthcare facility givers and cultural
resource preservation buffer zones. It has been through the planning
process in those counties in which it is. Many off-road vehicle
organizations support this. It can hardly be said to have been sprung
on anybody.
I urge my colleagues' support.
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the
legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Hardy) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2733, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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