[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 200 (Thursday, December 22, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H10009-H10010]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               KATIMIIN AND AMEEKYAARAAM SACRED LANDS ACT

  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 4439) to take certain Federal land located in Siskiyou County, 
California, and Humboldt County, California, into trust for the benefit 
of the Karuk Tribe, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 4439

       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 ``Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam 
     Sacred Lands Act''.

     SEC. 2. LAND HELD IN TRUST FOR THE KARUK TRIBE.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam land is located in the 
     ancestral territory of the Karuk Tribe; and
       (2) the Karuk Tribe has historically used, and has an 
     ongoing relationship with, the Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam 
     land.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Katimiin and ameekyaaraam land.--The term ``Katimiin 
     and Ameekyaaraam land'' means the approximately 1,031 acres 
     of Federal land, including improvements and appurtenances to 
     the Federal land, located in Siskiyou County, California, and 
     Humboldt County, California, and generally depicted as 
     ``Proposed Area'' on the map of the Forest Service entitled 
     ``Katimiin Area Boundary Proposal'' and dated August 9, 2021.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (c) Administrative Transfer.--Administrative jurisdiction 
     of the Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam land is hereby transferred 
     from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary, subject 
     to the condition that the Chief of the Forest Service shall 
     continue to manage the component of the National Wild and 
     Scenic Rivers System that flows through the Katimiin and 
     Ameekyaaraam land.
       (d) Land Held in Trust.--The Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam land 
     is hereby taken into trust by the Secretary for the benefit 
     of the Karuk Tribe, subject to--
       (1) valid existing rights, contracts, and management 
     agreements relating to easements and rights-of-way; and
       (2) continued access by the Chief of the Forest Service for 
     the purpose of managing the component of the National Wild 
     and Scenic Rivers System that flows through the Katimiin and 
     Ameekyaaraam land.
       (e) Survey.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
     provide to the Secretary a complete survey of the land taken 
     into trust under subsection (d).
       (f) Use of Land.--
       (1) In general.--Land taken into trust under subsection (d) 
     may be used for traditional and customary uses for the 
     benefit of the Karuk Tribe.
       (2) Gaming.--Class II and class III gaming under the Indian 
     Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) shall not be 
     allowed on the land taken into trust under subsection (d).
       (g) Wild and Scenic Rivers Management.--
       (1) In general.--Nothing in this section affects the status 
     or administration of any component of the National Wild and 
     Scenic Rivers System, including any component that flows 
     through the land taken into trust under subsection (d).
       (2) Memorandum of understanding.--The Secretary of 
     Agriculture shall enter into a memorandum of understanding 
     with the Karuk Tribe, consistent with the obligations of the 
     Secretary of Agriculture under subsection (c), to establish 
     mutual goals for the protection and enhancement of the river 
     values of any component of the National Wild and Scenic 
     Rivers System that flows through the land taken into trust 
     under subsection (d).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Tonko) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page H10010]]

  I rise in support of S. 4439, the Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam Sacred 
Lands Act sponsored by Senator Alex Padilla and led here in the House 
by Representative Jared Huffman.
  The Karuk Tribe's ancestral territory encompasses over 1 million 
acres in northern California and southern Oregon with about 900 acres 
currently held in trust for the Tribe.
  The lands known as Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam are ceremonial areas and 
village sites located at the Karuk Tribe's center of the world. These 
sites host the final series of the Tribe's Pikyavish World Renewal 
ceremonies.
  The Ameekyaaraam is located downriver from the Katimiin and serves as 
the site of the Jump Dance and First Salmon ceremonies and the 
historical location of pre-contact inter-Tribal fish harvesting.
  These sites remain essential to the Tribe's intergenerational 
cultural and environmental teachings.
  Unfortunately, the Tribe's access to these sacred sites is not always 
guaranteed. In recent years, Tribal members have even been interrupted 
by members of the public during private components of their ceremonies.
  S. 4439 will resolve this access issue by placing approximately 1,031 
acres of Federal land located in Siskiyou and Humboldt Counties in 
trust for the Tribe.
  The bill contains gaming prohibitions and confirms the U.S. Forest 
Service's authority over managing the wild and scenic rivers located on 
this parcel.
  I thank Senator Padilla and Representative Huffman for championing 
this important bill.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, S. 4439 would place into trust approximately 1,031 
acres of U.S. Forest Service land where the Salmon River meets the 
Klamath River in Siskiyou and Humboldt Counties in California for the 
Karuk Tribe.

                              {time}  1100

  This bill would require that the land be taken into trust for 
traditional and customary uses for the benefit of the Tribe. This bill 
would prohibit gaming on the land and would require that the land held 
in trust shall not affect the status or administration of this section 
of the Klamath River as a wild and scenic river. The trust land is also 
subject to valid existing rights, contracts, and management agreements 
relating to easements and rights-of-way.
  The Karuk Tribe is one of the largest Tribes in northern California 
with approximately 3,300 enrolled Tribal members. Its people have lived 
in northwestern California for thousands of years. The land being 
placed into trust for the Tribe is considered, as Mr. Tonko stated, the 
center of the world of their religion, and it is used for their annual 
world renewal ceremonies.
  The Tribe has a special use permit with the Forest Service to access 
these lands for their ceremonies and closes the river during certain 
times in the summer to facilitate them. However, there have been public 
disruptions during the ceremonies from some unknowing individuals 
rafting the river.
  This bill would ensure the Tribe is able to continue its religious 
practices and continue teaching future generations of the Karuk people 
the Tribe's culture and customs.
  Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge adoption of the 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4439 the Katimiin 
and Ameekyaaraam Sacred Lands Act. I was proud to partner with Sen. 
Padilla and introduce the House companion, H.R. 6032. This bill will 
place 1,031 acres federal lands located in Humboldt and Siskiyou 
counties into trust for the Karuk Tribe. Natural resource stewardship 
of land, wildlife, plants, and water is at the core of the Karuk 
people's culture and identity. Yet 95 percent of their aboriginal 
territory is currently under federal management, undermining the 
tribe's ability to exercise traditional practices that have been passed 
down since time immemorial.
  These lands, known as Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam, are ceremonial areas 
and village sites located at the Karuk Tribe's ``center of the world.'' 
These areas are where the final series of the Tribes' annual Pik-ya-
yish World Renewal ceremonies take place. Ameekyaaraam is located 
downriver from Katimiin and serves as the site of the Jump Dance and 
First Salmon ceremonies and is the historical location of pre-contact 
intertribal fish harvesting. While arrangements with the Forest Service 
have allowed the Karuk Tribe to use these areas for their ceremonies, 
their access is not always guaranteed, and privacy from the public 
remains an issue. This legislation returns this sacred ground to the 
Karuk Tribe, correcting a historic injustice.
  I've had the immense privilege and honor of visiting this area--these 
lands are not only majestic, they are central to Karuk history, 
religion, culture, and identity. Placing them in trust ensures that the 
Karuk way of life can endure for future generations.
  Under this bill, only Forest Service lands will transfer to the 
tribe; all private lands, allotments and existing rights associated 
with those will be excluded. The language includes Class I, II, and III 
gaming prohibitions, and confirms the U.S. Forest Service's authority 
over managing the Wild and Scenic Rivers located on this parcel of 
land. We've received widespread support from the local government, 
private landowners and businesses, neighboring tribes, and 
environmental organizations. To date, there has been no opposition to 
this legislation.
  Senators Padilla and Feinstein have been wonderful partners in 
advancing this bill in the Senate, and the Karuk Tribe has worked with 
our offices tirelessly. It is my honor to advance this legislation that 
gives land back to the Karuk Tribe, and I urge my colleagues to vote 
Yea and get this bill to the President's desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 4439.
  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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