[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2155-H2157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1545
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF INDIANS LAND INTO TRUST CONFIRMATION ACT OF 2023
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 382) to take certain land in the State of Washington into
trust for the benefit of the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup
Reservation, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 382
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 ``Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Land Into Trust Confirmation Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. LAND TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF THE PUYALLUP RESERVATION.
(a) In General.--The approximately 17.264 acres of land
owned in fee by the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup
Reservation in Pierce County, Washington, and described in
subsection (b) is hereby taken into trust by the United
States for the benefit of the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup
Reservation.
(b) Land Descriptions.--
(1) Parcel 1.--Lots 1 to 4, inclusive, Block 85, Map of
Tacoma Tidelands, as surveyed and platted by the Board of
Appraisers of Tide and Shore Lands for Pierce County,
according to Plat filed for record on September 14, 1895, in
the Office of the County Auditor, in Tacoma, Pierce County,
Washington.
(2) Parcel 2.--Lots 5 to 9, inclusive, Block 85, Map of
Tacoma Tidelands, as surveyed and platted by the Board of
Appraisers of Tide and Shore Lands for Pierce County,
according to Plat filed for record on September 14, 1895, in
the Office of the County Auditor, in Tacoma, Pierce County,
Washington.
(3) Parcel 3.--Parcel A of City of Tacoma Boundary Line
Adjustment MPD2011-40000166230, recorded October 12, 2011,
under Pierce County Auditor Recording No. 201110125009, as
corrected by Affidavit of Minor Correction of Map Recorded
September 25, 2012, under Pierce County Auditor Recording No.
201209250440.
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(c) Administration.--Land taken into trust under subsection
(a) shall be--
(1) part of the Reservation of the Puyallup Tribe of the
Puyallup Reservation; and
(2) administered in accordance with the laws and
regulations generally applicable to property held in trust by
the United States for the benefit of an Indian Tribe.
(d) Environmental Liability.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the United States shall not be liable for
any environmental contamination that occurred on the land
described in subsection (b) on or before the date on which
that land is taken into trust under subsection (a).
(e) Gaming Prohibited.--Land taken into trust under
subsection (a) shall not be used for any class II gaming or
class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) (as those terms are defined in section 4
of that Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Wyoming (Ms. Hageman) and the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger
Fernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Wyoming.
General Leave
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on S. 382, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Wyoming?
There was no objection.
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, S. 382, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land Into Trust
Confirmation Act, would place approximately 17 acres of land in Pierce
County, Washington, into trust for the Tribe.
The land in question is currently owned by the Tribe in fee simple,
and the Tribe intends to use the land for economic development purposes
to benefit the Tribe and the surrounding area.
The parcels contain evidence of environmental contamination, which
complicates the process by which the Bureau of Indian Affairs would
take land into trust through the administrative fee-to-trust process.
Under an administrative process, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or BIA,
would require full land remediation before the process even begins.
This would be cost prohibitive for the Tribe and unnecessary given the
Tribe's intended use of the land as a shipping terminal and
transportation facility.
Additionally, S. 382 makes clear that the United States is not liable
for any environmental contamination on the land and includes a
prohibition on gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 382, the Puyallup Tribe of
Indians Land Into Trust Confirmation Act of 2023, introduced by Senator
Cantwell and led in the House by my incredibly brilliant colleague from
Washington, Representative Kilmer.
We know that land is at the very essence of Tribal sovereignty,
cultural survival, and economic sovereignty. That is why taking land
into trust for Tribes, either through the BIA or congressional process,
is essential if we are to honor our trust responsibilities to Tribes,
if we are to honor our commitment to help reverse, if only by a few
acres at a time, some of the worst of our Federal policies from the
19th and 20th centuries.
This bill would authorize the United States to take approximately
17.2 acres of land located in Pierce County, Washington, and owned by
the Puyallup Tribe into trust for the benefit of the Tribe.
Typically, land is taken into trust under the Bureau of Indian
Affairs administrative process. However, it is not uncommon for Tribes
to take a legislative route depending on their circumstances.
In the case of the Puyallup Tribe, the Tribe identified legacy
contamination from historical industrial sites when undergoing
environmental site assessments.
When placing land into trust, the Federal Government does not take
liability for environmental contamination that could have occurred
prior to the transfer. As that is the case here, the BIA is unable to
take the land into trust administratively, and congressional action
through legislation is the most viable option for the Tribe in this
case.
This legislation would move the Tribe's land-into-trust process
forward and ultimately expand job and economic development
opportunities. By adding these lands in the port area, the Tribe will
be able to develop a 21st century shipping terminal that will help
address the backlog facing our Nation's ports. Placing this land into
trust will make this land the first international Tribal trade center
in modern times. I say in modern times because we know there was much
trade that was going on before European contact.
The Puyallup Tribe is a signatory to the Treaty of Medicine Creek of
1854, which designated 200,000 acres as permanent homeland for their
people. However, the ink had barely dried on the treaty before efforts
to take the Tribe's land began through acts of Congress, illegal sales
of reservation land, and outright theft.
Given so much historical and cultural loss, it is appropriate to
grant the restoration of these lands to the Tribe.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve the
balance of my time.
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer).
Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Puyallup Tribe of
Indians Land Into Trust Confirmation Act, a critical piece of
legislation that represents not only an act of justice, but a
significant step toward economic revitalization and sustainable
development in our region.
This bill, introduced by myself alongside my colleagues, Senator
Maria Cantwell, Senator Patty Murray, and Representative Marilyn
Strickland, seeks to transfer over 17 acres of land currently owned by
Puyallup Tribe into Federal trust.
This action is not merely administrative, it is a restoration of the
Tribe's ancestral homeland, a place that holds a deep cultural and
historical significance for the Puyallup people.
As the Puyallup Tribe's lands, after recent congressional
redistricting, fall within the region I am privileged to represent, I
am aware of the profound impact this legislation can have.
Indeed, it is not just about land. It is about enabling the Puyallup
Tribe to further diversify and expand economic opportunities, to spur
job creation at the Port of Tacoma and along the Tacoma waterfront, a
vision of prosperity that benefits not only the Tribe, but the entire
South Puget Sound region.
When we introduced this bill, I pointed out that this legislation
will help restore the Tribe's homelands, ensuring the Tribe can
continue to diversify and grow economic opportunities and create jobs
across our region. I stand by those words today, committed to ensuring
that the Federal Government upholds its trust and treaty obligations.
Last year, I attended the State of the Union address with Puyallup
Tribal Chairman Bill Sterud as my guest. Chairman Sterud joined the
Puyallup Tribal Council in 1978 and has served as chairman and vice-
chairman several times since his first election.
Chairman Sterud is a proud father and grandfather of a University of
Washington Husky, who frequently gives welcomes to incoming students at
the UW Tacoma and graduates at UW commencement, and someone who cares
deeply about his people and those who live in the surrounding
community.
In his own words, Chairman Sterud believes that the land into trust
act will help the Tribe diversify its economy and bring critical
infrastructure and business to the Tribe's port development and the
entire region. In other words, this is a game changer for the Puyallup
Tribe.
Our Federal Government has a solemn duty to ensure that Tribal
communities are afforded the same opportunities that have spurred
growth and prosperity across other communities in our State and Nation.
Moreover, by putting this land into trust, Congress
[[Page H2157]]
can help unlock a host of Federal programs and services that can
catalyze significant economic development and infrastructure
investments for the Puyallup Tribe and surrounding communities.
In Washington State, this proposal has garnered widespread support
not only from within the Tribe, but also from the city of Tacoma, from
Pierce County, from Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and the team at the
Port of Tacoma.
This broad base of community support underscores the mutual benefits
anticipated from this action, benefits that will surely extend well
beyond the boundaries of the land in question, fostering a more
vibrant, healthy, and economically robust Puget Sound region.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land Into Trust Confirmation
Act. I thank the gentlewoman from across the aisle for her support of
it. I thank my colleague for her support of it.
Let us take this step together as a forward-looking investment in the
economic vitality and cultural richness of the Pacific northwest.
Moving forward, Congress can honor its commitments to Native nations,
respect our shared history, and work hand in hand with Tribes like the
Puyallup to build a future of prosperity and partnership.
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, yield myself the balance of my time
to close.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Kilmer and Senator Cantwell for
bringing this legislation forward. I also thank Chairman Sterud and the
people of the Puyallup Tribe because what they are doing here today is
beneficial not only for the Tribe, but, as noted, for the entire
region.
I think we will see this over and over again in the bills we are
hearing today and that we will hear into the future with regards to
taking land into trust. It benefits not just the Tribe and the local
economy, but those who live around the Tribe. In this instance, because
of the port, it will benefit the entire Nation. Therefore, we are
grateful for the work that they have done in terms of pursuing this
land-into-trust application.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, this legislation would take approximately
17 acres of fee land in Pierce County, Washington, into trust for the
benefit of the Puyallup Tribe to support the development of a 21st
century shipping and transportation facility.
I thank the sponsors of this legislation for their work on behalf of
their constituents. I support this bill, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 382.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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