[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 146 (Monday, September 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6403]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA (for himself and Mr. Schiff):
  S. 2735. A bill to take certain Federal land in the State of 
California into trust for the benefit of the Shingle Springs Band of 
Miwok IOndians, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Indian 
Affairs.
  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce Shingle Springs 
Band Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025. This bill would place 
approximately 80 acres of land currently managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management into trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and 
place into trust 185 acres of fee land already owned by the Tribe.
  The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians is a federally recognized 
Tribe located near Placerville, CA. The Tribe's current land base is 
limited, just 160 acres, and their reservation access was significantly 
disrupted decades ago when Highway 50 was constructed across their only 
entrance. While the Tribe has since invested in an off-ramp to restore 
access, their existing land remains insufficient to meet the needs of 
their citizens, particularly related to housing.
  Today, more than 180 Tribal families are on a housing waitlist. To 
address this crisis, the Tribe purchased 118 acres of nearby land with 
the goal of building housing for their citizens, which this bill would 
place into trust.
  The land owned by BLM cannot be placed into trust without an act of 
Congress, making this bill essential to meeting the Tribe's goals of 
housing, fire risk management, and responsible land stewardship.
  This legislation is a commonsense step forward that will empower the 
Tribe to build much needed housing and better manage its ancestral 
lands. I want to thank Senator Schiff for cosponsoring this 
legislation, and I also want to thank Republican Congressman Tom 
McClintock, who also represents this land, for introducing companion 
legislation in the House.

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