[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 24467-24470]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Ms. SNOWE:
  S. 3718. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend 
the taxation of unemployment compensation for 2 years; to the Committee 
on Finance.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill that will 
provide much-needed relief to struggling families across America. The 
Unemployment Benefit Tax Suspension Act of 2008 is a critical piece of 
legislation that would suspend the collection of federal income tax on 
unemployment benefits for 2008 and 2009.
  In light of the calamitous labor market, Congress must act to ensure 
that workers who lose their jobs do not also lose their livelihoods. On 
Friday, the Labor Department released sobering statistics that 
demonstrated the gravity of the situation we face. In November, the 
economy shed 533,000 jobs, the largest monthly job loss since December 
1974. Our unemployment rate now stands at a perilous 6.7 percent, a 15-
year high. We have lost 1.9 million jobs since the beginning of our 
present recession in December 2007--including \2/3\ of those jobs in 
the last 3 months alone--and the number of unemployed stands at a 
whopping 10.3 million.
  Suspending the federal income tax on unemployment benefits is a 
simple way to assist our nation's unemployed workers and families. In 
fact, the CBO has estimated that in 2005, of the 8.1 million recipients 
of UC benefits, 7.5 million had incomes of under $100,000. As such, 
most of the benefits of suspending this tax are likely to go to lower- 
and middle-income families, those struggling harder than ever just to 
makes ends meet.
  During these challenging times, taxes on unemployment compensation 
represents a burden that unemployed members of our society simply 
cannot afford. Working families are already suffering, with the high 
cost of groceries, an unstable energy market, and the outrageous price 
tag for health care. My bill offers a means to help stimulate the 
economy by making unemployed workers' benefits stretch farther. While 
it is certainly not a solution to the problem, it is a step in the 
right direction.
  President-elect Obama has voiced his support for this general idea, 
calling it ``a way of giving more relief to families,'' and I believe 
that is the ultimate goal we must pursue in these trying times. I look 
forward to seeing this bill is passed in a timely manner, so that the 
impact can be immediate.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

[[Page 24468]]



                                S. 3718

       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 ``Unemployment Benefit Tax 
     Suspension Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. SUSPENSION OF TAX ON UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.

       (a) In General.--Section 85 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 (relating to unemployment compensation) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(c) Temporary Suspension.--Subsection (a) shall not apply 
     to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007, and 
     before January 1, 2010.''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 3719. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend 
the minimum required pension distribution rules for 2008, 2009, and 
2010; to the Committee on Finance.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce legislation to 
offer relief to retirees who are being forced to take so-called 
required minimum distributions from their retirement accounts in a year 
in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen a staggering 35 
percent. Because retirees are forced to make withdrawals from their 
retirement accounts, they cannot wait for equities markets to recover 
and must, in many cases, unnecessarily absorb devastating losses. The 
Retirement Account Distribution Improvement Act of 2008 would suspend 
required minimum distribution rules until 2011 to allow retirees the 
ability to recoup some of their losses.
  Under current law, individuals who have reached age 70.5 generally 
must begin to withdraw funds from their IRAs or defined contribution 
retirement plans, including 401(k), 403(b), 457, and TSP plans. The 
withdrawals must begin by April 1 of the year in which an individual 
attains age 70.5. Failure to take a required minimum distribution may 
result in a 50 percent excise tax on the difference between what must 
be withdrawn and the amount actually distributed.
  In times that equities markets are rising and retirement account 
balances are growing, required minimum distribution rules are sensible. 
Indeed, they ensure the government gains revenue after years of tax-
deferred growth. Unfortunately, we are now witnessing unprecedented 
losses in equities markets that have caused many individuals to suffer 
steep losses in their retirement account balances. Indeed, the American 
Association of Retired Persons has said that retirement accounts have 
lost as much as $2.3 trillion between September 30, 2007, and October 
16 of this year. Forcing individuals to liquidate accounts and pay 
income taxes on the proceeds, as is required under current law, instead 
of allowing them to wait until the market recovers and continue to 
defer tax, simply adds insult to injury. Moreover, mandating 
withdrawals may cause stock prices to fall, hurting other investors.
  It is for these reasons that I am today introducing legislation to 
waive minimum required distributions for the 2008 to 2010 period. Under 
my legislation, retirement plan custodians would be prohibited from 
making required distributions unless an individual specifically asked 
that funds be withdrawn. Plan custodians would have to send individuals 
a notification to alert them that they must make an affirmative 
election to receive funds from their accounts. Finally, to benefit 
individuals who have already taken a required minimum distribution for 
2008, the bill would allow a re-contribution of those amounts into a 
retirement account by July 1, 2009.
  I am aware that others have proposed variations on the provisions I 
am introducing today. For example, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson may 
be considering very short-term administrative relief. While well 
intentioned, this approach does not guarantee meaningful long-term 
action. Meanwhile, others have drafted legislation to suspend minimum 
distribution rules. Notably, Senators Baucus, Grassley, Kennedy, and 
Enzi, offered legislation, The Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery 
Act of 2008, before the Thanksgiving Recess, a measure that I have 
cosponsored because it includes many worthy provisions such as a one-
year waiver of required minimum distribution rules. While I greatly 
appreciate their efforts and hope that we can clear that bill as early 
as today, we must do more. A 1-year waiver of minimum distribution 
rules is simply a good start, but with many predicting a multi-year 
recession, I believe the waiver should be at least 3 years.
  Congress must adopt a longer-term approach to helping individuals 
protect their retirement assets and weather the current economic storm. 
Individuals may require several years to recoup losses they have 
sustained, and by enabling them to keep assets in their retirement 
accounts until 2011, this bill offers them that opportunity. After 2 
years, Congress can reevaluate whether the waiver of current-law rules 
should be further extended. I urge all Senators to consider the 
benefits this legislation will provide to millions of retirees all 
across the United States, and I look forward to working with my 
colleagues to enact it in a timely manner.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3719

       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 ``Retirement Account 
     Distribution Improvement Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. TEMPORARY WAIVER OF REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTION 
                   RULES FOR CERTAIN RETIREMENT PLANS AND 
                   ACCOUNTS.

       (a) In General.--Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 (relating to required distributions) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(H) Temporary waiver of minimum required distribution.--
       ``(i) In general.--The requirements of this paragraph shall 
     not apply in calendar year 2008, 2009, or 2010 to--

       ``(I) a defined contribution plan which is described in 
     this subsection or in section 403(a) or 403(b),
       ``(II) a defined contribution plan which is an eligible 
     deferred compensation plan described in section 457(b) but 
     only if such plan is maintained by an employer described in 
     section 457(e)(1)(A), or
       ``(III) an individual retirement plan.

       ``(ii) Plans only to make elective distributions.--A trust 
     forming part of a plan shall not constitute a qualified trust 
     under this subsection unless the plan provides that it will 
     not make a payment or distribution during calendar year 2009 
     or 2010 which would otherwise be made to meet the 
     requirements of this paragraph unless the employee or 
     beneficiary elects to have such payment or distribution made. 
     This clause shall not apply to an employee or beneficiary who 
     is receiving, after the annuity starting date, distributions 
     under the plan through an annuity contract issued by a 
     company licensed to do business as an insurance company under 
     the laws of any State.
       ``(iii) Election.--An election under clause (ii) shall be 
     made at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
     prescribe. The Secretary may permit an employer to offer only 
     1 election that applies to 2009 and 2010 or may require 
     employers to offer separate elections for each calendar year.
       ``(iv) Individual retirement plans exempt from elective 
     distribution requirement.--In the case of an individual 
     retirement account or annuity described in section 408, this 
     subparagraph shall be applied without regard to clauses (ii) 
     and (iii).
       ``(v) Special rules regarding waiver period.--For purposes 
     of this paragraph--

       ``(I) the required beginning date with respect to any 
     individual shall be determined without regard to this 
     subparagraph for purposes of applying this paragraph to 
     calendar years after 2010, and
       ``(II) if clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) applies to such 
     individual, the 5-year period described in such clause shall 
     be determined without regard to calendar years 2008, 2009, or 
     2010.''.

       (b) Eligible Rollover Distributions.--Section 402(c)(4) of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining eligible rollover 
     distribution) is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new flush sentence:
     ``If all or any portion of a distribution during 2008, 2009, 
     or 2010 is treated as an eligible rollover distribution but 
     would not be so treated if the minimum distribution 
     requirements under section 401(a)(9) had applied during such 
     calendar year, such distribution shall not be treated as an 
     eligible rollover distribution for purposes of section 
     401(a)(31) or 3405(c) or subsection (f) of this section''.
       (c) Effective Dates.--
       (1) In general.--The amendments made by this section shall 
     apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007.

[[Page 24469]]

       (2) Recontributions of distributions in 2008 or early 
     2009.--
       (A) In general.--If a person receives 1 or more eligible 
     distributions, the person may, on or before July 1, 2009, 
     make one or more contributions (in an aggregate amount not 
     exceeding all eligible distributions) to an eligible 
     retirement plan and to which a rollover contribution of such 
     distribution could be made under section 402(c), 403(a)(4), 
     403(b)(8), 408(d)(3), or 457(e)(16) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986, as the case may be. For purposes of the 
     preceding sentence, rules similar to the rules of clauses 
     (ii) and (iii) of section 402(c)(11)(A) of such Code shall 
     apply in the case of a beneficiary who is not the surviving 
     spouse of the employee or of the owner of the individual 
     retirement plan.
       (B) Eligible distribution.--For purposes of this 
     paragraph--
       (i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), the 
     term ``eligible distribution'' means an applicable 
     distribution to a person from an individual account or 
     annuity--

       (I) under a plan which is described in clause (iv), and
       (II) from which a distribution would, but for the 
     application of section 401(a)(9)(H) of such Code, have been 
     required to have been made to the individual for 2008 or 
     2009, whichever is applicable, in order to satisfy the 
     requirements of sections 401(a)(9), 404(a)(2), 403(b)(10), 
     408(a)(6), 408(b)(3), and 457(d)(2) of such Code.

       (ii) Eligible distributions limited to required 
     distributions.--The aggregate amount of applicable 
     distributions which may be treated as eligible distributions 
     for purposes of this paragraph shall not exceed--

       (I) for purposes of applying subparagraph (A) to 
     distributions made in 2008, the amount which would, but for 
     the application of section 401(a)(9)(H) of such Code, have 
     been required to have been made to the individual in order to 
     satisfy the requirements of sections 401(a)(9), 404(a)(2), 
     403(b)(10), 408(a)(6), 408(b)(3), and 457(d)(2) of such Code 
     for 2008, and
       (II) for purposes of applying subparagraph (A) to 
     distributions made in 2009, the sum of the amount which 
     would, but for the application of such section 401(a)(9)(H), 
     have been required to have been made to the individual in 
     order to satisfy such requirements for 2009, plus the excess 
     (if any) of the amount described in subclause (I) which may 
     be distributed in 2009 to meet such requirements for 2008 
     over the portion of such amount taken into account under 
     subclause (I) for distributions made in 2008.

       (iii) Applicable distribution.--

       (I) In general.--The term ``applicable distribution'' means 
     a payment or distribution which is made during the period 
     beginning on January 1, 2008, and ending on June 30, 2009.
       (II) Exception for minimum required distributions for other 
     years.--Such term shall not include a payment or distribution 
     which is required to be made in order to satisfy the 
     requirements of section 401(a)(9), 404(a)(2), 403(b)(10), 
     408(a)(6), 408(b)(3), or 457(d)(2) of such Code for a 
     calendar year other than 2008 or 2009.
       (III) Exception for payments in a series.--In the case of 
     any plan described in clause (iv)(I), such term shall not 
     include any payment or distribution made in 2009 which is a 
     payment or distribution described in section 402(c)(4)(A).

       (iv) Plans described.--A plan is described in this clause 
     if the plan is--

       (I) a defined contribution plan (within the meaning of 
     section 414(i) of such Code) which is described in section 
     401, 403(a), or 403(b) of such Code or which is an eligible 
     deferred compensation plan described in section 457(b) of 
     such Code maintained by an eligible employer described in 
     section 457(e)(1)(A)) of such Code, or
       (II) an individual retirement plan (as defined in section 
     7701(a)(37) of such Code).

       (C) Treatment of repayments of distributions from eligible 
     retirement plans other than iras.--For purposes of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if a contribution is made 
     pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to a payment or 
     distribution from a plan other than an individual retirement 
     plan, then the taxpayer shall, to the extent of the amount of 
     the contribution, be treated as having received the payment 
     or distribution in an eligible rollover distribution (as 
     defined in section 402(c)(4) of such Code) and as having 
     transferred the amount to the plan in a direct trustee to 
     trustee transfer.
       (D) Treatment of repayments for distributions from iras.--
     For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if a 
     contribution is made pursuant to subparagraph (A) with 
     respect to a payment or distribution from an individual 
     retirement plan (as defined by section 7701(a)(37) of such 
     Code), then, to the extent of the amount of the contribution, 
     such payments or distributions shall be treated as a 
     distribution that satisfies subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
     section 408(d)(3) of such Code and as having been transferred 
     to the individual retirement plan in a direct trustee to 
     trustee transfer.
       (3) Provisions relating to plan or contract amendments.--
       (A) In general.--If this paragraph applies to any pension 
     plan or contract amendment, such pension plan or contract 
     shall be treated as being operated in accordance with the 
     terms of the plan during the period described in subparagraph 
     (B)(ii)(I).
       (B) Amendments to which paragraph applies.--
       (i) In general.--This paragraph shall apply to any 
     amendment to any pension plan or annuity contract which--

       (I) is made by pursuant to the amendments made by this 
     section, and
       (II) is made on or before the last day of the first plan 
     year beginning on or after January 1, 2011.

     In the case of a governmental plan, subclause (II) shall be 
     applied by substituting ``2012'' for ``2011''.
       (ii) Conditions.--This paragraph shall not apply to any 
     amendment unless--

       (I) during the period beginning on January 1, 2009, and 
     ending on December 31, 2010 (or, if earlier, the date the 
     plan or contract amendment is adopted), the plan or contract 
     is operated as if such plan or contract amendment were in 
     effect; and
       (II) such plan or contract amendment applies retroactively 
     for such period.

                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. SPECTER:
  S. 3720. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend 
the minimum required pension distribution rules for 2008 and 2009; to 
the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to introduce 
legislation to temporarily suspend the requirement that persons aged 
70\1/2\ and over take minimum distributions from their pensions or 
Individual Retirement Accounts, IRAs.
  I offer this legislation because of the economic situation our 
country is in at this moment. At a time when our financial markets are 
so greatly unstable, the government should not be requiring people--
especially retired citizens likely living on fixed incomes--to take 
money out of the markets. If seniors need this money, and want to take 
this money out of their pension plans, they should certainly be allowed 
to do so. But right now, while the markets are so unpredictable, I 
think it is wise for Congress to suspend the requirement that persons 
aged 70\1/2\ and above take mandatory distributions from their 
pensions, 401(k)s, and IRAs.
  The legislation I am introducing today will suspend this requirement 
for 1 year. Recently, forecasters at the Federal Reserve Bank of 
Philadelphia estimated that the United States will enter into a 
recession lasting approximately 14 months. While I certainly hope that 
they are wrong, and our economy begins to improve as Congress looks at 
various ways to stimulate the financial markets, I think we must be 
prudent in preparing for the worst. A 1 year suspension of the required 
pension distribution rule would allow time for the markets to 
stabilize. If, a year from now, our financial situation has not vastly 
improved, I believe it may be prudent to visit this issue again.
  This legislation is a simple fix that will have a significant impact 
on both the financial markets and the portfolios of our senior 
citizens. Requiring seniors to take disbursements from their pensions 
or IRAs now will also likely mean that, with the markets at such a low 
point, seniors will be losing a significant amount of money. Current 
tax law not only is hurting the financial markets with this rule, it is 
also hurting the wallets of seniors who will see smaller distributions 
and dwindling pensions. If seniors don't need these distributions right 
now, let them keep their money in their retirement plans until the 
markets can rebuild and boost the amount those retirement plans are 
worth.
  Another provision in this legislation would allow retirees who have 
already taken distributions in 2008 to reinvest those distributions 
back into their pension plan without penalty. This again would put 
money back into the markets if the recipients don't yet need the money 
at this time.
  I hope that we will be able to weather the current financial storm we 
are in quickly. Through small measures like this one, in conjunction 
with the larger measures that Congress has already done, we can begin 
to bring stability to the markets. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues on this and other legislation to help the families in this 
country who are hurting because of the economic downturn.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. BROWNBACK:
  S. 3721. A bill to prohibit the use of funds to transfer individuals 
detained

[[Page 24470]]

by the United States at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the 
United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; to the 
Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text 
of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3721

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO TRANSFER 
                   INDIVIDUALS DETAINED AT GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, 
                   TO THE UNITED STATES DISCIPLINARY BARRACKS, 
                   FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

       None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available 
     to any Federal department or agency may be used to transfer 
     any individual detained by the United States at Naval 
     Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States 
     Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. Ensign):
  S. 3724. A bill to direct the Secretary to take land into trust for 
the Te-moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today with my good friend Senator 
Ensign to introduce the Elko Indian Colony Expansion Act of 2008.
  The Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada includes four 
constituent bands, each having a separate reservation or colony in 
northeastern Nevada. One of the Te-moak Tribe's bands--the Elko Band--
has a strong need for additional land. While their population has 
steadily grown, their land base has remained the same for over 75 
years. This legislation would direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
make a reasonable expansion of the Te-moak Tribe's Elko Colony by 
taking 375 acres of land into trust.
  The histories of the city of Elko and the Elko Indian Colony have 
long been intertwined. Elko was established as a railroad town in 1868 
with the construction of the Central Pacific, part of the first 
transcontinental railroad. Shoshone families that had long lived in the 
area camped nearby to work on the railroad and in the area's mines and 
ranches.
  Government officials tried to relocate Elko's Indian families and all 
Western Shoshones to the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, 100 miles to 
the north of Elko, when it was created in 1877. The families refused to 
leave, however, and managed to stay in the Elko area. When the 
government's formal relocation policy failed, separate ``colonies'' for 
remaining Shoshone families were established. In 1918, President 
Woodrow Wilson reserved 160 acres for the Shoshone Indians near Elko by 
executive order. Another 33 acres were later purchased by the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, BIA, and were made part of the colony by Congress in 
1931.
  Today the Elko Colony is a thriving community. More than half of the 
Te-Moak's Tribe's enrolled members live and work in Elko, yet the Elko 
Colony has one of the smallest land bases of the four constituent 
bands. Over 350 tribal members are forced to live off of the colony 
because of a lack of reservation housing. Our legislation would address 
this need for more land by directing the Secretary of the Interior to 
take approximately 375 acres of land into trust for the tribe. These 
lands are currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management, BLM, and 
are adjacent to the existing Elko Colony. The land would be available 
for residential or commercial development, or for traditional uses, 
like ceremonial gatherings, hunting, and plant collecting.
  We have received strong letters of support for this proposal from 
both the City of Elko and Elko County. It is always encouraging when 
communities come together to work on a project like this, and we are 
grateful for their collective work on this effort. I also want to 
highlight that the city has a number of rights-of-way that cross the 
land in question, and our legislation is designed to protect those 
interests.
  This bill will do so much to improve the lives of the Elko Band of 
the Te-Moak Tribe. We are pleased to bring this legislation to the 
committee and we look forward to working with Chairman Bingaman, 
Ranking Member Domenici and the other distinguished members to move 
this bill through the process.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3724

       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 ``Elko Indian Colony Expansion 
     Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Te-moak 
     Tribal Land Expansion'', dated September 30, 2008, and on 
     file and available for public inspection in the appropriate 
     offices of the Bureau of Land Management.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of 
     Land Management.
       (3) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Te-moak Tribe of 
     Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada, which is a federally 
     recognized Indian tribe.

     SEC. 3. LAND TO BE HELD IN TRUST FOR THE TE-MOAK TRIBE OF 
                   WESTERN SHOSHONE INDIANS OF NEVADA.

       (a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
     land described in subsection (b)--
       (1) shall be held in trust by the United States for the 
     benefit and use of the Tribe; and
       (2) shall be part of the reservation of the Tribe.
       (b) Description of Land.--The land referred to in 
     subsection (a) consists of approximately 373 acres of land 
     administered by the Bureau of Land Management and identified 
     on the map as ``Lands to be Held in Trust''.
       (c) 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 under subsection (a).
       (d) Conditions.--
       (1) Gaming.--Land taken into trust under subsection (a) 
     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) Use of trust land.--With respect to the use of the land 
     taken into trust under subsection (a), the Tribe shall limit 
     the use of the land to--
       (A) traditional and customary uses;
       (B) stewardship conservation for the benefit of the Tribe; 
     and
       (C)(i) residential or recreational development; or
       (ii) commercial use.
       (3) Thinning; landscape restoration.--With respect to the 
     land taken into trust under subsection (a), the Secretary, in 
     consultation and coordination with the Tribe, may carry out 
     any fuels reduction and other landscape restoration 
     activities on the land that is beneficial to the Tribe and 
     the Bureau of Land Management.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

                          ____________________