[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15728-15729]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              ALBUQUERQUE INDIAN SCHOOL LAND TRANSFER ACT

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 986) to require the Secretary of the Interior to take into 
trust 4 parcels of Federal land for the benefit of certain Indian 
Pueblos in the State of New Mexico.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 986

       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 ``Albuquerque Indian School 
     Land Transfer Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) 19 pueblos.--The term ``19 Pueblos'' means the New 
     Mexico Indian Pueblos of--
       (A) Acoma;
       (B) Cochiti;
       (C) Isleta;
       (D) Jemez;
       (E) Laguna;
       (F) Nambe;
       (G) Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan);
       (H) Picuris;
       (I) Pojoaque;
       (J) San Felipe;
       (K) San Ildefonso;
       (L) Sandia;
       (M) Santa Ana;
       (N) Santa Clara;
       (O) Santo Domingo;
       (P) Taos;
       (Q) Tesuque;
       (R) Zia; and
       (S) Zuni.
       (2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``The 
     Town of Albuquerque Grant, Bernalillo County, within Township 
     10 North, Range 3 East, of the New Mexico Principal Meridian, 
     New Mexico--Metes and Bounds Survey'' and dated August 12, 
     2011.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means Secretary of 
     the Interior.

     SEC. 3. LAND TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR BENEFIT OF 19 PUEBLOS.

       (a) Action by Secretary.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall take into trust all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
     Federal land described in subsection (b) for the benefit of 
     the 19 Pueblos immediately after the Secretary determines 
     that the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
     Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) have been satisfied 
     regarding the trust acquisition of the Federal land.
       (2) Administration.--The Secretary shall--
       (A) take such action as the Secretary determines to be 
     necessary to document the transfer under paragraph (1); and
       (B) appropriately assign each applicable private and 
     municipal utility and service right or agreement.
       (b) Description of Land.--The Federal land referred to in 
     subsection (a)(1) is the 4 tracts of Federal land, the 
     combined acreage of which is approximately 11.11 acres, that 
     were historically part of the Albuquerque Indian School, more 
     particularly described as follows:
       (1) Abandoned indian school road.--The approximately 0.83 
     acres located in sec. 7 and sec. 8 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of 
     the New Mexico Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 
     as identified on the map.
       (2) Southern part tract d.--The approximately 6.18 acres 
     located in sec. 7 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico 
     Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified 
     on the map.
       (3) Tract 1.--The approximately 0.41 acres located in sec. 
     7 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico Principal Meridian 
     in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified on the map.
       (4) Western part tract b.--The approximately 3.69 acres 
     located in sec. 7 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico 
     Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified 
     on the map.
       (c) Survey.--The Secretary shall conduct a survey of the 
     Federal land to be transferred consistent with subsection (b) 
     and may make minor corrections to the survey and legal 
     description of the Federal land described in subsection (b) 
     as the Secretary determines to be necessary to correct 
     clerical, typographical, and surveying errors.
       (d) Use of Land.--The Federal land taken into trust under 
     subsection (a) shall be used for the educational, health, 
     cultural, business, and economic development of the 19 
     Pueblos.
       (e) Limitations and Conditions.--The Federal land taken 
     into trust under subsection (a) shall remain subject to any 
     private or municipal encumbrance, right-of-way, restriction, 
     easement of record, or utility service agreement in effect on 
     the date of enactment of this Act.
       (f) Bureau of Indian Affairs Use.--
       (1) In general.--The 19 Pueblos shall allow the Bureau of 
     Indian Affairs to continue to use the land taken into trust 
     under subsection (a) for the facilities and purposes as in 
     existence on the date of enactment of this Act, in accordance 
     with paragraph (2).
       (2) Requirements.--The use by the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
     under paragraph (1) shall--

[[Page 15729]]

       (A) be free of any rental charge; and
       (B) continue until such time as the Secretary determines 
     there is no further need for the existing Bureau of Indian 
     Affairs facilities.

     SEC. 4. EFFECT OF OTHER LAWS.

       (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), Federal land 
     taken into trust under section 3(a) shall be subject to 
     Federal laws relating to Indian land.
       (b) Gaming.--No class I gaming, class II gaming, or class 
     III gaming (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Gaming 
     Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)) shall be carried out on the 
     Federal land taken into trust under section 3(a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Newhouse) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana 
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 986, which would direct 
the Secretary of the Interior to place 11 acres of Federal land into 
trust for the collective benefit of 19 Pueblos in the State of New 
Mexico.
  These 11 acres were historically part of the Albuquerque Indian 
School site, which are culturally and historically significant to the 
Pueblos. Upon transfer, the lands may be used by the 19 Pueblos for the 
educational, health, cultural, business, and economic development 
purposes by these Pueblo tribes. One important thing to note is this 
land may not be used for gaming purposes under this bill.
  Since 1976, the 19 Pueblos have used the lands of the former 
Albuquerque Indian School for the cultural and economic benefit of the 
19 Pueblos. This is the last portion of Federal lands of the former 
school site, which has not been conveyed to the 19 Pueblos.
  This bill is supported by the entire New Mexico congressional 
delegation. Recognizing the support of the local delegation, the House 
companion bill, H.R. 1880, sponsored by Congresswoman Lujan Grisham, 
was favorably reported by the Natural Resources Committee on September 
30 of 2015.
  I urge passage of this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Senate bill S. 986 would direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to convey approximately 11 acres of land to the United States 
to be held in trust for the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico.
  The land taken into trust shall be used for the educational, health, 
cultural, business, and economic development of the 19 Pueblos.
  Passage of this bill will finally complete the process started in 
1969 when the United States began converting the Albuquerque Indian 
School Reserve into land under the jurisdiction and control of the 19 
Pueblos.
  I would like to thank our colleague, Ms. Lujan Grisham, for 
introducing and championing the House version of the act and to 
Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for moving it swiftly 
through committee.
  I would also like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from 
Washington, for joining me tonight in managing this bill.
  Just as Mr. Newhouse stated, this legislation is supported by the 
entire New Mexico delegation. I urge its quick adoption.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham), the 
sponsor of the House version of the bill.
  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I thank 
Representative Sablan and Representative Newhouse for their support. I 
also thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their help 
in bringing this legislation to the floor. Of course, I extend my 
gratitude to our Senator Tom Udall for working with me on this 
important piece of legislation.
  I am the proud sponsor of the House companion to the Albuquerque 
Indian School Land Transfer Act, which, as you have heard, directs the 
Secretary of the Interior to take into trust four tracts of land for 
the New Mexico 19 Pueblos.
  The land taken into the trust would be used for educational, health, 
cultural, business, and economic development of the New Mexico Pueblos. 
The four parcels are located within a former Federal Indian boarding 
school site called the 1884 Albuquerque Indian School Reserve in 
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  In 1969, the United States started the long process of converting the 
Reserve into land under the jurisdiction and control of the New Mexico 
Pueblos. Since then, Congress has enacted legislation in 1978, 2001, 
and 2008 to convey additional land from the Reserve in trust for the 
New Mexico Pueblos.
  Pursuant to the 2008 legislation, the Bureau of Land Management 
conducted a new survey of the former school properties and identified 
minor discrepancies in the previous trust deeds and, also, identified 
the correct boundaries of two additional tracts of land within the 
Reserve that the Bureau of Indian Affairs no longer needed for its 
administrative functions.
  This legislation addresses those technical discrepancies identified 
by BLM's survey, and it would complete the process of transferring 
BIA's portion of the Reserve to New Mexico's Pueblos.
  This transfer allows the Pueblos to expand their current economic 
development plan for the region, which creates jobs, expands 
educational and cultural opportunities, while continuing to generate 
revenue for the New Mexico Pueblos.
  I urge my colleagues to support this noncontroversial legislation, 
which, as you have heard, has the support of the entire New Mexico 
delegation and would benefit the New Mexico 19 Pueblos.
  Mr. SABLAN. I have no further speakers.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support S. 
986.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 986.
  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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