[House Report 119-760]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-760
=======================================================================
YUHAAVIATAM OF SAN MANUEL NATION LAND EXCHANGE ACT
----------------
August 20, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
----------------
Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3925]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 3925) to provide for a land exchange in San
Bernardino County, California, and for other purposes, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land
Exchange Act''.
SEC. 2. EXCHANGE OF LAND.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal Land'' means the
approximately 1,475 acres of National Forest System land
(including any and all privileges, easements, subsurface
rights, hereditaments, improvements and appurtenances thereon
and thereto) depicted as F-1 and F-2 on the Federal Land Maps.
(2) Federal land maps.--The term ``Federal Land Maps'' means
the maps entitled--
(A) ``San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange, San
Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County,
California, Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 1
of 2)'', created July 8, 2022, revised January 10,
2023; and
(B) ``San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange, San
Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County,
California, Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 2
of 2)'', created July 8, 2022, revised January 10,
2023.
(3) Nation.--The term ``Nation'' means the Yuhaaviatam of San
Manuel Nation, a federally recognized tribe, also recognized as
the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
(4) Non-federal land.--The term ``Non-Federal Land'' means
the approximately 1,460 acres of land (including any and all
privileges, easements, subsurface rights, hereditaments,
improvements and appurtenances thereon and thereto) owned by
the Nation and depicted on the Non-Federal Land Maps as NF-1,
NF-2, NF-3, NF-4a, and NF-5.
(5) Non-federal land maps.--The term ``Non-Federal Land
Maps'' means the maps entitled--
(A) ``San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San
Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County,
California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange
(map 1 of 4)'', created March 8, 2022, revised January
9, 2023;
(B) ``San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San
Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County,
California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange
(map 2 of 4)'', created March 8, 2022, revised January
9, 2023;
(C) ``San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San
Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County,
California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange
(map 3 of 4)'', created March 8, 2022, revised January
9, 2023; and
(D) ``San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San
Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County,
California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange
(map 4 of 4)'', created July 8, 2022, revised January
9, 2023.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(b) Land Exchange.--Subject to the provisions of this section, if the
Nation offers to convey to the United States all right, title, and
interest of the Nation in and to the Non-Federal Land, the Secretary
shall, as soon as practicable within the 1-year period beginning on the
date on which the Secretary receives such offer--
(1) accept the offer; and
(2) convey to the Nation all right, title, and interest of
the United States in and to the Federal Land, excepting and
reserving an easement for access and use by the Forest Service
any portion of Forest Service roads 1N22, 1N24, and 1N25
located on the Federal Land.
(c) Survey.--
(1) Federal land.--The exact acreage and legal description of
the Federal Land to be conveyed under subsection (b) shall be
determined by a survey approved by the Secretary and the
Nation.
(2) Non-federal land.--
(A) In general.--The exact acreage and legal
description of the Non-Federal Land to be conveyed
under subsection (b) shall be determined by a survey
approved by the Secretary and the Nation.
(B) Cost.--The cost of the survey in subparagraph (A)
shall be borne by the Nation.
(d) Maps, Estimates, and Descriptions.--
(1) Minor error.--The Secretary and the Nation may, by mutual
agreement--
(A) make minor boundary adjustments to the lands to
be exchanged under subsection (b); and
(B) correct any minor errors in any map, acreage
estimate, or description of the land to be exchanged
under subsection (b).
(2) Conflict.--If there is a conflict between a map, acreage
estimate, or description of any land to be exchanged under
subsection (b), the map shall control unless the Secretary and
the Nation mutually agree otherwise.
(3) Availability of maps.--The Federal Land Map and the Non-
Federal Land Map shall be kept on file and available for public
inspection in the office of the Regional Forester, Pacific
Southwest Region, United States Forest Service, or any other
appropriate office of the Forest Service, as determined by the
Secretary.
(e) Arrowhead Landmark Preservation.--
(1) Agreement.--As a condition of the conveyance under
subsection (b), not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Nation shall enter into an agreement
with the Secretary under which the Nation agrees to preserve,
to an extent mutually agreed upon, the historical and cultural
integrity of the Arrowhead landmark site denoted on the Federal
Land Maps as ``Arrowhead Landmark GA''.
(2) Records.--The agreement entered into under paragraph (1)
shall be recorded in the official records of the County of San
Bernardino, California, and an in an appropriate records system
of the Forest Service, as determined by the Secretary.
(f) Management of Land.--Land acquired by the Secretary under this
section shall become part of the San Bernardino National Forest and be
managed in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations applicable
to such National Forest.
(g) Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976.--The land exchange
under subsection (b) is not subject to section 206 of the Federal Land
Policy Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716).
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 3925 is to provide for a land exchange
in San Bernardino County, California, and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 3925, sponsored by Representative Jay Obernolte (R-
CA), authorizes a land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service
(USFS) and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (Yuhaaviatam).
The Yuhaaviatam reside on the San Manuel Reservation in
southern California, which sits amid lands managed by the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USFS.\1\ The Yuhaaviatam
has long worked to consolidate its land base. In 2017, the
Yuhaaviatam began pursuing an administrative land exchange to
link their reservation with their adjoining Arrowhead Springs
property. The tribe submitted a formal proposal in 2019 and, at
USFS's request, acquired a series of private inholdings inside
the boundaries of the San Bernadino National Forest to assemble
an exchange package. An Agreement to Initiate was signed in
2022, followed by a public scoping in 2023.\2\ After several
delays, the land has not yet been transferred.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Tiller, Veronica E. Velarde. Tiller's Guide to Indian Country:
Economic Profiles of American Indian Reservations. 2nd ed. Pg. 470-471.
\2\Briefing with Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Staff
from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, August 30, 2025.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.R. 3925 would expedite this process by creating a more
contiguous land base for the Yuhaaviatam by connecting the San
Manuel Reservation to Arrowhead Springs. Under the exchange,
the Yuhaaviatam would receive approximately 1,475 acres of USFS
land in the San Bernadino National Forest and transfer
approximately 1,460 acres of tribal land to USFS. The
conveyances would reduce checkerboard land holdings in the
region, improve land management for both the federal government
and the tribe, and reduce the federal estate.
An amendment in the nature of a substitute was considered
and adopted during the Full Committee Markup that reflected the
technical assistance provided by USFS.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 3925 was introduced on June 11, 2025, by
Representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA). The bill was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to
the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs. On September 9,
2025, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a
hearing on the bill. On June 10, 2026, the Committee on Natural
Resources met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Indian
and Insular Affairs was discharged from further consideration
of H.R. 3925 by unanimous consent. Representative Jeff Hurd (R-
CO) offered an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute
designated Hurd_ANS. The Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute was agreed to by unanimous consent. The bill, as
amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House of
Representatives by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure:
hearing by the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held
on September 9, 2025.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 names the bill the ``Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel
Nation Land Exchange Act.''
Section 2. Exchange of land
Section 2 directs the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange
approximately 1,475 acres of federal land in the San Bernardino
National Forest for roughly 1,460 acres owned by the
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. Additionally, this section
requires the tribe, within one-year of the bill's enactment, to
enter into an agreement to preserve the Arrowhead Landmark.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and pursuant to
clause 3(c)(3) of House rule XIII and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested
but not received from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office a budgetary analysis and a cost estimate of this bill.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to provide for a land exchange in San
Bernardino County, California, and for other purposes.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
An estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee, if such
estimate is not publicly available on the Congressional Budget
Office website.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources,
H.R. 3925 would make no changes in existing law.
[all]