Politics

House Natural Resources Committee passes bills

Thursday, July 19, 2007

The House Natural Resources Committee approved six Indian bills on Wednesday.

The committee acted on all the bills by unanimous consent. The entire proceeding took less than five minutes.

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia), the chairman of the committee, described all of the bills as "non-controversial." They are now headed to the House floor for consideration.

The following bills were approved:

* H.R. 673: To direct the Secretary of the Interior to take lands in Yuma County, Arizona, into trust as part of the reservation of the Cocopah Indian Tribe, and for other purposes.
* H.R. 1696: To amend the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama and Coushatta Indian Tribes of Texas Restoration Act to allow the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribe to determine blood quantum requirement for membership in that Tribe.
* H.R. 2120: To direct the Secretary of the Interior to proclaim as reservation for the benefit of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians a parcel of land now held in trust by the United States for that Indian tribe.
* H.R. 2863: To authorize the Coquille Indian Tribe of the State of Oregon to convey land and interests in land owned by the Tribe.
* H.R. 2952: To authorize the Saginow Chippewa Tribe of Indians of the State of Michigan to convey land and interests in land owned by the Tribe.
* S. 375: A bill to waive application of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to a specific parcel of real property transferred by the United States to 2 Indian tribes in the State of Oregon, and for other purposes.