Politics | Trust

House takes up land-into-trust bills for tribes in Nevada and Arizona

Monday, June 6, 2016

A view of Pyramid Lake on the Pyramid Lake Paiute reservation in Nevada. Photo from Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

Two land-into-trust bills are set for passage in the House this week.

H.R.2733, the Nevada Native Nations Lands Act, and H.R.2009, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe Land Conveyance Act, are on the schedule for Tuesday, June 7, according to the House Majority Leader's calendar. They will be considered under a suspension of the rules, a process typically used for non-controversial legislation.

The Nevada Native Nations Land Act transfers various parcels of federal land to six Nevada tribes. The properties will be held in trust and used for housing, cultural, economic development and other purposes.

The biggest chunk of land would go to the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe. About 31,269 acres of Bureau of Land Management property will be transferred if the bill becomes law, according to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

The Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe would secure about 19,094 acres also from the BLM. Another 13,434 acre acres of BLM property would go to the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony.

The bill transfers about 6,357 acres from the BLM to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. The Summit Lake Paiute Tribe would see about 941 acres.

Finally, the Shoshone Paiute Tribes would receive about 82 acres from the U.S. Forest Service if the measure becomes law.

The Senate passed S.1436, a companion version of H.R.2733, in April. Passage in the House puts the tribes closer to their goal of securing the lands.

The flag of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe flies in Arizona. Photo from Facebook

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe Land Conveyance Act finalizes a land transfer between the federal government, the Tucson Unified School District and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona. The bill places about 39.65 acres in trust.

There is no companion version in the Senate but that chamber could take up H.R.2009 after it passes in the House.