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JULY 18, 2000

The Torres-Martinez Band of Desert Cahuilla and the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians spent time during a forum on Monday to discuss proposed legislation that would settle the Torres-Martinez' long standing lost land claim.

The Cabazon oppose the bill, saying it will create a bad precedent for building casinos on non-reservation land. They say the part of the bill which gives the Torres-Martinez land near their "sphere of influence."

The Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Settlement Act would compensate the Cahuilla for having 11,800 acres of its land covered by the Salton Sea. The bill would pay the tribe $14 million in damages, $10 million from the federal government and $2 million each from the Imperial Irrigation District and Coachella Valley Water District.

In the 1980s, the Department of Justice sued the two water districts on the tribe's behalf. The suit is still pending in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and on the legislation, which is proposed by Representative Mary Bono (R-Calif).

Get the Story:
Valley voices address proposed tribal land bill (The Desert Sun 7/18)

Get the Bill:
HR 4663 (To provide for the settlement of issues and claims related to the trust lands of the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, and for other purposes)