The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TRIBAL LAND EXCHANGE ACT” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5103-H5104 on July 13, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TRIBAL LAND EXCHANGE ACT
Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 387) to provide for certain land to be taken into trust for the benefit of Morongo Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 387
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 ``Economic Development Through Tribal Land Exchange Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) Banning.--The term ``Banning'' means the City of Banning, which is located in Riverside County, California adjacent to the Morongo Indian Reservation.
(2) Fields.--The term ``Fields'' means Lloyd L. Fields, the owner of record of Parcel A.
(3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled `Morongo Indian Reservation, County of Riverside, State of California Land Exchange Map', and dated May 22, 2014, which is on file in the Bureau of Land Management State Office in Sacramento, California.
(4) Parcel a.--The term ``Parcel A'' means the approximately 41.15 acres designated on the map as ``Fields lands''.
(5) Parcel b.--The term ``Parcel B'' means the approximately 41.15 acres designated on the map as ``Morongo lands''.
(6) Parcel c.--The term ``Parcel C'' means the approximately 1.21 acres designated on the map as ``Banning land''.
(7) Parcel d.--The term ``Parcel D'' means the approximately 1.76 acres designated on the map as ``Easement to Banning''.
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior.
(9) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, a federally recognized Indian tribe.
SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF LANDS; TRUST LANDS, EASEMENT.
(a) Transfer of Parcel A and Parcel B and Easement Over Parcel D.--Subject to any valid existing rights of any third parties and to legal review and approval of the form and content of any and all instruments of conveyance and policies of title insurance, upon receipt by the Secretary of confirmation that Fields has duly executed and deposited with a mutually acceptable and jointly instructed escrow holder in California a deed conveying clear and unencumbered title to Parcel A to the United States in trust for the exclusive use and benefit of the Tribe, and upon receipt by Fields of confirmation that the Secretary has duly executed and deposited into escrow with the same mutually acceptable and jointly instructed escrow holder a patent conveying clear and unencumbered title in fee simple to Parcel B to Fields and has duly executed and deposited into escrow with the same mutually acceptable and jointly instructed escrow holder an easement to the City for a public right-of-way over Parcel D, the Secretary shall instruct the escrow holder to simultaneously cause--
(1) the patent to Parcel B to be recorded and issued to Fields;
(2) the easement over Parcel D to be recorded and issued to the City; and
(3) the deed to Parcel A to be delivered to the Secretary, who shall immediately cause said deed to be recorded and held in trust for the Tribe.
(b) Transfer of Parcel C.--After the simultaneous transfer of parcels A, B, and D under subsection (a), upon receipt by the Secretary of confirmation that the City has vacated its interest in Parcel C pursuant to all applicable State and local laws, the Secretary shall immediately cause Parcel C to be held in trust for the Tribe subject to--
(1) any valid existing rights of any third parties; and
(2) legal review and approval of the form and content of any and all instruments of conveyance.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cook) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Cook).
General Leave
Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The Morongo Band of Mission Indians, a tribe located about 20 miles west of Palm Springs, California, along with the city of Banning and a private property owner who resides in California together have asked Congress to enact H.R. 387, providing for the exchange of certain lands within or adjacent to the Morongo Reservation.
The bill also directs the Secretary of the Interior to grant an easement to the city of Banning for the use of certain lands currently held in trust on behalf of the tribe. The easement will provide the city with the ability to install electric, sewer, water, and related utility lines to accommodate commercial activity in the area.
This bill will accomplish three goals. First, it will promote the consolidation of the tribe's reservation lands. Second, it will resolve a land use dispute between a private landowner, the city, and the tribe. Third and finally, it will facilitate commercial development on lands adjacent to the tribe's reservation, which will be beneficial for the city of Banning and the tribe as well as for the private landowner.
This bill truly represents a win-win-win agreement without any of the parties having to compromise their desired goals.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am proud to rise in support of my bill, H.R. 387, the Economic Development Through Tribal Land Exchange Act.
This non-controversial, bipartisan bill passed unanimously out of the House Natural Resources Committee and is supported by the Department of the Interior. The bill would aid economic development in the city of Banning, California, through a land swap that is supported by all of the parties involved.
Currently, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and a private landowner, Mr. Lloyd Fields, would like to exchange two parcels of land which are nearly identical in size and value, but they are restrained from doing so because one of the parcels is currently held in trust by the United States on behalf of the tribe.
My bill facilitates an equitable land swap between the Morongo tribe and the landowner to provide more consolidated reservation land for the tribe and commercial development opportunities for the landowner, the city of Banning, and Riverside County.
This bill serves as a model for how land use issues can be addressed by communities coming together while upholding the sacred government-
to-government relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.
I would like to thank Chairman Robert Martin of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the city of Banning for bringing this issue to my attention.
I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Paul Cook from California, for being an original cosponsor, and Senator Boxer from California for introducing the bill in the Senate.
I would also like to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for expediting this bill through committee so that we could bring it to the floor today.
Mr. Speaker, this is the type of bill that we can all support for the simple reason that it benefits all parties involved and spurs economic development and job creation.
We passed this bill unanimously on the floor last year. Let's move it once again. I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 387.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this just basically shows that you can actually get some things done at the local, State, and Federal levels.
This battle has been going on for a long while. I used to represent the area when I was in the State House. And when you can finally get all of the parties together and work in a bipartisan fashion, good things can happen.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This is a clear example, as Representative Paul Cook said, of two neighboring districts from different parties coming together for the benefit of economic development, for the betterment of our tribes, and for the betterment of our counties.
At this point, Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank my colleague, Representative Paul Cook, for his support of this legislation, as well as to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their work to bring this non-controversial bill to the floor before the end of the summer.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California
(Mrs. Torres), my friend and colleague, who also sits on the Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Subcommittee.
{time} 1700
Ms. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 387, which directs the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land into trust for the benefit of Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
This legislation is a commonsense approach that will benefit the tribe, the city of Banning, and the larger local economy. Taking land into trust on behalf of tribes is one of the visible and impactful actions our government can undertake to uphold our trust obligations to the 567 sovereign tribal nations around the country.
Indian lands are critical for the exercise of tribal self-governance and self-determination and often represent great spiritual and cultural significance to tribal nations.
This bill represents an opportunity for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians to consolidate their land base and provide for their people while also resolving longstanding disputes that will clear the way for increased private economic development opportunities for the region. This legislation is a win-win for the tribe, the city, and private enterprise.
Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from California, Norma Torres, for her remarks in support of the bill. I would like to thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to again thank Representative Paul Cook for his support of this legislation.
I would like to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their work to bring this noncontroversial bill to the floor before the end of the summer. I look forward to working together in the future on additional legislation to provide our tribal nations with the tools to create their own economic opportunity through self-determination and self-governance.
I urge my colleagues to come together, once again, and pass this commonsense bill that will create jobs and spur economic development for the Morongo Tribe and the city of Banning. Vote ``yes'' on H.R. 387.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 387.
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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