Schatz, Murkowski: Tribal Land Transfer Bills Set to Become Law

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, released the following statements on Senate passage of –

• H.R. 441, the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Land Transfers Act of 2022;
• H.R. 478, the Blackwater Trading Post Land Transfer Act;
• H.R. 4881, the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act;
• S. 989, the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2021;
• S. 1402, the Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act of 2021;
• S. 3168, a bill to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to modify the enforceability date for certain provisions, and for other purposes;
• S. 3308, the Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act of 2021; and
• S. 4104, the Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2022.

“The bills headed to the President’s desk restore Tribal homelands, support Native health care and economic development, and help fulfill the federal trust responsibility to Tribal nations,” said Chairman Schatz. “Still more legislation that passed the Senate last night – which now head to the House – strengthen the U.S.’s support for Native American language revitalization efforts and provide life-saving water delivery systems while boosting conservation efforts by communities. I look forward to getting all these bills across the finish line.”

“Yesterday, the Senate unanimously approved eight Indian Affairs bills. Three of the bills will head to the President’s desk to be signed into law, including the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Transfers Act. These bills advance priorities important to Native communities, such as promoting Native American languages, development of water and sanitation systems, and returning lands of significance and cultural value to Tribes. I thank my friend and colleague, Chairman Schatz, for his partnership in advancing these important bills, as well as other Senate colleagues for their help in moving these important measures unanimously,” said Vice Chairman Murkowski.

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