IIB 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1619 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 2, 2021 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs 

AN ACT 

To clarify the status of gaming conducted by the Catawba 

Indian Nation, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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HR 1619 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Catawba Indian Nation 

3 Lands Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF CURRENT LAW. 

5 (a) LANDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.—Section 14 of the 

6 Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Claims Settle7 ment Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–116) shall only apply 

8 to gaming conducted by the Catawba Indian Nation on 

9 lands located in South Carolina. 

10 (b) LANDS IN STATES OTHER THAN SOUTH CARO11 LINA.—Gaming conducted by the Catawba Indian Nation 

12 on lands located in States other than South Carolina shall 

13 be subject to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 

14 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and sections 1166 through 1168 of 

15 title 18, United States Code. 

16 SEC. 3. REAFFIRMATION OF STATUS AND ACTIONS. 

17 (a) RATIFICATION OF TRUST STATUS.—The action 

18 taken by the Secretary on July 10, 2020, to place approxi19 mately 17 acres of land located in Cleveland County, 

20 North Carolina, into trust for the benefit of the Catawba 

21 Indian Nation is hereby ratified and confirmed as if that 

22 action had been taken under a Federal law specifically au23 thorizing or directing that action. 

24 (b) ADMINISTRATION.—The land placed into trust for 

25 the benefit of the Catawba Indian Nation by the Secretary 

26 on July 10, 2020, shall— 


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HR 1619 RFS

1 (1) be a part of the Catawba Reservation and 

2 administered in accordance with the laws and regu3 lations generally applicable to land held in trust by 

4 the United States for an Indian Tribe; and 

5 (2) be deemed to have been acquired and taken 

6 into trust as part of the restoration of lands for an 

7 Indian tribe that is restored to Federal recognition 

8 pursuant to section 20(b)(1)(B)(iii) of the Indian 

9 Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 

10 2719(b)(1)(B)(iii)). 

11 (c) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 

12 shall— 

13 (1) enlarge, impair, or otherwise affect any 

14 right or claim of the Catawba Indian Nation to any 

15 land or interest in land in existence before the date 

16 of the enactment of this Act; 

17 (2) affect any water right of the Catawba In18 dian Nation in existence before the date of the en19 actment of this Act; 

20 (3) terminate or limit any access in any way to 

21 any right-of-way or right-of-use issued, granted, or 

22 permitted before the date of the enactment of this 

23 Act; or 

24 (4) alter or diminish the right of the Catawba 

25 Indian Nation to seek to have additional land taken 


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HR 1619 RFS

1 into trust by the United States for the benefit of the 

2 Catawba Indian Nation. 

Passed the House of Representatives November 1, 

2021. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


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