IB 

Union Calendar No. 118 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1975 

[Report No. 117–163] 

To take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into trust 

for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2021 

Mr. ISSA (for himself and Mr. VARGAS) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 

Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be 

printed 


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•HR 1975 RH

A BILL 

To take certain land located in San Diego County, California, 

into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission 

Indians, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 1975 RH

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pala Band of Mission 

5 Indians Land Transfer Act of 2021’’. 

6 SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF LAND IN TRUST FOR THE PALA BAND 

7 OF MISSION INDIANS. 

8 (a) TRANSFER AND ADMINISTRATION.— 

9 (1) TRANSFER OF LANDS INTO TRUST.—If, not 

10 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

11 of this Act, the Tribe transfers title to the land re12 ferred to in subsection (b) to the United States, the 

13 Secretary, not later than 180 days after such trans14 fer, shall take that land into trust for the benefit of 

15 the Tribe. 

16 (2) ADMINISTRATION.—The land transferred 

17 under paragraph (1) shall be part of the Pala Indian 

18 Reservation and administered in accordance with the 

19 laws and regulations generally applicable to land 

20 held in trust by the United States for an Indian 

21 Tribe. 

22 (b) LAND DESCRIPTION.—The land referred to in 

23 subsection (a)(1) is the approximately 721.12 acres of 

24 land located in San Diego County, California, generally 

25 depicted as ‘‘Gregory Canyon Property Boundary’’ on the 


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1 map titled ‘‘Pala Gregory Canyon Property Boundary and 

2 Parcels’’. 

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

4 shall— 

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

6 right or claim of the Tribe to any land or interest 

7 in land that is in existence before the date of the en8 actment of this Act; 

9 (2) affect any water right of the Tribe in exist10 ence before the date of the enactment of this Act; 

11 or 

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

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

14 permitted before the date of the enactment of this 

15 Act. 

16 (d) RESTRICTED USE OF TRANSFERRED LANDS.— 

17 The Tribe may not conduct, on the land taken into trust 

18 for the Tribe pursuant to this Act, gaming activities— 

19 (1) as a matter of claimed inherent authority; 

20 or 

21 (2) under any Federal law, including the Indian 

22 Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) 

23 and regulations promulgated by the Secretary or the 

24 National Indian Gaming Commission under that 

25 Act. 


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1 (e) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section: 

2 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

3 the Secretary of the Interior. 

4 (2) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Pala 

5 Band of Mission Indians. 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 118 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1975 

[Report No. 117–163] 

A BILL 

To take certain land located in San Diego County, 

Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes. California, into trust for the benefit of the Pala 

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS