I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 698

To provide for and approve settlement of certain land claims of the Wyandotte 

Nation, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2003

Mr. MOORE (for himself and Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 

A BILL

To provide for and approve settlement of certain land claims 

of the Wyandotte 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,

3 SECTION 1. SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS OF THE WYANDOTTE 

4 NATION. 

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) The Wyandotte Nation has a valid interest 

7 in certain lands located in the Fairfax Business Dis8 trict in Wyandotte County, Kansas, that are located 

9 within the Nation’s reservation established pursuant 

10 to an agreement between the Wyandotte Nation and 
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1 the Delaware Nation dated December 14, 1843, 

2 which agreement was ratified by the Senate on July 

3 25, 1848. 

4 (2) The Wyandotte Nation filed a lawsuit, Wy5 andotte Nation v. Unified Government of Kansas 

6 City and Wyandotte County, Kansas, U.S. D.C. 

7 Kan., Case No. 012303–CM, against certain land8 owners within the Fairfax Business District to as9 certain and adjudicate ownership of lands that were 

10 once owned and held in trust by the United States 

11 for the benefit of the Wyandotte Nation but were 

12 not conveyed to the United States by the Wyandotte 

13 Nation pursuant to the Treaty of January 31, 1855. 

14 (3) The Lawsuit also contends that certain 

15 major roads in Kansas City encroach upon a certain 

16 parcel of land, known as the Huron Cemetery, which 

17 was reserved for the Wyandotte Nation in the Trea18 ty of January 31, 1855. 

19 (4) The pendency of this Lawsuit has resulted 

20 in severe economic hardships for the residents of the 

21 Fairfax Business District of Wyandotte County, 

22 Kansas, by clouding title to much of the land within 

23 that District. 

24 (5) Congress shares with the residents of the 

25 Fairfax Business District of Wyandotte County, 
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1 Kansas, a desire to remove all clouds on title result2 ing from the Lawsuit without additional cost or ex3 pense to either the United States, the State of Kan4 sas, the Unified Government of Kansas City and 

5 Wyandotte County, Kansas, and all other land6 owners within the Fairfax Business District of Wy7 andotte County, Kansas. 

8 (6) The Wyandotte Nation and the Unified 

9 Government of Kansas City and Wyandotte County 

10 have reached an agreement settling the Lawsuit 

11 which requires implementing legislation by Congress. 

12 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol13 lows: —

14 (1) To settle the Lawsuit. 

15 (2) To direct the Secretary to take into trust 

16 for the benefit of the Wyandotte Nation the Settle17 ment Lands in settlement of the Wyandotte Nation’s 

18 Lawsuit and the land claims asserted therein. 

19 (c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this Act, the fol20 lowing definitions apply: —

21 (1) KANSAS LANDS.—The term ‘‘Kansas 

22 Lands’’ means all of the lands described and identi23 fied as ‘‘Gifted Lands’’ and ‘‘Accreted Lands’’ in the 

24 Wyandotte Nation’s complaint filed in the Lawsuit, 

25 as well as those portions of Seventh Street and Min-
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1 nesota Avenue located within Kansas City, Kansas, 

2 which the Wyandotte Nation claim in the Lawsuit 

3 were included within the Huron Cemetery under the 

4 Treaty of January 31, 1855. 

5 (2) LAWSUIT.—The term ‘‘Lawsuit’’ means 

6 Wyandotte Nation v. Unified Government of Kansas 

7 City and Wyandotte County, Kansas, U.S. D.C. 

8 Kan., Case No. 012303–CM. 

9 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

10 the Secretary of the Interior. 

11 (4) SETTLEMENT LANDS.—The term ‘‘Settle12 ment Lands’’ means the following parcel of real 

13 property located in the City of Edwardsville, Wyan14 dotte County, Kansas and more particularly de15 scribed in Quit Claim Deed filed for record as Parcel 

16 I.D. 944806, Book 3190 at Page 198 and Book 

17 4408 at Page 789 in the Wyandotte County, Kan18 sas, Register of Deeds Office. 

19 (5) UNIFIED GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘‘Uni20 fied Government’’ means the Unified Government of 

21 Kansas City and Wyandotte County, Kansas. 

22 (6) WYANDOTTE NATION.—The term ‘‘Wyan23 dotte Nation’’ means the Wyandotte Nation, a feder24 ally-recognized Indian tribe. 
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1 (d) EXTINGUISHMENT OF LAND CLAIMS.—Not later 

2 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this sec3 tion and as part of the settlement of the Lawsuit and the 

4 Wyandotte Nation’s land claims asserted therein, the Sec5 retary shall take and hold title to the Settlement Lands 

6 in trust for the benefit of the Wyandotte Nation pursuant 

7 to and within the scope and meaning of section 

8 20(b)(1)(B)(i) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 

9 U.S.C. 2719(b)(1)(B)(i)). Any and all claims which the 

10 Wyandotte Nation has or could have asserted in the Law11 suit shall be extinguished upon—

12 (1) the Secretary accepting title to the Settle13 ment Lands in trust for the Wyandotte Nation; and 

14 (2) publication in the Federal Register of a no15 tice of approval of tribal-State compact between the 

16 Wyandotte Nation and the State of Kansas pursuant 

17 to section 11(d)(3)(B) of the Indian Gaming Regu18 latory Act (25 U.S.C. 2710(d)(3)(B)). 

19 (e) SHRINER PROPERTY.—Congress confirms that 

20 the United States acquired title to the Shriner’s Property 

21 in trust for the benefit of the Wyandotte Nation effective 

22 July 15, 1996. Notwithstanding the trust status of the 

23 Shriner’s Property, the Wyandotte Nation shall have no 

24 rights to conduct gaming on the Shriner’s Property upon–
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1 (1) the Secretary accepting title to the Settle2 ment Lands in trust for the Wyandotte Nation; and 

3 (2) publication in the Federal Register of a no4 tice approval of a tribal-State compact between the 

5 Wyandotte Nation and the State of Kansas pursuant 

6 to section 11(d)(3)(B) of the Indian Gaming Regu7 latory Act (25 U.S.C. 2710(d)(3)(B)).

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