Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Leech Lake Band of 
Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act’’. 
SEC. 2. LEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE RESERVATION RES-
TORATION. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the Federal land described in subsection 
(b)(1) was taken from members of the Leech Lake 
Band of Ojibwe during a period— 
(A) beginning in 1948; 
(B) during which the Bureau of Indian Af-
fairs incorrectly interpreted an order of the Sec-
retary of the Interior to mean that the Depart-
ment of the Interior had the authority to sell 
tribal allotments without the consent of a ma-
jority of the rightful landowners; and 
(C) ending in 1959, when the Secretary of 
the Interior was— 
(i) advised that sales described in sub-
paragraph (B) were illegal; and 
(ii) ordered to cease conducting those 
sales; 
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(2) as a result of the Federal land described in 
subsection (b)(1) being taken from members of the 
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Leech Lake Band 
of Ojibwe hold the smallest percentage of its original 
reservation lands of any Ojibwe bands in Minnesota; 
(3)(A) the applicable statute of limitations pro-
hibits individuals from pursuing through litigation 
the return of the land taken as described in para-
graph (1); but 
(B) a Federal judge ruled that the land could 
be restored to the affected individuals through the 
legislative process; 
(4) a comprehensive review of the Federal land 
demonstrated that— 
(A) a portion of the Federal land is en-
cumbered by— 
(i) utility easements; 
(ii) rights-of-way for roads; and 
(iii) flowage and reservoir rights; and 
(B) there are no known cabins, camp-
grounds, lodges, or resorts located on any por-
tion of the Federal land; and 
(5) on reacquisition by the Tribe of the Federal 
land, the Tribe— 
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(A) has pledged to respect the easements, 
rights-of-way, and other rights described in 
paragraph (4)(A); and 
(B)(i) does not intend immediately to mod-
ify the use of the Federal land; but 
(ii) will keep the Federal land in tax-ex-
empt fee status as part of the Chippewa Na-
tional Forest until the Tribe develops a plan 
that allows for a gradual subdivision of some 
tracts for economic and residential development 
by the Tribe. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) FEDERAL LAND.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Federal 
land’’ means the approximately 11,760 acres of 
Federal land located in the Chippewa National 
Forest in Cass County, Minnesota, the bound-
aries of which shall be depicted on the map, 
and described in the legal description, sub-
mitted under subsection (d)(1)(B). 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘Federal 
land’’ includes— 
(i) any improvement located on the 
Federal land described in subparagraph 
(A); and 
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(ii) any appurtenance to the Federal 
land. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(3) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the 
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. 
(c) TRANSFER TO RESERVATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights and paragraph (2), the Secretary shall trans-
fer to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary 
of the Interior all right, title, and interest of the 
United States in and to the Federal land. 
(2) TREATMENT.—Effective immediately on the 
transfer under paragraph (1), the Federal land shall 
be— 
(A) held in trust by the United States for 
the benefit of the Tribe; and 
(B) considered to be a part of the reserva-
tion of the Tribe. 
(d) SURVEY, MAP, AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
(A) not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, complete a plan of 
survey to establish the boundaries of the Fed-
eral land; and 
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(B) as soon as practicable after the date of 
enactment of this Act, submit a map and legal 
description of the Federal land to— 
(i) the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives; 
and 
(ii) the Committee on Indian Affairs 
of the Senate. 
(2) FORCE AND EFFECT.—The map and legal 
description submitted under paragraph (1)(B) shall 
have the same force and effect as if included in this 
Act, except that the Secretary may correct any cler-
ical or typographical error in the map or legal de-
scription. 
(3) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The map and legal 
description submitted under paragraph (1)(B) shall 
be on file and available for public inspection in the 
office of the Secretary. 
(e) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise ex-
pressly provided in this section, nothing in this sec-
tion affects any right or claim of the Tribe, as in ex-
istence on the date of enactment of this Act, to any 
land or interest in land. 
(2) PROHIBITIONS.— 
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