I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2538 
To take lands in Sonoma County, California, into trust as part of the 
reservation of the Lytton Rancheria of California, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2015 
Mr. HUFFMAN (for himself and Mr. DENHAM) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To take lands in Sonoma County, California, into trust as 
part of the reservation of the Lytton Rancheria of Cali-
fornia, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Lytton Rancheria 
Homelands Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Lytton Rancheria of California is a fed-
erally recognized Indian tribe that lost its homeland 
after it was unjustly and unlawfully terminated in 
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1958. The Tribe was restored to Federal recognition 
in 1991, but the conditions of its restoration have 
prevented it from regaining a homeland on its origi-
nal lands. 
(2) Congress needs to take action to reverse 
historic injustices that befell the Tribe and have pre-
vented it from regaining a viable homeland for its 
people. 
(3) Prior to European contact there were as 
many as 350,000 Indians living in what is now the 
State of California. By the turn of the 19th century, 
that number had been reduced to approximately 
15,000 individuals, many of them homeless and liv-
ing in scattered bands and communities. 
(4) The Lytton Rancheria’s original homeland 
was purchased by the United States in 1926 pursu-
ant to congressional authority designed to remedy 
the unique tragedy that befell the Indians of Cali-
fornia and provide them with reservations called 
Rancherias to be held in trust by the United States. 
(5) After the Lytton Rancheria lands were pur-
chased by the United States, the Tribe settled on 
the land and sustained itself for several decades by 
farming and ranching. 
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(6) By the mid-1950s, Federal Indian policy 
had shifted back towards a policy of terminating In-
dian tribes. In 1958, Congress enacted the 
Rancheria Act of 1958 (72 Stat. 619), which slated 
41 Rancherias in California, including the Lytton 
Rancheria, for termination after certain conditions 
were met. 
(7) On August 1, 1961, the Lytton Rancheria 
was terminated by the Federal Government. This 
termination was illegal because the conditions for 
termination under the Rancheria Act had never been 
met. After termination was implemented, the Tribe 
lost its lands and was left without any means of sup-
porting itself. 
(8) In 1987, the Tribe joined three other tribes 
in a lawsuit against the United States challenging 
the illegal termination of their Rancherias. A Stipu-
lated Judgment in the case, Scotts Valley Band of 
Pomo Indians of the Sugar Bowl Rancheria v. 
United States, No. C–86–3660 (N.D.Cal. March 22, 
1991), restored the Lytton Rancheria to its status 
as a federally recognized Indian tribe. 
(9) The Stipulated Judgment agreed that the 
Lytton Rancheria would have the ‘‘individual and 
collective status and rights’’ which it had prior to its 
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termination and expressly contemplated the acquisi-
tion of trust lands for the Lytton Rancheria. 
(10) The Stipulated Judgment contains provi-
sions, included at the request of the local county 
governments and neighboring landowners, that pro-
hibit the Lytton Rancheria from exercising its full 
Federal rights on its original homeland in the Alex-
ander Valley. 
(11) In 2000, approximately 9.5 acres of land 
in San Pablo, California, was placed in trust status 
for the Lytton Rancheria for economic development 
purposes. 
(12) The Tribe has since acquired, from willing 
sellers at fair market value, property in Sonoma 
County near the Tribe’s historic Rancheria. This 
property, which the Tribe holds in fee status, is suit-
able for a new homeland for the Tribe. 
(13) On a portion of the land to be taken into 
trust, which portion totals approximately 124.12 
acres, the Tribe plans to build housing for its mem-
bers and governmental and community facilities. 
(14) A portion of the land to be taken into 
trust is being used for viniculture, and the Tribe in-
tends to develop more of the lands to be taken into 
trust for viniculture. The Tribe’s investment in the 
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ongoing viniculture operation has reinvigorated the 
vineyards, which are producing high-quality wines. 
The Tribe is operating its vineyards on a sustainable 
basis and is working toward certification of sustain-
ability. 
(15) No gaming will be conducted on the lands 
to be taken into trust. 
(16) By directing that these lands be taken into 
trust, the United States will ensure that the Lytton 
Rancheria will finally have a permanently protected 
homeland on which they can once again live 
communally and plan for future generations. This 
action is necessary to fully restore the Tribe to the 
status it had before it was wrongfully terminated in 
1961. 
(17) The Tribe and County of Sonoma have en-
tered into a Memorandum of Agreement in which 
the County agrees to the lands in the County being 
taken into trust for the benefit of the Tribe in con-
sideration for commitments made by the Tribe. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purpose of this Act, the following definitions 
apply: 
(1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means 
Sonoma County, California. 
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(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(3) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the 
Lytton Rancheria of California. 
SEC. 4. LANDS TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The land owned by the Tribe and 
generally depicted on the map titled ‘‘Lytton Fee Owned 
Property to be Taken into Trust’’ and dated May 1, 2015, 
is hereby taken into trust for the benefit of the Tribe, sub-
ject to valid existing rights, contracts, and management 
agreements related to easements and rights-of-way. 
(b) LANDS TO BE MADE PART OF THE RESERVA-
TION.—Lands taken into trust under subsection (a) shall 
be part of the Tribe’s reservation and shall be adminis-
tered in accordance with the laws and regulations gen-
erally applicable to property held in trust by the United 
States for an Indian tribe. 
SEC. 5. GAMING PROHIBITION. 
Land taken into trust for the benefit of the Tribe 
under this Act shall not be used for gaming under the 
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). 
SEC. 6. APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN LAW. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Memorandum of Agreement entered into by the Tribe and 
the County concerning taking land in the County into 
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trust for the benefit of the Tribe, which was approved by 
the County Board of Supervisors on March 10, 2015, is 
not subject to review or approval of the Secretary in order 
to be effective, including review or approval under section 
2103 of the Revised Statutes (25 U.S.C. 81). 
Æ 
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