I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 946
To restore Federal recognition to the Indians of the Graton Rancheria of
California.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 2, 1999
Ms. WOOLSEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To restore Federal recognition to the Indians of the Graton
Rancheria of California.
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 ‘‘Graton Rancheria Res-
toration Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) In their 1997 Report to Congress, the Advi-
sory Council on California Indian Policy specifically
recommended the immediate legislative restoration
of the Graton Rancheria.
(2) The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria
Tribal Council has made the express decision to re-
strict gaming consistent with the provisions of this
Act.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Indians of the
Graton Rancheria of California.
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(3) The term ‘‘Interim Tribal Council’’ means
the governing body of the Tribe specified in section
7.
(4) The term ‘‘member’’ means an individual
who meets the membership criteria under section
6(b).
(5) The term ‘‘State’’ means the State of Cali-
fornia.
(6) The term ‘‘reservation’’ means those lands
acquired and held in trust by the Secretary for the
benefit of the Tribe.
(7) The term ‘‘service area’’ means the counties
of Marin and Sonoma, in the State of California.
SEC. 4. RESTORATION OF FEDERAL RECOGNITION, RIGHTS,
AND PRIVILEGES.
(a) FEDERAL RECOGNITION.—Federal recognition is
hereby restored to the Tribe. Except as otherwise provided
in this Act, all laws and regulations of general application
to Indians and nations, tribes, or bands of Indians that
are not inconsistent with any specific provision of this Act
shall be applicable to the Tribe and its members.
(b) RESTORATION OF RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES.—
Except as provided in subsection (d), all rights and privi-
leges of the Tribe and its members under any Federal
treaty, Executive order, agreement, or statute, or under
any other authority which were diminished or lost under
the Act of August 18, 1958 (Public Law 85–671; 72 Stat.
619), are hereby restored, and the provisions of such Act
shall be inapplicable to the Tribe and its members after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) FEDERAL SERVICES AND BENEFITS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Without regard to the exist-
ence of a reservation, the Tribe and its members
shall be eligible, on and after the date of enactment
of this Act for all Federal services and benefits fur-
nished to federally recognized Indian tribes or their
members. For the purposes of Federal services and
benefits available to members of federally recognized
Indian tribes residing on a reservation, members of
the Tribe residing in the Tribe’s service area shall
be deemed to be residing on a reservation.
(2) RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.—The eligibility
for or receipt of services and benefits under para-
graph (1) by a tribe or individual shall not be con-
sidered as income, resources, or otherwise when de-
termining the eligibility for or computation of any
payment or other benefit to such tribe, individual, or
household under—
(A) any financial aid program of the
United States, including grants and contracts
subject to the Indian Self-Determination Act; or
(B) any other benefit to which such tribe,
household, or individual would otherwise be en-
titled under any Federal or federally assisted
program.
(d) HUNTING, FISHING, TRAPPING, GATHERING,
AND WATER RIGHTS.—Nothing in this Act shall expand,
reduce, or affect in any manner any hunting, fishing, trap-
ping, gathering, or water rights of the Tribe and its mem-
bers.
(e) CERTAIN RIGHTS NOT ALTERED.—Except as
specifically provided in this Act, nothing in this Act shall
alter any property right or obligation, any contractual
right or obligation, or any obligation for taxes levied.
SEC. 5. TRANSFER OF LAND TO BE HELD IN TRUST.
(a) LANDS TO BE TAKEN IN TRUST.—Upon applica-
tion by the Tribe, the Secretary shall accept into trust for
the benefit of the Tribe any real property located in Marin
or Sonoma County, California, for the benefit of the Tribe
after the property is conveyed or otherwise transferred to
the Secretary and if, at the time of such conveyance or
transfer, there are no adverse legal claims to such prop-
erty, including outstanding liens, mortgages, or taxes.
(b) FORMER
TRUST
LANDS
OF
THE
GRATON
RANCHERIA.—Subject to the conditions specified in this
section, real property eligible for trust status under this
section shall include Indian owned fee land held by persons
listed as distributees or dependent members in the dis-
tribution plan approved by the Secretary on September 17,
1959, or such distributees’ or dependent members’ Indian
heirs or successors in interest.
(c) LANDS TO BE PART OF RESERVATION.—Any
real property taken into trust for the benefit of the Tribe
pursuant to this Act shall be part of the Tribe’s reserva-
tion.
(d) GAMING RESTRICTED.—Notwithstanding sub-
section (c), real property taken into trust for the benefit
of the Tribe pursuant to this Act shall not be exempt
under section 20(b) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(25 U.S.C. 2719(b)).