(i) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the failure of the United 
States to properly recognize, during the 
adjudication process, a land grant-merced 
boundary, as it existed in 1854; 
(ii) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the failure of the United 
States to act on a land grant-merced claim 
made during the adjudication process; 
(iii) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the rejection of a land grant- 
merced claim made during the adjudication 
process; 
(iv) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the incorrect confirmation by 
the United States of a Land Grant-Merced 
as a tenancy-in-common; 
(v) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the incorrect confirmation by 
the United States of the Land Grant- 
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Merced as a private land grant to an indi-
vidual; 
(vi) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the United States incorrectly 
issuing a patent for the Land Grant- 
Merced to the wrong party; 
(vii) the impact of prior adjudication 
decisions made by the United States on the 
submittal of subsequent land claim peti-
tions with respect to the land grant- 
merced; 
(viii) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the failure of the United 
States to provide adequate due process to 
land grant-merced during the adjudication 
process; 
(ix) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the failure of the United 
States to provide adequate representation 
during the adjudication process, as re-
quired by law, for certain protected popu-
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lation located on the land grant-merced; 
and 
(x) the impact to the land grant- 
merced and its associated communities re-
sulting from the misconduct or direct con-
flict of interest of United States officials 
during the adjudication process; 
(B) review existing Federal land use poli-
cies governing land identified in the qualifying 
petition; 
(C) identify and report all private and pub-
lic leases on land identified in the qualifying pe-
tition, including lease type, term, and owner; 
(D) determine the value of revenues gen-
erated and resources removed from land identi-
fied in the qualifying petition, through sale, 
lease, permit, and all other means granted to 
any person not associated with the claimant, 
during the period it was taken out of control of 
the claimant until the time of such hearing; and 
(E) review and examine existing laws, 
memorandums of understanding, agreements, 
and easements relating to the management and 
use of land identified in the qualifying petition. 
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(5) 
LEGAL
STANDARDS.—When 
evaluating 
qualifying petitions, the Commission shall apply 
international treaty law and laws pertaining to the 
succession of States. The Commission shall also 
evaluate qualifying petitions based on Spanish and 
Mexican civil and customary law, principles of eq-
uity, and customs and usages in effect in what is 
now the Southwestern United States, from 1692 up 
to the ratification of the Gadsden Purchase in 1854. 
(b) ELEMENTS OF QUALIFYING PETITION.—For pur-
poses of this Act, a qualifying petition is one that— 
(1) is received by the Commission not later 
than the date that is 5 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act; 
(2) is made pursuant to an official resolution 
adopted by the claimant; and 
(3) includes the following information: 
(A) The name and address of the claimant 
and a name, address, telephone number, and if 
available, email address of the point of contact 
for the claimant. 
(B) Documentation showing the claimed 
boundaries of the relevant land grant-merced, 
including a legal survey or, if a survey is not 
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readily available, a sketch map or geographic 
information system rendering thereof. 
(C) A summary of the claims being made 
and the requested restitution for each claim. 
(c) POSSIBLE
RESTITUTIONS.—The Commission 
may, under subsection (a), recommend as restitution that 
the Secretary concerned— 
(1) convey Federal land to the claimant; 
(2) grant the claimant stewardship rights to all 
or part of Federal land; 
(3) grant the claimant priority access and use 
rights to all or part of Federal lands for— 
(A) harvesting of natural resources, such 
as fuelwood, timber, minerals, rock, soils, vege-
tation, and vegetation products; 
(B) grazing and watering of livestock; or 
(C) hunting and fishing; 
(4) grant the claimant priority rights to leases, 
special use permits, and easements on Federal land, 
which may include placement of land grant-merced 
infrastructure and community cemeteries; 
(5) grant the claimant priority rights to acquire 
Federal lands that may become available for dis-
posal; and 
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(6) grant the claimant priority rights to obtain 
new, unused, or unrenewed grazing allotments on 
Federal lands. 
(d) PROTECTION OF NON-FEDERAL PROPERTY.— 
The Commission may not make any recommendation that 
affects the ownership, title, or rights of owners of any non- 
Federal lands covered by the qualifying petition. 
(e) PROTECTION OF EXISTING LEASES.—The Com-
mission may not make any recommendation that affects 
any lease, permit, or right-of-way held by a person on such 
land as such lease, permit, or right-of-way existed on the 
day before the date of the transfer. 
SEC. 6. REPORTS. 
(a) INDIVIDUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date that the Commission concludes a hearing 
under section 5 for a qualifying petition, the Commission 
shall submit a report to Secretary concerned and the 
claimant that includes the Commissions recommendations 
and findings with respect to that petition. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 10 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commis-
sion shall submit a report to Congress that details, with 
respect to each qualifying petition— 
(1) a summary of the claims in such qualifying 
petition; 
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(2) the Commission’s recommended restitution 
with respect to each claim and reasons thereof; and 
(3) the Secretary that administers the land 
identified in the qualifying petition. 
SEC. 7. FEDERAL LAND DISPOSAL AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned may 
transfer land to the claimant or grant the claimant any 
rights as is recommended by the Commission in the report 
required to be issued under section 6(a). 
(b) COST.—The Secretary concerned shall pay any 
costs associated with a land transfer under subsection (a). 
SEC. 8. PROTECTION OF ACEQUIAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The rights of any acequia located 
on Federal land on the date of the enactment of this Act 
shall not be impaired as a result of the enactment of this 
Act, including the right to use of water by valid water 
right owners and access to the acequia for necessary main-
tenance and improvements to the acequia easement and 
infrastructure. 
(b) MANAGEMENT OF ACEQUIAS.—Each acequia lo-
cated on Federal land on the date of the enactment of 
this Act shall be managed and controlled by the governing 
body of such acequia in accordance with N.M. Stat. §73– 
2–12 or C.R.S. §7–42–101.5 
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(c) DEFINITION.—In this section the term ‘‘acequia’’ 
means a waterway recognized as an acequia or a commu-
nity ditch under New Mexico State law, including the di-
versions, storage facilities, and easements of such water-
way. 
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION. 
There is authorized $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2019 to 2028 for the purpose of carrying out the 
activities of the Commission. 
Æ 
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