I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2039
To take into trust for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma certain
land in Oklahoma that was known as the Fort Reno Military Reservation
and that was formerly part of the Cheyenne-Arapaho lands, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 25, 1997
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To take into trust for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Okla-
homa certain land in Oklahoma that was known as the
Fort Reno Military Reservation and that was formerly
part of the Cheyenne-Arapaho lands, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The original Cheyenne-Arapaho Indian Res-
ervation in western Oklahoma, which included the
land known as the Fort Reno Military Reservation,
was established by the Medicine Lodge Creek Treaty
of 1867 and reaffirmed by Executive order in 1869.
(2) The Fort Reno Military Reservation lands
include sites used by the Tribe for the Sun Dance
and other religious and cultural purposes, burial
sites, and medicine gathering areas.
SEC. 2. LAND TAKEN INTO TRUST.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The land described in subsection
(b) is hereby taken into trust for the Cheyenne-Arapaho
Tribes of Oklahoma.
(b) LAND DESCRIBED.—The land taken into trust
pursuant to subsection (a) is that land in Canadian Coun-
ty, Oklahoma, described as follows:
(1) All of sections 1, 2, 3, and 4, Township 12
North, Range 8 West, Indian Meridian.
(2) Those portions of sections 25 and 26 lying
south of the North Canadian River, Township 13
North, Range 8 West, Indian Meridian.
(3) That portion of section 26 lying west of the
North Canadian River, Township 13 North, Range
8 West, Indian Meridian.
(4) All of sections 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, and 36,
Township 13 North, Range 8 West, Indian Merid-
ian.
SEC. 3. USE OF PORTION OF LAND BY BUREAU OF PRISONS.
The Secretary, with the consent of and on terms
agreeable to the Business Committee of the Tribe, may
lease to the United States for use by the Bureau of Pris-
ons of the Department of Justice in connection with the
Federal Reformatory at El Reno, Oklahoma, all or part
of the land described as the south half of section 1 and
the south half of section 2, Township 12 North, Range
8 West, Indian Meridian.
SEC. 4. PRIOR EASEMENTS, LICENSES, PERMITS, AND COM-
MITMENTS.
(a) NONREVOCABLE; TIME-LIMITED.—(1) A nonrev-
ocable easement, license, permit, or commitment with re-
spect to the lands described in section 2 shall continue
in effect for the period for which it was granted or made
if such nonrevocable easement, license, permit, or commit-
ment was granted or made—
(A) on or before the date of the enactment of
this Act;
(B) by the Secretary of War or by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture; and
(C) for a specified, limited period of time.
(2) An easement, license, permit, or commitment de-
scribed in paragraph (1) may be renewed by the Secretary
upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary considers
advisable.
(b) REVOCABLE; INDEFINITE DURATION.—An ease-
ment, license, permit, or commitment which exists on the
date of the enactment of this Act with respect to the lands
described in section 2 may be continued or renewed by
the Secretary if—
(1) the easement, license, permit, or commit-
ment is revocable or of indefinite duration, and
(2) the Secretary considers such continuance or
renewal to be in the public interest.
(c) USE OF LAND BY BUREAU OF PRISONS.—(1) In
the case of lands described in paragraph (2), the Secretary
may continue or renew an easement, right-of-way, or per-
mit to land, only if such easement, right-of-way, or permit
is—
(A) in effect on the date of the enactment of
this Act;
(B) limited to use or maintenance of water
lines, roads to and from the sewage disposal plant,
or sewage effluent lakes from the sewage disposal
plant located on the land;
(C) granted for use by Bureau of Prisons of the
Department of Justice; and
(D) useful to the Bureau of Prisons for pur-
poses of maintaining the sewage disposal plant lo-
cated on the land.
(2) The land referred to in paragraph (1) is that land
described in section 2 that is located in—
(A) section 1, Township 12 North, Range 8
West, Indian Meridian; and
(B) the southeast quarter of section 36, Town-
ship 13 North, Range 8 West, Indian Meridian.
SEC. 5. BUILDINGS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
The Secretary may—
(1) make any Federally owned buildings, im-
provements, or facilities (including any personal
property used in connection with such buildings, im-
provements, or facilities) located on the land de-
scribed in section 2 available to the Tribe for their
use; and
(2) convey any Federally owned buildings, im-
provements, or facilities (including any personal
property used in connection with such buildings, im-
provements, or facilities) located on the land de-
scribed in section 2 to the Tribe in accordance with
the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to authorize the Secretary
of the Interior to convey to Indian tribes certain fed-
erally owned buildings, improvements, or facilities on
tribal lands or on lands reserved for Indian adminis-
tration’’ approved August 6, 1956 (25 U.S.C. 443a).
SEC. 6. ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL SERVICES AND BENE-
FITS.
For the purposes of the eligibility for and delivery of
all services and benefits provided to Indians because of
their status as federally recognized, those members of the
Tribe residing in Canadian County, Oklahoma, shall be
deemed to be resident on or near an Indian reservation.
SEC. 7. EFFECT ON TREATIES.
No provision of this Act shall be construed to con-
stitute an amendment, modification, or interpretation of
any treaty to which the Tribe or any other Indian tribe
is a party nor to any right secured to the Tribe or any
other Indian tribe by any treaty.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(2) The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Cheyenne-
Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.
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