Blackwater Trading Post Land Transfer Act
Bill: H.R.478 | Sponsor: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom (D-AZ)
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
Blackwater Trading Post Land Transfer Act
This act directs the Department of the Interior to take the approximately 55.3 acres of land of the Blackwater Trading Post in Pinal County, Arizona, into trust for the benefit of the Gila River Indian Community, if the community conveys to Interior all of its interest in the land. The land is made part of the community's reservation.
Further, the act prohibits gaming on the land taken into trust.

[117th Congress Public Law 267]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 4174]]

Public Law 117-267
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land located in 
  Pinal County, Arizona, into trust for the benefit of the Gila River 
Indian Community, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 27, 2022 -  [H.R. 
                                 478]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Blackwater 
Trading Post Land Transfer Act.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Blackwater Trading Post Land Transfer 
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Blackwater trading post land.--The term ``Blackwater 
        Trading Post Land'' means the approximately 55.3 acres of land 
        as depicted on the map that--
                    (A) is located in Pinal County, Arizona, and 
                bordered by Community land to the east, west, and north 
                and State Highway 87 to the south; and
                    (B) is owned by the Community.
            (2) Community.--The term ``Community'' means the Gila River 
        Indian Community of the Reservation.
            (3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Results 
        of Survey, Ellis Property, A Portion of the West \1/2\ of 
        Section 12, Township 5 South, Range 7 East, Gila and Salt River 
        Meridian, Pinal County, Arizona'' and dated October 15, 2012.
            (4) Reservation.--The term ``Reservation'' means the land 
        located within the exterior boundaries of the reservation 
        created under sections 3 and 4 of the Act of February 28, 1859 
        (11 Stat. 401, chapter LXVI), and Executive orders of August 31, 
        1876, June 14, 1879, May 5, 1882, November 15, 1883, July 31, 
        1911, June 2, 1913, August 27, 1914, and July 19, 1915, and any 
        other lands placed in trust for the benefit of the Community.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
SEC. 3. LAND TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR BENEFIT OF THE GILA RIVER INDIAN 
                    COMMUNITY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall take the Blackwater Trading 
Post land into trust for the benefit of the Community, after the 
Community--
            (1) conveys to the Secretary all right, title, and interest 
        of the Community in and to the Blackwater Trading Post Land;

[[Page 136 STAT. 4175]]

            (2) submits to the Secretary a request to take the 
        Blackwater Trading Post Land into trust for the benefit of the 
        Community;
            (3) <<NOTE: Survey. Determinations.>>  conducts a survey (to 
        the satisfaction of the Secretary) to determine the exact 
        acreage and legal description of the Blackwater Trading Post 
        Land, if the Secretary determines a survey is necessary; and
            (4) pays all costs of any survey conducted under paragraph 
        (3).

    (b) <<NOTE: Deadline. Public information.>>  Availability of Map.--
Not later than 180 days after the Blackwater Trading Post Land is taken 
into trust under subsection (a), the map shall be on file and available 
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Secretary.

    (c) Lands Taken Into Trust Part of Reservation.--After the date on 
which the Blackwater Trading Post Land is taken into trust under 
subsection (a), the land shall be treated as part of the Reservation.
    (d) Gaming.--Class II and class III gaming under the Indian Gaming 
Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) shall not be allowed at any time 
on the land taken into trust under subsection (a).
    (e) <<NOTE: Deadline. Federal Register, publication.>>  
Description.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall cause the full metes-and-bounds 
description of the Blackwater Trading Post Land to be published in the 
Federal Register. The description shall, on publication, constitute the 
official description of the Blackwater Trading Post Land.

    Approved December 27, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 478 (S. 371):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SENATE REPORTS: No. 117-6 (Comm. on Indian Affairs) accompanying S. 371.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 167 (2021):
                                    May 12, considered in House. Prior 
                                        proceedings vacated; considered 
                                        and passed House.
                                                        Vol. 168 (2022):
                                    Dec. 19, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.

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