Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Amendments Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-622
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced: 2025-02-18
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Federal-Indian relations

Forests, forestry, trees

Indian claims

Indian lands and resources rights

Land transfers

Minnesota
Latest action: action_date: 2025-03-05
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-02-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Amendments Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill transfers certain federal land located in the Chippewa National Forest in Cass County, Minnesota, to the Department of the Interior for the benefit of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.</p><p>Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to transfer for the benefit of the tribe land in the Chippewa National Forest that records maintained by the Bureau of Indian Affairs show was sold without the unanimous consent of the rightful landowners.</p><p>Upon agreement between USDA and the tribe, USDA shall substitute alternative National Forest System land located in Cass County, Minnesota, on an acre-for-acre basis for those parcels of federal land to be transferred in a manner that avoids inholdings and provides a preference for land adjacent to or near existing Leech Lake trust lands and lands of cultural importance to the tribe, to the maximum extent practicable.</p><p>USDA may transfer land to Interior on a rolling basis as that land is identified and surveys are completed.</p><p>USDA, acting through the&nbsp;U.S. Forest Service, must&nbsp;provide for public engagement and comment to implement this bill.</p>

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 622 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 18, 2025 Ms. Smith (for herself and Ms. Klobuchar ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To amend the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act to provide for the transfer of additional Federal land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Amendments Act of 2025 . 2. Transfer of additional Federal land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (a) Findings Section 2(a)(5) of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act ( Public Law 116–255 ; 134 Stat. 1140) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following: (B) does not intend immediately to modify the use of the Federal land. . (b) Inclusion of additional Federal land Section 2 of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act ( Public Law 116–255 ; 134 Stat. 1139) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (A)— (i) by striking means the approximately and inserting “means— (i) the approximately ; (ii) in clause (i) (as so designated), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (ii) any other land managed by the Secretary, through the Chief of the Forest Service, located in the Chippewa National Forest in Cass County, Minnesota, which records maintained by the Bureau of Indian Affairs show was sold without the unanimous consent of the rightful landowners. ; and (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as clauses (ii) and (iii), respectively; and (ii) by inserting before clause (ii) (as so redesignated) the following: (i) any land transferred pursuant to an agreement entered into between the Secretary and the Tribe under subsection (c)(2); ; (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting paragraphs (2) and (3) ; (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) Agreement (A) In general On agreement between the Secretary and the Tribe, the Secretary shall substitute, for purposes of the transfer under paragraph (1), alternative National Forest System land located in Cass County, Minnesota, on an acre-for-acre basis, for those parcels of Federal land to be transferred under that paragraph in a manner that avoids in-holdings and provides a preference for land adjacent to or near existing Leech Lake trust lands and lands of cultural importance to the Tribe, to the maximum extent practicable. (B) Frequency of transfers Pursuant to an agreement entered into under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may transfer land to the Secretary of the Interior on a rolling basis as that land is identified and surveys are completed. ; and (3) in subsection (d)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting described in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) after Federal land ; and (ii) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking submit a map and legal description of the Federal land and inserting submit maps and legal descriptions of the Federal land transferred pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c), as applicable, ; (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) by striking map and legal description and inserting maps and legal descriptions ; and (ii) by striking map or legal description and inserting maps or legal descriptions ; and (C) in paragraph (3), by striking map and legal description and inserting maps and legal descriptions . (c) Reaffirmation Congress reaffirms the applicability of section 97A.151 of the Minnesota Statutes, including the settlement agreement ratified by that section, for purposes of ensuring that the hunting, fishing, and recreation rights of non-Tribal members remain unchanged by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act ( Public Law 116–255 ; 134 Stat. 1139) and the amendments made to that Act by this section. (d) Implementation In implementing the amendments made by this section, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall provide for public engagement and comment in accordance with applicable laws (including regulations).