A bill conferring jurisdiction on certain courts of the United States to hear and render judgement in connection with certain claims of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
PL 97-385 (H.R.2329), enacted 12/23/1982

96 STAT. 1944 
PUBLIC LAW 97-385—DEC. 23, 1982 
Dec. 23, 1982 
[H.R. 2329] 
Cherokee Nation 
of Oklahoma. 
Claims against 
U.S., judgment. 
Choctaw and 
Chickasaw 
Nations. 
Public Law 97-385 
97th Congress 
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An Act 
Conferring jurisdiction on certain courts of the United States to hear and render 
judgment in connection with certain claims of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That (a) notwith-
standing sections 2401 and 2501 of title 28, United States Code, and 
section 12 of the Act of August 13, 1946, as amended (the Indian 
Claims Commission Act, 60 Stat. 1049,1052; 25 U.S.C. 70k), jurisdic-
tion is hereby conferred upon the United States Court of Claims, or 
upon the United States District Court for the Eastern District of 
Oklahoma, to hear, determine, and render judgment, under the 
jurisdictional provisions of section 2 of the Indian Claims Commis-
sion Act of August 13, 1946, as amended (60 Stat. 1049, 1050; 25 
U.S.C. 70a), on any claim which the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma 
may have against the United States for any and all damages to 
Cherokee tribal assets related to and arising from construction of 
the Arkansas River Navigation System, including, but not limited 
to, the value of sand, gravel, coal, and other resources t£iken, the 
value of damsites and powerheads of dams constructed on that part 
of the Arkansas riverbed within Cherokee domain in Oklahoma, 
without the authority or consent of said Cherokee Nation; and also 
on any claim which the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma may have 
against the United States resulting from any action under section 14 
of the Act of April 26, 1906 (34 Stat. 137, 142), wherem the United 
States gave away to third parties lands for what are known as 
station grounds of railroads, said lands being segregated from Chero-
kee Nation tribal lands without compensation to said Cherokee 
Nation of Oklahoma therefor; all of said lands or interests therein 
being held by said Cherokee Nation by virtue of treaties and by 
patent issued by the United States granting said lands to said 
Cherokee Nation in fee simple, or otherwise. 
(b) Notwithstanding sections 2401 and 2501 of title 28, United 
States Code, and section 12 of the Act approved August 13,1946 (25 
U.S.C. 70k), the Court of Claims or the United States District Court 
for the Eastern District of Oklahoma shall have jurisdiction to the 
PUBLIC LAW 97-385—DEC. 23, 1982 
96 STAT. 1945 
same extent as under subsection (a) of this Act to hear, determine, 
and render judgment on any claim of the Choctaw Nation and on 
any claim of the Chickeisaw Nation against the United States for 
any damages to any tribal assets, lands, or interests of such Nations 
arising from the actions of the United States described in such 
subsection. 
Approved December 23, 1982. 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2329: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 97-453, pt. I (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 128 (1982): 
Mar. 16, 18, considered and failed of passage in House. 
July 23, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 10, considered and passed Senate.