To provide additional time to negotiate settlement of a land dispute in South Carolina.
PL 102-339 (H.R.5566), enacted 08/11/1992

PUBLIC LAW 102-339—AUG. 11, 1992 
106 STAT. 869 
Public Law 102-339 
102d Congress 
An Act 
To provide additional time to negotiate settlement of a land dispute in South Aug. 11,1992 
Carolina. 
[H.R. 5566] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of 
America in Congress assembled, 
Indians. 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Suits on possessory land claims may be commenced 
against tens of thousands of citizens in York, Lancaster, and 
Chester Counties, South Carolina, within the area claimed 
in the suit Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina against 
State of South Carohna, et al., Civil Action No. 80-2050 
(D.S.C.). 
(2) Tens of thousands of such suits would be costly to all 
parties, including the Federal judicial system, and would create 
a burden upon interstate commerce. 
(3) The filing of such suits may be averted by settlement 
if additional time is made available for the parties to negotiate 
and implement the terms of settlement. 
. 
,, . 
(4) The Congress has authority to enact this legislation under 
the Indian Commerce Clause and the Interstate Commerce 
Clause of the Constitution; and the Department of Justice 
concurs in this construction of Article I of the Constitution. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to prevent the social, economic, and 
judicial disruption that would result from the commencement of 
law suits against tens of thousands of citizens in York, Lancaster, 
and Chester Counties, South Carolina, and the burden on interstate 
commerce that such suits would impose. The parties to the above 
referenced suit require additional time in which to negotiate and 
implement the terms of settlement; and if such time is made 
available, it may avert the necessity of thousands of law suits. 
The purpose of this Act is not to revive, renew, or extend any 
claim barred by any period of limitation, repose, or time bar as 
of the effective date of this Act. 
SEC. 3. STATUTE OP LIMITATION. 
(a) If any period of limitation or repose, or any other defense 
based wholly or partly on the passage of time, bars any claim 
brought by or on behalf of any Indian, Indian nation, or tribe 
or band of Indians claiming or asserting damages or an interest 
in land in York, Lancaster, or Chester Counties, South CaroUna, 
under section 2116 of the Revised Statutes (25 U.S.C. 177; 
commonly known as the Indian Non-Intercourse Act), the 
Constitution of the United States, common law, or any treaty, 
as of the date of enactment of this Act, such period of limitation 
or repose, or other defense based wholly or partly on passage 
106 STAT. 870 
PUBLIC LAW 102-339—AUG. 11,1992 
of time, shall bar any such claim, without regard to whether such 
claim has already been filed. 
(b) If any period of Umitation or repose, or any other defense 
based wholly or partly on the passage of time, has not barred 
any claim, filed or unfiled, by or on behalf of an Indian, Indian 
nation, or tribe or band of Indians claiming or asserting damages 
or an interest in land in York, Lancaster, or Chester County, 
South Carolina, under section 2116 of the Revised Statutes (25 
U.S.C. 177; commonly known as the Indian Non-Intercourse Act), 
the Constitution of the United States, common law, or treaty, as 
of the date of the enactment of this Act, the running of any such 
period of limitation or repose, or any other defense based wholly 
or partly on the passage of time, shall be suspended as of the 
date of the enactment of this Act until October 1, 1993. On 
October 1, 1993, the time upon which any such defenses are based 
shall resume running. The period of time remaining for any time-
related defense to become a bar to any such claim shall be the 
same on October 1, 1993, as it was immediately prior to the date 
of the enactment of this Act. Nothing in this subsection shall 
be construed to affect the application of any period of limitation, 
repose, or time bar to the claim of any individual Inchan whicih 
is pursued under any Federal or State law generally applicable 
to non-Indians as well as Indians. 
Approved August 11, 1992. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5566: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 138 (1992): 
July 27, considered and passed House. 
July 30, considered and passed Senate.