An Act to provide for the partition and distribution of the assets of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in Utah between the mixed-blood and full-blood members thereof, and for the termination of Federal supervision over the property o
PL 83-671 (S.3532), enacted 08/27/1954

868 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG- 27, 1954 
[68 S T A T . 
August 27, 1954 
[S.3532] 
Public Law 671 
CHAPTER 1009 
AN ACT 
To provide for the partition and distribution of the assets of the Ute Indian 
Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in Utah between the mixed-blood 
and full-blood members thereof; and for the termination of Federal super-
vision over the property of the mixed-blood members of said tribe; to provide 
a development program for the full-blood members of said tribe; and for 
other purposes. 
u t e 
Indians, 
Utah. 
Distribution of 
assets. 
Terml nation of 
{federal stipervl* 
slon. 
Definitions. 
M i x e d * blood 
me sobers. 
Right to organ-
ize. 
Be it enacted hy tlie Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the purpose of 
this Act is to provide for the partition and distribution of the assets 
of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in Utah 
between the mixed-blood and full-blood members thereof; for the 
termination of Federal supervision over the trust, and restricted 
property, of the mixed-blood members of said tribe; and for a develop-
ment program for the full-blood members thereof, to assist them in 
preparing for termination of Federal supervision over their property. 
SEC. 2. For the purposes of this Act— 
(a) "Tribe" means the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray 
Reservation, Utah. 
(b) "Full-blood" means a member of the tribe who possesses one-
half degree of Ute Indian blood and a total of Indian blood in excess 
of one-half, excepting those who become mixed-bloods by choice under 
the provisions of section 4 hereof. 
(c) "Mixed-blood" means a member of the tribe who does not pos-
sess sufficient Indian or Ute Indian blood to fall wdthin the full-blood 
class as herein defined, and those who become mixed-bloods by choice 
under the provisions of section 4 hereof. 
(d) "Secretary" means Secretary of the Interior. 
(e) "Superintendent" means the Superintendent of the Uintah and 
Ouray Reservation, Utah. 
(f) "Asset" means any property of the tribe, real, personal or 
mixed, whether held by the tribe or by the United States in trust for 
the tribe, or subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the 
United States. 
(g) "Adult" means a member of the tribe who has attained the 
age of twenty-one years. 
SEC. 3. For the purposes of this Act Ute Indian blood shall be deter-
mined in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the tribe and 
all tribal ordinances in force and effect on the effective date of this Act. 
SEC. 4. Any member of the tribe whose name appears on the pro-
posed roll of full-blood members as provided in section 8 hereof and 
any person whose name is added to such proposed roll as the result 
of an appeal to the Secretary may apply to the Superintendent to 
become identified with and a part of the mixed-blood group: Pro-
vided^ That such application is made within thirty days subsequent 
to the publication of such proposed roll or in the event of an appeal 
within thirty days subsequent to notification of the decision on said 
appeal: ATid provided further^ That before such transfer is made 
upon the official rolls the Secretary shall first certify that, in his opin-
ion, such change in status is not detrimental to the best interest of the 
person seeking such change. 
SEC. 5. Effective on the date of publication of the final rolls as pro-
vided in section 8 hereof the tribe shall thereafter consist exclusively 
of full-blood members. Mixed-blood members shall have no interest 
therein except as otherwise provided in this Act. 
SEC. 6. The mixed-blood members of the tribe, including those re-
siding on and off the reservation, shall have the right to organize for 
their common welfare, and may adopt an appropriate constitution 
and bylaws which shall become effective when ratified by a majority 
68 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG. 27, 1954 
869 
vote of the adult mixed-blood members of the tribe at a special election 
authorized and called by the Secretary under such rules and regula-
tions as he may prescribe. 
Such constitution may provide for the 
selection of authorized representatives who shall have power to take 
any action that is required by this Act to be taken by the mixed-blood 
members as a group: Provided^ That nothing herein contained shall 
be construed as requiring said mixed-blood Indians to so organize if 
such organization is by them deemed unnecessary. In the event no 
such approved organization is effected, any action taken by the adult 
mixed-blood members, by majority vote, whether in public meeting or 
by referendum, but in either event, after such notice as may be pre-
scribed by the Secretary, shall be binding upon said mixed-blood 
members of the tribe for the purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 7. The mixed-blood members of the tribe as a group may em-
ploy legal counsel to accomplish the legal work required on behalf of 
said group under the terms of this Act, and for any other purpose by 
them deemed necessary or desirable; the choice of counsel and fixing 
of fees to be subject to the approval of the Secretary until Federal 
supervision over all of the members of said group and their property 
is terminated in the manner provided in section 16 of this Act. 
SEC. 8. The tribe shall have a period of thirty days from the date of 
enactment of this Act in which to prepare and submit to the Secretary 
a proposed roll of the full-blood members of the tribe, and a proposed 
roll of the mixed-blood members of the tribe, living on the date of 
enactment of this Act. If the tribe fails to submit such proposed rolls 
within the time specified in this Act, the Secretary shall prepare such 
proposed rolls for the tribe. Said proposed rolls shall be published in 
the Federal Register, and in a newspaper of general circulation in each 
of the counties of Uintah and Duchesne in the State of Utah. 
Any 
person claiming membership rights in the tribe, or an interest in its 
assets, or a representative of the Secretary on behalf of any such per-
son, within sixty days from the date of publication in the Federal 
Register, or in either of the papers of general circulation, as herein-
before provided, whichever publication date is last, may file an appeal 
with the Secretary contesting the inclusion or omission of the name of 
any person on or from either of such pjroposed rolls. The Secretary 
shall review such appeals and his decisions thereon shall be final and 
conclusive. After disposition of all such appeals to the Secretary, and 
after all transfers have been made pursuant to section 4 hereof the 
roll of the full-blood members of the tribe, and the roll of the mixed-
blood members of the tribe, shall be published in the Federal Register, 
and such rolls shall be final for the purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 9. The business committee of the tribe for and on behalf of the 
full-blood members of said tribe, and the duly authorized representa-
tives for the mixed-blood members of said tribe, acting jointly, are 
hereby authorized, subject to the approval of the Secretary, to sell, 
exchange, dispose of, and convey to any purchaser deemed satisfactory 
to said committee and representatives, any or all of the lands of said 
tribe described as follows, to wit: 
Legal counsel* 
Tribal roll. 
P ub l i cation in 
FR. 
D i s p o s a l 
of 
lands. 
Description 
Section 
Acres 
Township 1 North, Range 1 East: 
NW/4 SW/4 
35 
Township 1 North, Range 1 West: 
W/2 N E / 4 . . -
SE/4 SW/4... 
NE/4 NW/4; N/2 SW/4. 
Total. 
40.00 
80.00 
40.00 
120.00 
870 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG. 27, 1954 
[68 ST A T . 
Description 
Section 
Acres 
Township 2 North, Range 1 West: 
E/2 SW/4 NE/4 
Township 1 South, Range 1 West: 
NW/4SE/4 
-- 
- - - 
--
Lot 3 
-
S/2 NE/4; NE/4 SE/4; W/2 SW/4 NW/4; W/2 NW/4 SW/4-
E/2SE/4 
E/2 NE/4.. 
SE/4 SE/4 
Lot 2 
SW/4 NW/4; SW/4 SE/4 
SW/4 NE/4 
Total. 
Township 1 South, Range 2 West: 
NW/4 SW/4 
S/2 NE/4; N/2 SE/4.-. 
Total-
Township 1 South, Range 3 West: 
SW/4 SE/4 
NW/4 NW/4 
Total. 
Township 1 South, Range 8 West: 
W/2 SW/4 
NE/4 SE/4 
All 
All 
NE/4 NW/4 
NE/4 SW/4 
SW/4 NW/4 
Total. 
Township 2 South, Range 1 West: 
S/2 SW/4; SE/4 SE/4 
Lot 3; SE/4 NW/4 
Lots 1 & 2; E/2 NW/4; W/2 NE/4. 
NW/4 NW/4 
SE/4 NE/4 
Total. 
Township 2 South, Range 1 East: 
Lot 2; SE/4 NW/4 
Township 2 South, Range 2 West: 
S/2 S/2 
N/2 
Total. 
Township 2 South, Range 3 West: 
E/2 NE/4 
NE/4 SW/4; S/2 SE/4 
NW/4 SW/4 
Lots 1 & 2; E/2 NW/4; NE/4... 
Lot 2; SE/4 NW/4 
Total. 
Township 2 South Range 4 West: 
SW/4 SW/4 
SE/4 SW/4; SW/4 SE/4 
W/2 NE/4 
NE/4 
N/2 SE/4 
Lots 3 & 4; N/2 SW/4 
NE/4 SW/4; N/2 SE/4; Lots 1 & 2. 
Total. 
Township 2 South Range 5 West: 
NW/4 
NE/4 NE/4 
N/2 NE/4; SE/4 NE/4 
W/2 NW/4; SE/4 NW/4; N/2 SW/4; SE/4 SW/4; S/2 SE/4. 
NW/4 SE/4 
Total. 
Township 2 South Range 7 West: 
NE/4 SE/4; 8W/4 SW/4 
NE/4 NE/4; SW/4 NW/4; N/2 SW/4; SE/4 SW/4; W/2 SE/4; SE/4 SE/4. 
W/2 NE/4; SE/4 NE/4. 
N / 2 N E / 4 . 
N/2 N/2; SE/4 NE/4. 
Total 
20.00 
40.00 
40.51 
160.00 
80.00 
80.00 
40.00 
40.26 
80.00 
40.00 
600.77 
40.00 
160.00 
200.00 
40.00 
40.00 
80.00 
80.00 
40.00 
721.00 
695.40 
40.00 
40.00 
40.00 
1,656.40 
120.00 
81.28 
237.78 
40.00 
40.00 
519.06 
79.71 
160.00 
320.00 
480.00 
80.00 
120.00 
40.00 
316.36 
78.40 
634.76 
40.00 
80.00 
80.00 
160.00 
80.00 
167.31 
200.46 
807.77 
160.00 
40.00 
120.00 
320.00 
40.00 
680.00 
80.00 
320.00 
120.00 
80.00 
200.00 
800.00 
68 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG. 27, 1954 
871 
Description 
Section 
Acres 
Township 2 South Range 8 West: 
SE/4SW/4.... 
Township 3 South Range 1 East: 
Lot 2; SE/4 NW/4; S/2 NE/4 
N/2 SW/4; SW/4 NE/4; NW/4 SE/4. 
Lots 1, 2 & 3; NE/4 SW/4 
E/2NE/4 
Total. 
Township 3 South Range 2 East: 
Lots 
SW/4 SW/4 
SE/4 NW/4; E/2 SW/4 
Total. 
Township 3 South Range 1 West: 
N/2 SE/4 
Lots 1-8, Incl 
Lots 1-4, Incl.; S/2 N/2 
Lots 1-4, Incl.; S/2 N/2 
W/2 SE/4 
Total. 
Township 3 South Range 2 West: 
S/2 S/2 
S/2 SE/4_._. 
SW/4 SW/4 
W/2 SW/4 
NE/4 SW/4; NW/4; SE/4 
SW/4 SW/4.. 
NE/4 NE/4 
N/2 NE/4 
N/2 NW/4. 
W/2 SW/4 
Total. 
Township 3 South Range 3 West: 
S/2 NW/4; NE/4 SW/4; N/2 SE/4.. 
NW/4 SE/4; N/2 SW/4 
All (Lots 1-4, Incl., E/2 W/2; E/2). 
SW/4 SW/4 
E/2 SW/4.. 
N/2 NW/4; S/2 NE/4; NE/4 SE/4... 
W/2 NE/4; NE/4 NW/4; Lot 1 
Total. 
Township 3 South Range 4 West: 
SW/4 NW/4 
S/2 SE/4; SE/4 SW/4; N/2 S/2 
NE/4; NE/4 NW/4 
SE/4 NE/4; W/2 NE/4; E/2 NW/4. 
E/2 NE/4 
Total-
Township 3 South Range 5 West: 
Lots 1 & 2; SE/4 NE/4 
Lot 4; 8W/4 NW/4; W/2 SW/4; SE/4 SW/4.. 
S/2 NE/4; N/2 SE/4 
NW/4; W/2 NE/4; NE/4 SW/4; NW/4 SE/4. 
W/2 E/2 
W/2 E/2 
SW/4 NW/4; N/2 SW/4; SW/4 SW/4 
E/2 NE/4 
Total. 
Township 3 South Range 7 West: 
Lots 3 & 4.. 
S/2 
NW/4 SW/4 
E/2 SE/4; SW/4 SE/4; W/2 NW/4. 
E/2 NE/4; Lots 1 & 2 
Total-
40.00 
158.12 
160.00 
155.35 
80.00 
553.47 
35.49 
40.00 
120.00 
195.49 
80.00 
331.46 
338.28 
341.20 
80.00 
1,170. 
94 
160.00 
80.00 
40.00 
80.00 
360.00 
40.00 
40.00 
80.00 
80.00 
80.00 
1,040.00 
200.00 
120.00 
633.87 
40.00 
80.00 
200.00 
158.66 
1,432. 
53 
40.00 
280. 
CO 
200.00 
200.00 
80.00 
800.00 
118.86 
199.58 
160.00 
320.00 
160.00 
160.00 
160.00 
80.00 
1,358.44 
66.55 
320.00 
40.00 
200.00 
147.16 
773. 
71 
872 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG- 27, 1954 
[68 S T A T . 
Description 
Section 
Acres 
Township 3 South Range 8 West: 
E/2; NW/4; E/2 8W/4 
S/2 S/2 
SW/4 
W/2SE/4 
Lot 3; SE/4 NW/4; NE/4 SW/4 
SE/4 
NE/4 
— . 
S/2 NW/4 
NW/4; SE/4-.. 
N/2 NE/4; SE/4 NE/4; SE/4; NE/4 NW/4. 
NE/4; S/2 
S/2-
W/2 NE/4; S/2 NW/4 
Total. 
Township 3 South Range 9 West: 
SW/4 NW/4; NW/4 SW/4 
Township 4 South Range 2 West: 
Lot 3; NE/4 SW/4; N/2 SE/4 
— 
E/2 NE/4; SW/4 NE/4 
E/2 NW/4; SW/4 NW/4 
SE/4 NE/4; NW/4; NW/4 SW/4; N/2 SE/4-
Lotl 
SE/4; S/2 NE/4; S/2 8W/4 
S/2 
--
W/2 SW/4 
Lot 4 
Lots 1-4, Incl 
-
Lots 1-4, Incl 
-
Lots 1-6, Incl.; NE/4; E/2 NW/4..-
Total. 
Township 4 South, Range 3 West: 
Lot 10 
E/2 NE/4; NE/4 SE/4 
Lots 1 & 2; N/2 SE/4; SW/4; N/2-
All 
-
Lots 1-6, Incl.; NW/4 NW/4 
Lotl 
27 
560.00 
160.00 
160.00 
80.00 
120.04 
160.00 
160. C
O 
80.00 
320.00 
320.00 
480. C
O 
320.00 
160.00 
3,080.04 
80.00 
169.70 
120.00 
120.00 
320.00 
39.91 
320.00 
320.00 
80.00 
6.89 
26.59 
126.64 
475.16 
40.90 
120.00 
622.29 
640.00 
237.96 
25.75 
Total. 
Township 4 South, Range 4 West: 
S/2 
Township 4 South, Range 8 West: 
N/2 
Township 4 South, Range 9 West: 
S/2 
AU-
AU 
- 
-
S/2 
N/2; N/2 S/2; SE/4 SE/4 
N/2-- 
—-
N/2 
-
N/2 
-
N/2 
Lots 3 & 4; E/2 SW/4; SE/4--.-
Lots 1 & 2; E/2 NW/4; NE/4— 
Total-
Township 4 South Range 10 West: 
S/2 
— 
8E/4 NW/4; E/2 SW/4 
NE/4 NW/4 
Total. 
Township 6 South Range 7 West: 
S/2 SW/4 
Township 5 South Range 9 West: 
SE/4 NW/4; S/2 NE/4 
SW/4 NW/4 
Total-
Township 6 South Range 9 West: 
SW/4 SE/4 
W/2 NE/4; NW/4 8E/4 
Total 
Qrand total. 
1,686.90 
320.00 
320.00 
320.00 
640.00 
640.00 
320.00 
520.00 
320.00 
320.00 
320.00 
320.00 
319.09 
319.37 
4,358.46 
320.00 
120.00 
40.00 
480.00 
80.00 
120.00 
40.00 
160.00 
40.00 
120.00 
160.00 
27,043.34 
68 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG. 27, 1954 
873 
All such sales, exchanges, or other dispositions shall be made upon 
such terms as said committee and said authorized representatives shall 
deem satisfactory and may be made pursuant to bids or at private sale, 
and all funds or other property derived from such sales, exchanges, or 
other dispositions shall be subject to the terms of this Act. 
Consent 
by the tribal business committee and said authorized representatives 
to the sale, exchange, or other disposal of the lands herein described 
shall relieve the United States of any liability resulting from such sale, 
exchange, or other disposition. 
The tribal business committee and 
said authorized representatives are further authorized to sell or dispose 
of tribal assigned lands to the assignees thereof under such terms and 
conditions as may be agreed upon by the said tribal business committee 
and said authorized representatives with the assignees, subject, how-
ever, to the approval of the Secretary. 
SEC. 10. The tribal business committee representing the full-blood 
group, and the authorized representatives of the mixed-blood group, 
within sixty days after the publication of the final membership roll, 
as provided in section 8 hereof, shall commence a division of the assets 
of the tribe that are then susceptible to equitable and practicable dis-
tribution. Such division shall be by agreement between them subject 
to the approval of the Secretary. Said division shall be based upon 
the relative number of persons comprising the final membership roll 
of each group. After such division the rights or beneficial interests 
in tribal property of each mixed-blood person whose name appears on 
the roll shall constitute an undivided interest in and to such property 
which may be inherited or bequeathed, but shall be subject to aliena-
tion or encumbrance before the transfer of title to such tribal prop-
erty only as provided herein. Any contract made in violation of this 
section shall be null and void. If said groups are unable to agree 
upon said division within a period of twelve months from the date 
of such commencement, or any authorized extension of said period 
granted within the discretion of the Secretary, the Secretary is author-
ized to partition the assets of the tribe in such manner as in his opinion 
will be equitable and fair to both groups. Such partition shall give 
rise to no cause of action against the United States and the costs of 
such partition shall be paid by the tribe. The Secretary is authorized 
to provide such reasonable assistance as may be requested by both 
groups, or by either group, in formulation and execution of a plan 
for the division of said assets, including necessary technical services 
of Government employees at Fort Duchesne, Utah, and arranging 
for necessary consultations with representatives of Federal depart-
ments and agencies, officials of the State of Utah, and political subdi-
visions thereof, and members of the tribe. All unadjudicated or un-
liquidated claims against the United States, all gas, oil, and mineral 
rights of every kind, and all other assets not susceptible to equitable 
and practicable distribution shall be managed jointly by the Tribal 
Business Committee and the authorized representatives of the mixed-
blood group, subject to such supervision by the Secretary as is other-
wise required by law, and the net proceeds therefrom after deducting 
the costs chargeable to such management shall first be divided between 
the full-blood and mixed-blood groups in direct proportion to the 
number of persons comprising the final membership roll of each 
group and without regard to the number of persons comprising each 
group at the time of the division of such proceeds. 
SEC. 11. Notwithstanding any other provision of existing law, the 
tribal funds now on deposit or hereafter deposited in the United 
States Treasury to the credit of the tribe or either group thereof, 
shall be available for advance to the tribe or the respective groups, 
or for expenditure, for such purposes, including per capita payments, 
Division of as* 
A v a i l ability of 
tribal funds* 
874 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG. 27, 1954 
[68 S T A T . 
Per capita pay-
ments. 
Mortgage require* 
tnent. 
D i 8 t r ibution to 
individual 
bers. 
m e m-
Plan. 
as may be designated by the Tribal Business Committee for the full-
blood members, and by the authorized agents of the mixed-blood 
members, and in either event subject to the approval of the Secretary: 
Provided^ That the aggregate amount of the expenditures and 
advances authorized by this section for the mixed-blood group shall 
not exceed 50 per centum of the total funds of said mixed-blood 
group after such division, until said mixed-blood group has adopted 
a plan approved by the Secretary for termination of Federal super-
vision of said mixed-blood group, as required under section 13 hereof. 
After such termination of Federal supervision, per capita payments 
to the mixed-blood group shall not be subject to approval of the 
Secretary. 
SEC. 12. Fifty per centum of all per capita payments to any indi-
vidual mixed-blood member made pursuant to any division or distri-
bution hereunder shall have deducted therefrom any sum or sums 
of money OAved by such member to the tribe, whether due or to become 
due, unless in the opinion of the Secretary said debts are not ade-
quately secured in which event the entire per capita payment shall 
be subject to such offset. 
Any other division, partition or distribu-
tion of property to any individual mixed-blood member made pur-
suant to this Act shall be subject to a mortgage to be made in favor 
of the tribe securing the payment of all sums of money owed by him 
to the tribe on the date of such division, partition or distribution to 
such individual mixed-blood member. 
The Secretary shall require 
the execution of any mortgage required hereunder as a condition to 
any such division, partition or distribution. 
SEC. 13. After the adoption of a plan for the division of the assets 
between the two groups, a plan for distribution of the assets of the 
mixed-blood group to the individual members thereof shall be pre-
pared and ratified by a majority of said group, within the period of 
six months from such adoption and presented to the Secretary for 
approval. 
The Secretary is authorized to provide such reasonable 
assistance, including necessary technical service of 
Government 
employees at Fort Duchesne, Utah, and arranging for necessary 
consultations with representatives of Federal departments 
and 
agencies, officials of the State of Utah and political subdivisions 
thereof, as may be required by the mixed-blood group in the prepara-
tion of such plan. 
The plan for division of the assets among the members of the 
mixed-blood group may include: 
(1) Complete disposition of all cash assets of said group, reserving, 
however, sufficient funds to cover— 
(i) the proportionate share of said mixed-blood group in and 
to all expenses incurred in effecting the purposes of this Act, 
including, but not limited to, the necessary expense incurred 
under sections 13 and 14 of this Act; 
(ii) the just and proportionate share of the mixed-bloods in 
the expense incurred in the prosecution of the claims of the tribe, 
or the bands thereof, against the United States; and 
(iii) the determinable and estimated administrative costs and 
expenses of any mixed-blood organization authorized by this Act, 
including lawful and reasonable salaries and fees of authorized 
agents, officers and employees of said mixed-blood group. 
(2) Partition of the lands of the mixed-blood group, excepting all 
gas, oil, and mineral rights, to corporations, partnerships, or other 
legal entities, and to trustees, and the individual members of said 
groups, quality and quantity relatively considered, according to the 
respective rights and interests of the parties, located so as to embrace, 
as far as practicable, any improvements lawfully made by the person 
68 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 6 7 1 - A U G . 27, 1954 
875 
or persons receiving such land. The value of the improvements made, 
under a valid lease or assignment from the tribe, shall be excluded 
from the valuation in making allotments to the lessee or assignee, and 
the land must be valued without regard to such improvements unless 
the lease or assignment, under which said improvements were made, 
provided that such improvements should become the property of the 
tribe. In the making of any partition due consideration shall be 
given to all of the rights and interests of the person or persons re-
ceiving the property, and all of the rights and interests of the other 
members of the tribe. Two or more of the members of said mixed-
blood group may obtain their share of property as tenants in common, 
as joint tenants, or in any other lawful manner when such members 
agree among themselves as to the manner in which they desire to 
receive such title. When it appears that an equitable partition cannot 
' ' 
be made among the members of said mixed-blood group without prej-
udice to the rights and interests of some of them, and yet a partition 
is directed by the group, the members of said group may voluntarily 
determine compensation to be made by one party to another on account 
of the inequity. In all cases where equity is agreed upon by the mem-
bers of said mixed-blood group, such compensatory adjustment among 
the parties, according to the principles of equity, must be approved 
by the Secretary. In the event of a failure to agree upon an equitable 
compensatory adjustment among the parties the Secretary shall make 
such adjustment and his decision shall be final. 
(3) Organization of corporations for the grazing of livestock, han-
dling of water and water rights, and the shares therein may be issued 
to the members of said group in proportion to their interests in the 
assets of such corporations. When, in the opinion of said mixed-blood 
group, it is to the best interest of said group to transfer a portion of 
the assets of said group to a corporation or other legal entity for any 
purpose, the Secretary is authorized to make such transfer. 
(4) A transfer of assets to one or more trustees designated by said 
group who shall hold title to all or any part of the property of said 
" ' 
'" 
group for management or liquidation purposes under terms and 
conditions prescribed by said mixed-blood group. The Secretary is 
authorized to make such transfer, and approve the trustees, and the 
terms and conditions of the trust. 
(5) Sale of any portion of the assets of said group subject to the 
approval of the Secretary. In addition to the sales herein otherwise 
authorized, authority is granted to the authorized representatives of 
said group to sell any property of said group when, in the opinion of 
'**' 
the majority of said mixed-blood group, a practicable partition cannot 
be made, or for any other reason it is deemed to the best interests of 
the group, and the proceeds of such sales shall be distributed equitably 
among the members of said mixed-blood group; after deducting 
reasonable cost of sale and distribution. 
SEC. 14. In the event all the tribal assets, susceptible to equitable 
and practicable distribution, distributed to the mixed-blood group 
, ,.• 
under the provisions of section 10 hereof, are not, within seven years 
from the date of enactment of this Act, distributed to the individual 
mixed-blood members as contemplated in the plan to be adopted in 
accordance with the provisions of section 13 hereof, so as to effectively 
terminate Federal supervision over said assets, then the Secretary 
shall proceed to make such distribution in a manner, in his discretion, 
deemed fair and equitable to all members of said group, or convey such 
assets to a trustee for liquidation and distribution of the net proceeds, 
or convey such assets to the persons entitled thereto as tenants in 
common. 
876 
PUBLIC LAW 671-AUG. 27, 1954 
[68 
S T A T . 
Disposal of trib-
al assets by indi-
vidual member* 
Sales r e 81 r i c• 
tions, etc* 
Removal* 
Partition. 
Sale. 
Taxes. 
SEO. 15. Any member of the mixed-blood group may dispose of his 
interest in the tribal assets prior to termination of Federal supervision, 
subject to the approval of the Secretary, In the event a member oi 
the mixed-blood group determines to dispose of his interest in any of 
said real property at any time within ten years from the date of enact-
ment of this Act, he shall first offer it to the members of the tribe, and 
no sale of any interest, prior to termination of Federal supervision, 
shall be authorized without such offer to said members of the tribe in 
such form as may be approved by the Secretary. After termination of 
Federal supervision the requirement of such offer, in form to be 
approved by the Secretary, shall be a covenant to run with the land for 
said ten-year period, and shall be expressly provided in any patent or 
deed issued prior to the expiration of said period. 
SEC. 16. (a) When any mixed-blood member of the tribe has received 
his distributive share of the tribal assets distributed to the mixed-blood 
group under the provisions of section 10 hereof, whether such distribu-
tion IS made in part or in whole to a corporation, partnership, or trus-
teeship in which he is interested, or otherwise, the Secretary is author-
ized and directed to immediately transfer to him unrestricted control 
of all other property held in trust for such mixed-blood member by 
the United States, and shall further remove all restrictions on the sale 
or encumbrance of trust or restricted property owned by such member 
of the tribe, and Federal supervision of such member and his property 
shall thereby be terminated, except as to his remaining interest in tribal 
property in the form of any unadjudicated or unliquidated claims 
against the United States, all gas, oil, and mineral rights of every kind, 
and all other tribal assets not susceptible to equitable and practicable 
distribution, all of which shall remain subject to the terms of this Act, 
notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary. 
(b) Prior to the removal of restrictions in accordance with the 
provisions of subsection (a) hereof on land owned by more than one 
person, the Secretary may— 
(1) upon request of any of the owners, partition the land and 
issue to each owner an unrestricted patent or deed for his indi-
vidual share, unless such owner is a full-blood member of the tribe 
or other Indian who owns trust or restricted property, in which 
event a trust patent or restricted deed shall be issued and such 
trust may be terminated or such restrictions may be removed 
when the Secretary determines that the need therefor no longer 
exists; 
(2) upon request of any of the owners and a finding by the 
Secretary that partition of all or any part of the land is not prac-
ticable, cause all or any part of the land to be sold at not less than 
the appraised value thereof and distribute the proceeds of sale to 
the owners: Provided^ That before a sale any one or more of the 
owners may elect to purchase the other interests in the land, or 
the tribe may elect to purchase the entire interest in the land, at 
not less than the appraised value thereof. 
SEC. IT. NO distribution of the assets made under the provisions of 
this Act shall be subject to any Federal or State income tax: Provided^ 
That so much of any cash distribution made hereunder as consists of 
a share of any interest earned on funds deposited in the Treasury of 
the United States shall not by virtue of this Act be exempt from indi-
vidual income tax in the hands of the recipients for the year in which 
paid. Property distributed to the mixed-blood group pursuant to the 
terms of this Act shall be exempt from property taxes for a period of 
seven years from the date of enactment of this Act, unless the original 
distributee parts with title thereto, either by deed, descent, succession, 
foreclosure of mortgage, sheriff's sale or other conveyance: Provided^ 
68 S T A T . ] 
PXJBLIC LAW 671-AUG. 27, 1954 
877 
That the mortgaging, hypothecation, granting of a right-of-way, or 
other similar encumbrance of said property shall not be construed 
as a conveyance subjecting said property to taxation under the pro-
visions of this section. After seven years from the date of enactment 
of this Act, all property distributed to the mixed-blood members of 
the tribe under the provisions of this Act, and all income derived 
therefrom by the individual, corporation, or other legal entity, shall 
be subject to the same taxes, State and Federal, as in the case of non-
Indians; except that any valuation for purposes of Federal income 
tax on gains or losses shall take as the basis of the particular taxpayer 
the value of the property on the date title is transferred by the 
United States pursuant to this Act. 
SEC. 18. The laws of the United States with respect to probate of 
wills, determination of heirship, and the administration of estates shall 
apply to the individual trust property of mixed-blood members of the 
tribe until Federal supervision is terminated. Thereafter, the laws of 
the several States, Territories, possessions, and the District of Colum-
bia within which such mixed-blood members reside at the time of their 
death shall apply. 
SEC. 19. Nothing in this Act shall affect any claim heretofore filed 
against the United States by the tribe, or the individual bands com-
prising the tribe. 
SEC. 20. Nothing in this Act shall abrogate any valid lease, permit, 
license, right-of-way, lien, or other contract heretofore approved. 
SEC. 21. Nothing in this Act shall abrogate any water rights o* the 
tribe or its members. 
SEC. 22, For the purposes of this Act, the Secretary shall protect 
the rights of members of the tribe who are minors, non compos mentis, 
or, in the opinion of the Secretary, in need of assistance in conducting 
their affairs, by such means as he may deem adequate, but appointment 
of guardians pursuant to State laws, in any case, shall not be required 
until Federal supervision has terminated. 
SEC. 23. Upon removal of Federal restrictions on the property of 
each individual mixed-blood member of the tribe, the Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register a proclamation declaring that the 
Federal trust relationship to such individual is terminated. 
There-
after, such individual shall not be entitled to any of the services per-
formed for Indians because of his status as an Indian. All statutes 
of the United States which affect Indians because of their status as 
Indians shall no longer be applicable to such member over which 
supervision has been terminated, and the laws of the several States 
shall apply to such member in the same manner as they apply to other 
citizens within their jurisdiction. 
SEC. 24. Within three months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the business committee of the tribe representing the full-blood 
group thereof shall present to the Secretary a development program 
calculated to assist in making the tribe and the members thereof self-
supporting, without any special Government assistance, with a view 
of eventually terminating all Federal supervision of the tribe and its 
members. The tribal business committee, representing the full-blood 
group shall, through the Secretary of the Interior, make a full and 
complete annual progress report to the Congress of its activities, and 
of the expenditures authorized under this Act. 
SEC. 25. Nothing in this Act shall affect the status of the members 
of the tribe as citizens of the United States. 
SEC. 26. The Secretary shall have authority to execute such patents, 
deeds, assignments, releases, certificates, contracts, and other instru-
ments, as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions 
P r o b a t i o n 
of 
wills, etc. 
Claims. 
Leases, permits, 
etc. 
Water rights. 
G u a r d i a n s for 
ninors, etc. 
Federal trust ter» 
nination proclama-
tion. 
P ubl i c ation in 
FR. 
De V e l o p m e n t 
program. 
Report to C o n -
gress. 
C i t i z e n s h i p 
status. 
Patents, deeds, 
etc. 
878 
PUBLIC LAW 672-AUG. 27, 1954 
[68 ST A T . 
Rules and regu-
lations. 
Agreements. 
Separability. 
of this Act, or to establish a marketable and recordable title to any 
property disposed of pursuant to this Act. 
SEC. 27. The Secretary is authorized to issue rules and regulations 
necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act, and may, in his discre-
tion, provide for tribal or group referenda on matters pertaining to 
management or disposition of tribal or group assets. 
SEC. 28. Whenever any action pursuant to the provisions of this 
Act requires the agreement of the mixed-blood and full-blood groups 
and such agreement cannot be reached, the Secretary is authorized 
to proceed in any manner deemed by him to be in the best interests 
of both groups. 
SEC. 29. All Acts, or parts of Acts, inconsistent with this Act are 
hereby repealed insofar as they affect the tribe or its members. 
SEC. 30. If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof 
to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the 
Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circum-
stances shall not be affected thereby. 
Approved August 27, 1954. 
Public Law 672 
CHAPTER 1010 
uguBt 27, 1954 
AN ACT 
: 
[H. R. 1843] 
r£Q increase the retired pay of certain members of the former Lighthouse Service* 
Lighthouse Serv 
ice. 
Retired pay. 
40 Stat. 608. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress asseinhled, That the annual 
rate of retired pay received by any person who was retired on or before 
June 30,1953, under section 6 of the Act of June 20, 1918, as amended 
and supplemented (33 U. S. C , sees. 763-765), shall be increased, 
effective on the first day of the calendar month following enactment 
of this Act, by 15 per centum or $264, whichever is the lesser; Pro-
vided, That no retired pay shall be increased to an amount in excess 
of $2,160 by reason of this Act: And provid^^ further, 
That the 
increases provided herein shall terminate, without subsequent resump-
tion, on June 30. 1955. 
Approved August 27, 1954. 
August 27, 1954 
[H. R. 3419] 
Public Law 673 
CHAPTER 1011 
AN ACT 
To authorize a $50 per capita payment to members of the Red Lake Band of 
Chippewa Indians from the proceeds of the sale of timber and lumber on the 
Red Lake Reservation, 
Chippewa I n d i -
ans. 
Per c^ita pay-
ment to Red Lake 
Band. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary 
of the Interior is authorized to withdraw as much as may be necessary 
from the fund on deposit in the Treasury of the United States arising 
from the proceeds of the sale of timber and lumber within the Red 
Lake Reservation in Minnesota, according to the provisions of the Act 
of May 18,1916 (39 Stat. 137), to the credit of the Red Lake Indians 
in Minnesota, and to pay therefrom $50 to each member of the Red 
Lake Band of Chippewa Indians of Minnesota who is living at the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
Such payment shall be made in two 
installments of $25 each, the first to be made within thirty days of 
ratification by the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians of Minnesota 
as provided for in section 2 of this Act, the second installment ninety 
days thereafter, and under such other rules and regulations as the 
Secretary of the Interior may prescribe.