An Act to provide for the termination of Federal supervision over the property of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Indians of Texas, and the individual members thereof, and for other purposes
PL 83-627 (S.2744), enacted 08/23/1954

768 
PUBLIC LAW 627-AUG. 23, 1954 
[68 ST A T . 
Notice of claim, 
etc. 
60 Stat. 925. 
SOUSCapp. 34. 
"Organization". 
60 Stat. 925. 
50 USCapp. 33. 
such time, if no claim for the return of the property or interest is 
pending. 
Total returns pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed 
$3,000,000. 
"No return may be made to an organization so designated unless 
it files notice of claim before the expiration of one year from the effec-
tive date of this Act and unless it gives firm and responsible assurance 
approved by the President that (i) the property or interest returned 
to it or the proceeds of any such property or interest will be used on 
the basis of need in the rehabilitation and settlement of persons in 
the United States who suffered substantial deprivation of liberty or 
failed to enjoy the full rights of citizenship within the meaning of 
subdivisions (C) and (D) of subsection (a) (2) hereof; (ii) it will 
transfer, at any time within two years from the time that return is 
made, such property or interest or the equivalent value thereof to any 
person whom the President or such officer or agency shall determine 
to be eligible under section 32 to claim as owner or successor in interest 
to such ow^ner, by inheritance, devise, or bequest; (iii) it will make 
to the President, with a copy to be furnished to the Congress, such 
reports (including a detailed annual report on the use of the property 
or interest returned to it or the proceeds of any such property or 
interest) and permit such examination of its books as the President 
or such officer or agency may from time to time require; and (iv) 
will not use such property or interest or the proceeds of such property 
or interest for legal fees, salaries or any other administrative ex-
penses connected with the filing of claims for or the recovery of such 
property or interest. 
"The filing of notice of claim by an organization so designated shall 
not bar the payment of debt claims under section 34 of this Act. 
"As used in this subsection, 'organization' means only a nonprofit 
charitable corporation incorporated on or before January 1, 1950, 
under the law^s of any State of the United States or of the District of 
Columbia with the power to sue and be sued." 
SEC. 2. The first sentence of section 33 of the Trading With the 
Enemy Act of October 6, 1917 (40 Stat. 411), as amended, is hereby 
amended by striking out the period at the end of such sentence, and 
inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon and the following: "except that 
return may be made to successor organizations designated pursuant to 
section 32 (h) hereof if notice of claim is filed before the expiration 
of one year from the effective date of this Act." 
Approved August 23, 1954. 
August 23, 1954 
[S. 2744] 
Public Law 627 
CHAPTER 831 
AN ACT 
To provide for the termination of Federal supervision over the property of the 
Alabama and Coushitta Tribes of Indians-of Texas, and the individual mem-
bers thereof ; and fo r other purposes. 
A l a b a m a 
a n d 
Coushatta Tribes, 
Tex. 
Te rm ina t ion of 
F e d e r a l 
supervi-
sion. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of Ajnerica in Congress assembled^ That the Secretary 
of the Interior is authorized to convey to the State of Texas the lands 
held in trust by the United States for the tribe of Indians organized 
and known as the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas, located in 
Polk County, Texas; and such tribe is authorized to convey to the 
State of Texas the lands purchased for and deeded to the Alabama 
Indians in accordance with an act of the legislature of the State of 
Texas approved February 3, 1854, located in Polk County, Texas. 
All of the lands so conveyed shall be held by the State of Texas in 
68 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 628-AUG. 23, 1954 
769 
trust for the benefit of the Indians of the Alabama and Coushatta 
Tribes of Texas, subject to such conditions regarding management and 
use as the State of Texas may prescribe and the disposition of such 
lands shall be subject to approval of a majority of the adult members 
of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas. 
SEC. 2. Upon the conveyance to the State of Texas of the lands held 
in trust by the United States for the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes 
of Texas, the Secretary of the Interior shall publish in the Federal 
Register a proclamation declaring that the Federal trust relationship 
to such tribe and its members has terminated. Thereafter such tribe 
and its members shall not be entitled to any of the services performed 
by the United States for Indians because of their status as Indians: 
Provided^ That after the date of this Act such Indians shall be eligible 
for admission, on the same terms that apply to other Indians, to 
hospitals and schools maintained by the United States. 
SEC. 3. Effective on the date of the proclamation provided for in 
section 2 of this Act, all powers of the Secretary of the Interior or 
any other officer of the United States to take, review, or approve any 
action under the constitution and bylaws of the Alabama and 
Coushatta Tribes of Texas approved on August 19, 1938, pursuant to 
the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), are terminated. 
Any powers 
conferred upon the tribe by its constitution and bylaws that are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are terminated. 
Such 
termination shall not aifect the power of the tribe to take any action 
under its constitution and bylaws that is consistent with this Act 
without the participation of the Secretary or other officer of the 
United States in such action. 
SEC. 4. The indebtedness of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of 
Texas to the United States incurred under the provisions of the Act 
of May 29, 1928 (45 Stat. 883, 900), is canceled, effective on the date 
of the proclamation to be issued in accordance with the provisions of 
section 2 of this Act. 
SEC. 5. The corporate charter of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes 
of Texas issued pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), 
ratified on October 17, 1939, is revoked, effective on the date of the 
proclamation to be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 
2 of this Act. 
SEC. 6. On and after the date of the proclamation to be issued in 
accordance with the provisions of section 2 of this Act, all statutes of 
the United States which affect Indians because of their status as 
Indians shall no longer be applicable to the Alabama and Coushatta 
Tribes of Texas or the members thereof, except as provided in section 
2 of this Act, and the laws of the several States shall apply to the 
tribe and its members in the same manner as they apply to other 
citizens or persons within their jurisdiction. 
SEC. 7. Nothing in this Act shall aflPect the status of the members 
of the tribes as citizens of the United States. 
SEC. 8. The Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), as amended by the 
Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 387), shall not apply to the tribe and 
its members after the date of the proclamation to be issued in accord-
ance with the provisions of section 2 of this Act. 
Approved August 23, 1954. 
F e d e r a l trust 
termination. 
Pub 1 i cat ion in 
FR. 
25 u s e 461-4 79. 
Cancelation of 
indebtedness. 
Re v o c a t i o n of 
charter. 
25 u s e 461-479. 
Applicability of 
State laws. 
eitizenship sta-
tus. 
49 Stat. 378. 
25 use 461-479. 
Public Law 628 
CHAPTER 832 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
ALiithorizing the erection of a memorial gift from tlie people of tlie Netherlands. 
[H. J. Res. 356] 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
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