II
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 616
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 1, 2023
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.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Technical Corrections Act of 2023
.
Transfer of additional Federal land
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:
does not intend immediately to modify the use of the Federal land.
.
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—
in subsection (b)(1)—
in subparagraph (A)—
by striking means the approximately
and inserting “means—
the approximately
;
in clause (i) (as so designated), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
by adding at the end the following:
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 consent of a majority of the rightful landowners.
; and
in subparagraph (B)—
by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as clauses (ii) and (iii), respectively; and
by inserting before clause (ii) (as so redesignated) the following:
any land transferred pursuant to an agreement entered into between the Secretary and the Tribe under subsection (c)(2);
;
in subsection (c)—
in paragraph (1), by striking paragraph (2)
and inserting paragraphs (2) and (3)
;
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
Agreement
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 that are found to be unsuitable for the future uses of the Tribe.
Frequency of transfers
Pursuant to an agreement entered into under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may transfer land to the Tribe on a rolling basis as that land is identified and surveys are completed.
Final agency action
An agreement described in subparagraph (A), and any transfer of land made pursuant to an agreement entered into under that subparagraph, shall be considered a final agency action under subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of title 5, United States Code.
; and
in subsection (d)—
in paragraph (1)—
in subparagraph (A), by inserting described in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)
after Federal land
; and
in subparagraph (B), 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,
;
in paragraph (2)—
by striking map and legal description
and inserting maps and legal descriptions
; and
by striking map or legal description
and inserting maps or legal descriptions
; and
in paragraph (3), by striking map and legal description
and inserting maps and legal descriptions
.