Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. signed legislation to ratify an agreement that seeks to end a long-running land dispute with the Hopi Tribe.

The agreement seeks to ensure Navajo and Hopi tribal members can exercise their religious and traditional rights on land belonging to either tribe. It lifts the 40-year-old "Bennett Freeze" that prohibited construction on disputed land.

The Hopi Tribe still has to approve the deal. It will then go to the Interior Department and a federal judge for final review.

Get the Story:
President signs historic legislation (The Gallup Independent 9/30)

aSenate Bill:
Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Amendments of 2005 (S.1003)

Relevant Documents:
Hearing Before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on S. 1003, Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Amendments of 2005 (July 20, 2005)

Relevant Links:
Hopi Tribe - http://www.hopi.nsn.us
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org
Black Mesa Indigenous Support, Navajo family support site - http://www.blackmesais.org

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Deal reportedly near on Hopi-Navajo dispute (8/18)
Navajo Nation moves to fight land dispute bill (07/27)
Navajo-Hopi land conflict still stirs hard feelings (07/07)
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Listening Lounge: Hearing on Navajo-Hopi land act (6/21)
House Resources hearing on Navajo-Hopi land bill (6/20)
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McCain prods tribes, government on tribal land dispute (07/22)
Senate hearing on Navajo-Hopi land settlement bill (7/21)
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