Dancers at the Susanville Indian Rancheria powwow in May 2015. Still image from Randy Shirley / YouTube
By a voice vote, the House on Monday passed a bill to place land into trust for the Susanville Indian Rancheria of northern California. H.R.2212 affects about 300 acres of property currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The tribe plans to use the land for its powwow grounds, a cultural center, a museum and a recreational area. "The Rancheria has long ties to this land, which holds a number of cultural, historical, and archeological sites, including grinding stones, petroglyphs, and other important artifacts," Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-California) said on the House floor. "Rancheria members also gather traditional herbs, medicines, and vegetables on the land and continue to hunt game in the area as their ancestors did."
Indianz.Com SoundCloud: House Debate on H.R.2212
"The land has been classified as surplus by the BLM, which has written in support of transferring the parcel to the Rancheria, and it is adjacent, again, to the Rancheria's existing lands," LaMalfa added. The Senate version of the bill is S.1761. It was approved by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee at a business meeting on October 21.
Related Stories
Senate Indian Affairs
Committee to consider six bills at meeting (10/19) House Natural Resources Committee approves two Indian bills (10/08)
House Natural Resources Committee holds markup on Indian bills (10/07)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee weighs seven bills at hearing (10/05)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee schedules hearing on seven bills (09/28)
House subcommittee hears views on tribal and Alaska Native bills (06/11)
House panel holds hearing on three tribal and Alaska Native bills (06/09)
House subcommittee sets June 10 hearing on three Indian bills (06/03)
Join the Conversation
