Wednesday, November 17 2021 – 02:30 PM
Location: Dirksen
Room Number: 628

Note: Video feed from Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will go live shortly before 2:30pm Eastern on November 17, 2021.

• S.648, Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2021. The bill makes technical corrections to a previously enacted water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation in Nevada and Idaho in order to help the tribes recover interest that was lost on their funds held in trust at the Department of the Interior.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs took testimony on S.648 on October 6.

• S.1364, Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Recognition Act. The bill extends federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, whose relationship with the United States is currently hindered by a termination-era law. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a companion version, H.R.2758, following consideration on November 1.

• H.R.1975, Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2021. The bill places about 721 acres into trust for the Pala Band of Mission Indians. The land is located around Gregory Canyon, a sacred area in San Diego County in California that was once slated for development before the tribe started a campaign to preserve it. The House passed H.R.1975 on November 2 following consideration on November 1.

• H.R.2088, Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act. The bill places about 76 acres in Tennessee into trust for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, headquartered in North Carolina. The lands included significant cultural and historic properties that are currently managed by the federal government. The House passed H.R.2088 on November 2 following consideration on November 1.

• H.R.4881, Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act. The bill places land into trust for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and declares it to be part of the tribe’s reservation. The land is located in Tucson, Arizona, and will be eligible for gaming purposes. The House passed H.R. 4881 on November 2 following consideration on November 1.

PANEL 1
The Honorable Richard Burr
Senator
United States Senate

The Honorable Thom Tillis
Senator
United States Senate

The Honorable G. K. Butterfield
Representative
United States House of Representatives

The Honorable Darrell Issa
Representative
United States House of Representatives

PANEL 2
The Honorable Bryan Todd Newland – Testimony [PDF]
Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs
Department of the Interior
Washington, DC

The Honorable Harvey Godwin, Jr. – Testimony [PDF]
Chairman
Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina
Pembroke, North Carolina

The Honorable Robert Smith – Testimony [PDF]
Chairman
Pala Band of Mission Indians
Pala, California

The Honorable Richard Sneed – Testimony [PDF]
Principal Chief
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Cherokee, North Carolina

The Honorable Peter Yucupicio – Testimony [PDF]
Chairman
Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Tucson
Arizona

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 2:30pm Eastern. It will be webcast at indian.senate.gov.

Business Meeting to consider S. 648 & Legislative Hearing to receive testimony on S. 1364, H.R. 1975, H.R. 2088 & H.R. 4881 (November 17, 2021)