House Committee on Natural Resources
Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs
Legislative Hearing on H.R. 681, H.R. 3654, H.R. 3903, H.R. 3925, H.R. 4463
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | 2:00 PM

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On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

H.R.681, A bill to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), both in Massachusetts. Similar bills have been enacted into law for other Indian nations who want to make decisions affecting their lands without seeking federal approval for every action.

H.R.3654, the Tribal Emergency Response Resources Act, or the TERRA Act. The bill establishes a government-wide framework to help tribes address climate change, natural disasters and other extreme weather events.

H.R.3903, the Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025. The bill authorizes a land exchange between the federal government and Chugach Alaska Corporation, a Alaska Native corporation whose communities were impacted by the Exxon Valdez oil spill on March 24, 1989.

H.R.3925, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act. The bill authorizes a land exchange between the federal government and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. The tribe would receive about 1,475 of federal forest land in southern California. The United States would receive about 1,460 acres from the tribe. The land exchange has been under consideration by the U.S. Forest Service.

H.R.4463, a bill to amend the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993. The bill ensures the Catawba Nation can make decisions affecting its membership criteria without conditions that were enacted into law more than three decades ago.

Panel I (Members of Congress)
The Honorable Nick Begich

The Honorable Emily Randall

The Honorable Jay Obernolte

Panel II (Administration Witnesses)
Mr. Bryan Mercier [H.R.681, H.R.3654, H.R.3925, and H.R.4463] [Testimony | CV]
Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs
U.S. Department of the Interior
Washington, D.C.

Mr. John Crockett [H.R.3903 and H.R.3925] [Testimony | Truth in Testimony | CV]
Deputy Chief for State, Private, and Tribal Forestry
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington, D.C

Panel III (Outside Experts)
The Hon. Brian Harris [H.R.4463] [Testimony | Truth in Testimony | CV]
Chief
Catawba Nation
Rock Hill, South Carolina

The Hon. Cheryl Andrews-Maltais [Minority Witness] [H.R.681] [Testimony | Truth in Testimony | CV]
Chairwoman
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
Aquinnah, Massachusetts

Ms. Sheri Buretta [H.R.3903] [Testimony | Truth in Testimony | CV]
Chairman of the Board
Chugach Alaska Corporation
Anchorage, Alaska

The Hon. Quintin Swanson [Minority Witness] [H.R.3654] [Testimony | Truth in Testimony | CV]
Chairman
Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
Tokeland, Washington

Mr. Joe Maarango [H.R.3925] [Testimony | Truth in Testimony | CV]
Councilman
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation
Highland, California

Legislative Hearing on H.R. 681, H.R. 3654, H.R. 3903, H.R. 3925, H.R. 4463 (September 9, 2025)