Indianz.Com > News > Press Release: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs approves tribal bills
YouTube Murkowski, Schatz Lead Committee Passage Of Eight Bills
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Indianz.Com
The following is the text of a May 21, 2026, news release from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi), Vice Chairman of the Committee, led Committee passage of the following eight bills at a business meeting:
- S. 236, To amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the “Long-Term Leasing Act”), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes (Sen. Markey);
- S. 1513, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act (Sen. Cantwell);
- S. 2098, the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025 (Sen. Murkowski);
- S. 2735, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act (Sen. Padilla);
- H.R. 681, To amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the “Long-Term Leasing Act”), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes (Rep. Keating);
- H.R. 2302, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act (Rep. McClintock);
- H.R. 2388, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act (Rep. Randall); and
- H.R. 3620, the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025 (Rep. Begich).
“I’m proud of the bipartisan progress we made today in advancing these eight bills through committee to the Senate floor, including my bill the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025. We are now one step closer to enactment, and therefore, enabling SCF to make the needed investments in Quyana Clubhouse to expand the delivery of mental health and social services,” said Chairman Murkowski.
“These bills advance Tribal sovereignty and self-determination through Tribal decision-making over their own lands, resources, and services aligned with the needs of the members,” said Vice Chairman Schatz.
An archived video is available on the Committee website for both the business meeting and the hearing.
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