TheWeekInCongress.com (TM)

Week Ending September 15, 2006

S.1773 A bill to resolve certain Native American claims in New Mexico, and for other purposes.

The Pueblo de San Ildefonso have been located in northern New Mexico for hundreds of years evidenced by Spain’s land grant to them in 1705. The land grant was smaller than the land the native Americans already managed. Some of the ‘extra’ land was granted to others. Over time the US government also recognized them but chipped away at their land, too.

Such slights are not forgotten and in 1951 the Pueblo filed claims for damages over lost land and the US failure to deal with them fairly by standards recognized by law. The claim was that the US took the land in three ways: conveyances to third parties, the establishment of the Jemez Forest Reserve in 1905 and by including portions in the New Mexico grazing district in 1941. US court confirmed the claims despite the US dispute of the dates of the takings.

A testimony to the slow grinding gears of the federal courts, the matter was turned over to the US Court of Federal Claims in 1978. Now, nearly thirty years later the matter is to be settled by Congress.

In years negotiations the Pueblos opted for getting their land back and a settlement agreement was created to provide 7,100 acres of land that is now parcel to the Santa Fe National Forest System. The cash payment is to be $6.9 million after which all claims against the US by the Pueblo will be considered satisfied. From the $6.9 million the Pueblos are to take $3.1 million to by the 7,100 acres of forest land back but the land must remain with the US in trust for the Pueblo. The Secretary of Agriculture is to take the $3.1 million and buy more land for the forest system.

The bill also provides the Pueblo with a 90 day option to buy another 740 acres for $310,000. Another 425 acre tract in Los Alamos, NM could be purchased for $500,000.

Roadways must remain open on the land including those two the COPAR mine from which pumice is extracted.

Sponsor: Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent May 25, 2006. Passed House by voice vote September 13, 2006

Cost to the taxpayers: About $7 million.

## All Rights Reserved. © 2006 TheWeekInCongress.com(TM)

No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)