Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Land Lease or Transfer

Floor Speech

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 487) to allow the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma to lease or transfer certain lands.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 487 is a noncontroversial, one-page bill that would exempt lands held in fee by the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma from the limitations imposed by the Indian Nonintercourse Act. According to the tribe, these limitations may hinder economic development.

Specifically, H.R. 487 would allow the tribe to lease, sell, convey, warrant, or transfer all or any portion of interest in any real property not held in trust for the tribe. The bill also states that the legislation does not authorize the tribe to lease, sell, convey, warrant, or otherwise transfer all or any portion of any interest in any real property that is held in trust.

In accordance with the expressed wishes of the tribe's leadership, Congressman Markwayne Mullin, who represents the tribe in the House, sponsored H.R. 487. The Department of the Interior supports this bill, which passed the Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent earlier this year.

I commend my colleague from Oklahoma for his hard work, and I urge my colleagues to pass the bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would urge adoption of the measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Source