Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Land Lease or Transfer

Floor Speech

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

H.R. 487 will allow the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma to effectively manage their nontrust lands by providing relief from the Indian Nonintercourse Act. The Indian Nonintercourse Act was intended to protect Indian tribes by preventing the loss of their lands, except by treaty. Historically, the act has generally not interfered with the tribe's ability to buy, sell, or lease land that it owns in fee simple.

But uncertainties raised by the act can be a hindrance when securing purchase agreements from outside parties.

Therefore, relief from the act is at times necessary for a tribe to successfully manage their lands and to sell fee parcels that are determined to be in excess of the tribe's needs or were purchased for investment purposes.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 487 would simply allow the Miami Tribe to convey all the land that the tribe holds in fee simple without further Federal approval to facilitate those future transactions. I agree with the goals of this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Mullin for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge all Members to support H.R. 487, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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