Senate Passes Albuquerque Indian School Land Transfer Act

Statement

U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), praised the Senate's passage of S. 986, the "Albuquerque Indian School Land Transfer Act." This bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to take into trust four parcels of federal land for the benefit of certain Indian Pueblos in the State of New Mexico. S. 986 was sponsored by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM). It passed out of the SCIA on May 13, 2015. The bill will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.

"This bill is yet another example of the Senate coming together to get things accomplished for Native communities," said Chairman Barrasso. "These Indian Pueblos sought legislative action and I am glad the Senate responded. I urge the House of Representatives to take up this measure soon."

"This bill will help New Mexico's Pueblos move forward with positive economic development plans on the land adjacent to the Pueblo Cultural Center," said Senator Udall. "It places four tracts of land from the former Albuquerque Indian School into trust for the All Indian Pueblo Council, consolidating the last parcels of the old school property into the Albuquerque Indian School District. Doing so enables the Pueblos to build on their ongoing efforts to transform the property into a unique business and cultural center that will help create jobs and enhance cultural education opportunities for the Pueblos, the city of Albuquerque and the state of New Mexico."

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