Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2005

PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO MISSION INDIANS LAND TRANSFER ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - November 15, 2005)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer H.R. 3507, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2005, for final passage in the House. This bill will transfer approximately 990 acres of land currently being held by the Bureau of Land Management to the United States to be held in trust for the Pechanga tribe as apart of their reservation.

The Pechanga people have called the Temecula Valley, which is located in my district, their home for more than 10,000 years. They like to say that they have governed themselves and cared for their lands since time immemorial.

This bill transfers into trust land that has immense historical, archaeological, and cultural significance for the Pechanga tribe. It also includes a memorandum of understanding that has been agreed upon by the Pechanga Tribe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This M.O.U. provides restrictions that limit the use of this land to only preservation, protection and maintenance of its historical and cultural artifacts and its resources.

It is widely agreed that the BLM currently has more land in its possession than it can properly care for and maintain. I view the opportunity to return this mostly rocky hillside area to those who are willing and have the resources to provide proper maintenance and care for the land.

Mr. Speaker, the Pechanga have done an exemplary job of integrating and investing in their community, both on their reservation land and beyond. They have been good neighbors to the City of Temecula, and have demonstrated that they can properly care for and maintain Federal land transferred to their care.

I hope that my colleagues will join me today in voting to pass this bill out of the House.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov