Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1975, the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act.

This bill would place approximately 721 acres of land located in San Diego, California, into trust for the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

As Ms. Leger Fernandez said, gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is prohibited on the lands to be placed into trust by this legislation. In the early 1990s, San Diego, California, voters approved a plan to establish the Gregory Canyon landfill project, but the landfill process fell into bankruptcy and the development company sold a portion of the land to the Tribe for cultural preservation. The Tribe is now requesting to have that land placed into trust to be part of the Tribe's reservation.

I want to thank Mr. Issa for his leadership on this issue, and I again urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his advocacy on the part of his constituents. I do again urge adoption of this.

I am ready to close, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I do want to thank Representative Issa, Representative Westerman, and Chair Grijalva for moving this bipartisan bill forward and taking the action that is required at this time to ensure that the Pala Band of Indians can, indeed, control this land for their sacred and cultural sites.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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