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Floor Speech

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Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act. This bill would transfer 1.475 acres of land from the Forest Service to the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation in fee in exchange for 1,460 acres of fee land the Tribe already owns.

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, formerly known as the San Manuel Band of Indians, is a federally recognized Native American Tribe of Serrano people. Their reservation is located in San Bernardino County, CA, and their people have lived in the San Bernardino Mountains and surrounding areas for thousands of years. Today, the Tribe is known for its strong commitment to cultural preservation and philanthropy.

For years, the Tribe has been working toward a land exchange with the Forest Service, which would enable them to acquire lands that were once home to Tribal village known today as Arrowhead Springs. The Tribe has gone through the administrative process to transfer this land, but it has been expensive and time--consuming. That is why I am proud to introduce this legislation to facilitate this land transfer and allow the Tribe to manage their ancestral lands.

I want to thank Senator Schiff for cosponsoring this legislation, and I also want to thank Republican Congressman Jay Obernolte for introducing companion legislation in the House. I hope my colleagues will join me in advancing this bill in the Senate.

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