Bill > S105

This bill aims to transfer approximately 40 acres of land at the Wounded Knee Massacre site on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to a special "restricted fee status" for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Under this status, the land will remain owned by the tribes, be part of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and subject to the tribes' jurisdiction, while also being protected from taxation, transfer without Congressional and tribal consent, and federal administrative review. The Secretary of the Interior must complete all necessary actions to transfer the land within 365 days of the bill's enactment, ensuring that existing utility rights and agreements remain in place. The land will be governed by federal laws relating to Indian lands and cannot be used for gaming activities, as specified in a covenant between the two tribes dated October 21, 2022. The bill recognizes the historical significance of the site, which is connected to the Wounded Knee Massacre of December 29, 1890, and involves tribes that were signatories to the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/105/all-info