To provide that, in establishing wage schedules for certain prevailing rate employees with respect to whom the Government is currently experiencing recruitment and retention problems, rates of pay for comparable positions in the nearest, most similar wage area shall be taken into account.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 246) to provide that certain Bureau of Land Management land shall be held in trust for the Pueblo of Santa Clara and the Pueblo of San Ildefonso in the State of New Mexico.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is a New Mexico day on the floor of the House, and my colleague and I are here to recommend that Senate 246 be passed. It places 4,484 acres of Federal land managed by the Bureau of Lands Management in trust for two pueblos in the State of New Mexico. Specifically 2,484 acres will be added to the Santa Clara Reservation and 2,000 acres to the San Ildefonso Reservation.

The gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) and the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson) are cosponsors of H.R. 508, the House companion to this noncontroversial measure. The lands being transferred to the pueblos are basically surplus land that the BLM has classified as ``disposal property.'' These lands are situated between the two pueblos in a manner that is not conducive to public access or use, and they are difficult for the BLM to manage. In fact, there has reportedly been almost no use of these lands except by the pueblos for cultural purposes.

While the lands are deemed to be disposable property in the eyes of the Federal Government, they are valuable in the hearts of the two pueblos which have always asserted rights to them. Congress will be restoring land to the pueblos claimed as their ancestral homelands before the European settlers arrived. Recognizing the cultural, traditional, and religious importance of the land of the pueblos, the bill forbids any new commercial development as of the date of enactment. Otherwise, the pueblos will have control over managing the property for its intended purposes.

The bill specifies which lands are to be transferred based on an agreement worked out between the two pueblos. The transfer is subject to any valid existing rights, and there is a provision to ensure that enactment does not affect any pending land plans by the pueblos.

Similar legislation had been considered in the last Congress. It is supported by local governments in New Mexico and by the administration. We should ensure it is finally sent to the President after we pass it today.

Mr. Speaker I reserve the balance of my time.

(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

As I was listening to my colleague from New Mexico, I am completely unfamiliar with the previous attempts to pass this legislation, and though I do not take credit for it, I am glad to be a part of breaking this logjam and getting this legislation to the next level.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in strong support of S. 246, a bill declaring that the United States hold certain Bureau of Land Management land in trust for the pueblos of San Ildefonso and Santa Clara in New Mexico. I originally introduced a similar bill in the 107th Congress and introduced H.R. 507, companion legislation to S. 246, at the beginning of the 108th Congress. Last Congress, Senators Domenici and Jeff Bingaman sponsored the Senate companion and were successful in incorporating it into S. 2711, the Indian Programs Reauthorization and Technical Amendments Act of 2002, during the closing days of the 107th Congress.

Unfortunately, the House was unable to take up this legislation prior to its adjournment. Accordingly, I am delighted today that the House will finally have the opportunity to vote on this important legislation.

S. 246 will formally restore control and tribal authority of nearly 4,500 acres of remote surplus Federal property to the two Pueblos. This land is culturally significant to San Ildefonso and Santa Clara. The bill will transfer roughly 2,000 acres of land located within its aboriginal domain to the San Ildefonso Pueblo and approximately 2,484 acres to Santa Clara's Pueblo aboriginal lands will also be transferred to that Pueblo.

This transfer is the result of years of negotiations between the two Pueblos and between the Pueblos and the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management.

The Pueblos intend to maintain the natural quality of the land and restore the health of the ecosystem of their traditional ancestral lands. In addition, the lands will be used for ceremonial and other traditional purposes.

Finally, the acquisition and transfer of these remote, surplus Federal lands has the support of the surrounding communities and other groups. Specifically, this includes the Counties of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos. It also has the support of the National Congress of American Indians, the National Audubon Society's New Mexico State office, the Quivira Coalition and the Santa Fe Group of the Sierra Club.

Once again, I am very pleased that we have the opportunity to pass this important legislation. I ask all of my colleagues today to support the return of this culturally significant land to the people of the San Ildefonso and Santa Clara Pueblos, and I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) for his participation on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, having no additional speakers, we yield back the balance of our time.