To require the Secretary of the Interior to offer the 181 Area of the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas leasing.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3507) to transfer certain land

in Riverside County, California, and San Diego County, California, from the Bureau of Land Management to the United States to be held in trust for the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3507 is a noncontroversial bill to transfer two parcels of public land to the Pechanga Band of Mission Indians. Located in Riverside County, California, these lands total 991 acres in size.

The lands subject to the transfer are currently administered by the Bureau of Land Management, but they contain archaeological, cultural and wildlife resources that are extremely valuable to the tribe.

In the last Congress, the Resources Committee held a hearing on a similar bill to transfer the same lands. In this hearing, both the tribe and the Interior Department testified that these lands belong in Tribal ownership.

After reporting that legislation, it was learned that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had certain concerns relating to the management and use of the lands, and Congress adjourned before the problem could be resolved. These concerns have been addressed through a memorandum of understanding between the tribe and the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the sponsor of last year's bill has introduced H.R. 3507 to reference the MOU.

Because the lands are part of the Pechanga's ancient heritage, the tribe has adopted a resolution to zone them for conservation purposes. To reinforce the Tribe's intent, this bill requires the tribe to use the properties only for the protection and preservation of cultural, archaeological and wildlife resources.

The Pechanga Tribe should be commended for seeking to care for lands that are so important to preserving the heritage of its tribal members. In this spirit, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3507.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3507, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2005.

The Pechanga Tribe has sought for years to acquire this land because of its importance as an ancestral burial site.

This bill demonstrates respect for the sovereignty of the tribe and recognizes the importance of preserving America's rich Native American Heritage.

It demonstrates respect for the sovereignty of tribes by ensuring that these lands are not

arbitrarily separated from their tribal community.

In 2002 I co-sponsored H.R. 3476 to protect the ancestral land of Great Oak Ranch because I understand the significance of these sites to both the tribe and the surrounding community.

In preserving these lands we show that we are aware of our Congressional responsibility to ensure that archaeological, historical, and cultural sites from America's Native American heritage are not taken from future generations.

We must continue the work begun today to restore and strengthen our awareness of America's rich Native American history.

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

Mr. Speaker, we on this side on the aisle again have no objection to the passage of this bill for the Pechanga Tribe of California.

Resources Committee Ranking Member Nick Rahall worked hard last Congress with the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) to have land put into trust for this tribe so they could preserve an area vital to their ceremonies and culture. We expect the tribe to manage this land in a similar manner and do not object to its consideration today.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.