Sandia Pueblo Settlement Technical Amendment Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 611) to make a technical amendment to the T'uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Area Act, 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, S. 611 authorizes a transfer of land between the U.S. Forest Service and the Pueblo of Sandia in the State of New Mexico. The bill would complete a series of pending land exchanges that were originally authorized under a 2003 law. The exchanges were intended to resolve the Pueblo's ownership claims to Sandia Mountain and to retain certain lands and interests in public ownership as part of the Cibola National Forest.

Some of the land exchanges were not executed because of a disagreement over land valuation. In 2009, Congress attempted to resolve this matter through a technical amendment but, in the view of the Forest Service, the bill did not resolve the land valuation dispute. So, Mr. Speaker, it is hoped that round two of the technical amendments to the 2003 act will conclude the matter.

The Committee on Natural Resources has reported the House companion measure to this bill, H.R. 3605, and we have no objection to passing S. 611 in lieu of H.R. 3605.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I will advise my friend from New Mexico that I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate on October 30, 2013, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, at 2:30 p.m., to consider the following legislation: S. 235, to provide for the conveyance of certain property located in Anchorage, AK, from the United States to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium; S. 611, to make a technical amendment to the T'uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Area Act, and for other purposes; and S. 920, to allow the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in the State of Minnesota to lease or transfer certain land.

Those wishing additional information may contact the Indian Affairs Committee at (202) 224-2251.

Committee on Indian Affairs

Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate on October 30, 2013, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 1074, to extend Federal recognition to the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, the Chickahominy Indian Tribe-Eastern Division, the Upper Mattaponi Tribe, the Rappahannock Tribe, Inc., the Monacan Indian Nation, and the Nansemond Indian Tribe; S. 1132, to provide for the recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, and for other purposes; and S. 161, to extend the Federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, and for other purposes.

Those wishing additional information may contact the Indian Affairs Committee at (202) 224-2251.

Mr. President, I would like to advise you that the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a business meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 11:30 a.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the business meeting is to consider pending calendar business.

For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Abigail Campbell at (202) 224-4905.

Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate on May 8, 2013, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 434, to authorize and implement the water rights compact among the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and the State of Montana, and for other purposes, and S. 611, to make a technical amendment to the T'uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Area Act, and for other purposes.

Those wishing additional information may contact the Indian Affairs Committee at (202) 224-2251.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 299, S. 611.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.