To repeal section 2141 of the Revised Statutes to remove the prohibition on certain alcohol manufacturing on Indian lands.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by saying thank you to the members of the Natural Resources Committee and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for helping move this bill forward in a truly bipartisan manner.

My bill, H.R. 5317, repeals the antiquated 19th century law--from 1834, to be exact--that prohibits distilleries on Tribal lands. This prohibition was enacted at a time when the Federal Government took a more paternalistic stance with Indian Tribes. While many of the provisions in the larger statute have since been repealed, somehow the distillery prohibition remains.

This issue came to my attention from the Chehalis Tribe from my home in southwest Washington. The Chehalis began the permitting process for a new economic development project on reservation land, which includes the construction and operation of a distillery.

In the midst of the project, they were made aware of the 1834 law from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, who suggested that the Tribe move their project off their land or contact their Member of Congress and change the law. When they contacted me and told me what they were up against, I got to work.

I am pleased to put this bill forward today to help place Indian Tribes on equal footing with non-Tribal citizens by allowing them to pursue the very same economic opportunities as everybody else. This repeal enables Tribes to diversify their economic investments and helps provide jobs not just for Tribes, but for neighboring communities as well.

This is a matter of fairness, Mr. Speaker. Washington, D.C., shouldn't be in the business of telling Indian Country it cannot engage in a business that is allowed everywhere else and is actually helping many neighboring areas, in terms of revitalizing their local economy.

Lastly, and to be clear, while this bill provides additional opportunities for Tribes, it does not provide special treatment. Tribes will still be required to follow State and Federal liquor laws and regulations, just as they currently do for breweries and wineries.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my fellow Members to vote in favor of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5317 is simple and straightforward. It repeals an antiquated law that stands in the way of a Tribal economic development project.

The law in question dates back to 1834, and it prohibits the operation of a distillery on Indian lands. On their face, these types of outdated laws may seem trivial, but they have real-world consequences.

The Chehalis Tribe in Washington began the permitting process for the construction and operation of an economic development project, which includes a craft distillery, when they came up against the 1834 law. The project is a great economic development opportunity, one that will create jobs and revenue not only for the Chehalis Tribe, but for the surrounding communities as well. However, in order for the Tribe to proceed with the project, the prohibition must first be removed.

Mr. Speaker, I support the goals of H.R. 5317 and urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5317) to repeal section 2141 of the Revised Statutes to remove the prohibition on certain alcohol manufacturing on Indian lands, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Herrera Beutler).

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 650, H.R. 5317.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.