H.R. 1975 – Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 12:33 AM UTC

The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to place about 721 acres of land in San Diego County into trust for the Pala Band of Mission Indians, adding it to the Pala Indian Reservation. The tribe must transfer title to the land, and the Secretary must complete the trust acquisition within 180 days. The act confirms that existing tribal land claims, water rights, and easements are unchanged, and it bars any gaming activities on the newly transferred land.

Key Provisions

The tribe must convey title of the approximately 721.12‑acre Gregory Canyon property to the United States, after which the Secretary of the Interior must place the land into trust for the tribe within 180 days.
The transferred land becomes part of the Pala Indian Reservation and is administered under the standard laws and regulations that apply to trust lands for Indian tribes.
The act does not affect any pre‑existing tribal rights to land, water, or existing rights‑of‑way or use that were in place before the law’s enactment.
The tribe is prohibited from conducting any gaming activities on the newly transferred trust land, regardless of claimed inherent authority or federal gaming regulations.

Legislative Activity

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20 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 431.

June 23, 2022

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 17, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

March 17, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.

Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee

May 17, 2021

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Discharged.

Natural Resources Committee

October 13, 2021

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Natural Resources Committee

October 13, 2021

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.

Natural Resources Committee

October 13, 2021

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-163.

Natural Resources Committee

November 1, 2021

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 118.

November 1, 2021

HouseFloor

Ms. Leger Fernandez moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

November 1, 2021 • 4:31 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6043-6044)

November 1, 2021 • 4:31 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1975.

November 1, 2021 • 4:31 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

November 1, 2021 • 4:40 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6094-6095)

November 2, 2021 • 1:40 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 397 - 25 (Roll no. 342).(text: 11/1/2021 CR H6043)

View vote Passed

November 2, 2021 • 2:19 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 397 - 25 (Roll no. 342). (text: 11/1/2021 CR H6043)

View vote Passed

November 2, 2021 • 2:19 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

November 2, 2021 • 2:19 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Indian Affairs Committee

November 3, 2021

SenateCommittee

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-115.

Indian Affairs Committee

November 17, 2021

SenateCommittee

Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Indian Affairs Committee

April 6, 2022

SenateCommittee

Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Schatz without amendment. With written report No. 117-126.

Indian Affairs Committee

June 23, 2022

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 431.

June 23, 2022

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

November 2, 2021 at 2:16 PM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

397 - 25

Floor Debate

5 members

What members said about H.R. 1975 on the floor

4 Republicans1 Democrat

Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-50 · Nov 1, 2021

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. As the chair and ranking member said, this is bipartisan, and I am sure will be bicameral, and, in fact, it is necessary because not only is H.R.…

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. As the chair and ranking member said, this is bipartisan, and I am sure will be bicameral, and, in fact, it is necessary because not only is H.R. 1975 necessary in order to put land in trust, but we, for more than 20 years now, have had to put most land that gets into trust in trust because of action by the Congress.

I want to take this opportunity on behalf of the 18 Tribes that I represent and have represented for most of my 20 years in Congress and say that this is the kind of bill that I hope we will pass further legislation to make unnecessary. The essential right of our first people to reclaim their ancestral land and have it placed into trust on a pro forma basis, on a nearly automatic basis, should not require action by Congress time and time again.

The Pala Band of Indians had to buy this land at their own expense in order to gift it, essentially, to the Federal Government. They do so because of the importance of their ancestral land and their pride in the people they are and the people they have been since before man, Western man, walked into California and disrupted their lives.

So I am proud that, once again, we are putting land in trust. I am proud of the Pala Indians who worked for more than 30 years to recapture this land, to keep it from being effectively taken away in perpetuity. They have done the right thing.

They have reinvested their hard-earned money, in fact, on putting, for their nearly 1,000 members, together a future of Tribal land in which the public can be aware will be taken care of better than it was under private land.

It is interesting to me that, in fact, we have had to get assurances that the Tribe would not use this for gaming, which is understood. But the idea that they cannot use it--they do not, in fact, regain their water rights that they historically would have, and others--quite frankly, is a giveaway that should not be necessary.

I am happy to take the opportunity to thank the chairman and ranking member, but I ask that we really take a hard look at the inefficiency of the system that has caused every single land in trust that has been done for my 18 Tribes, or many of my 18 Tribes over 20 years, to require this action.

I believe we should streamline the process to make the bias in favor of the Tribe's right to reclaim their land, to place it, in fact, into what is trust land, which is another name for it belongs to the Federal Government even though it has been bought out of the hardworking representatives in my district; in this case, Pala.

So I want to thank the gentleman for moving this. I believe this is noncontroversial. I know I brought up a point that is more controversial which is getting the bureaucracy to do a job they should do on behalf of Tribes throughout the United States. As somebody who has been honored to represent much of Indian Country in California, I hope I speak accurately for all 18 Tribes that they believe that what was theirs and is theirs again, should be placed in trust as soon as possible.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Rep. Teresa Leger FernandezD-NM-3 · Nov 1, 2021

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1975) to take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians,…

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1975) to take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 1975, the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2021, introduced by Representative Issa from California, will direct the Secretary of the Interior to take 721.12 acres of land into trust for the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians is located in northern San Diego County with 918 enrolled members. Members of the Pala Band belong to the Cupeno and Luiseno Tribes who were forced together by Spanish Franciscan missionaries during the 1800s.

The Pala Band recently purchased property that includes the remaining portion of Gregory Mountain that is not on the existing Pala Band Reservation and other sacred and culturally significant sites in Gregory Canyon. The land was purchased to protect and preserve Gregory Mountain, Medicine Rock, and other sites considered sacred by Luiseno Tribes.

Taking land into trust is an integral part of the government-to- government relationship between the U.S. Government and Tribal governments. By maintaining Tribal lands, Tribal governments can protect and preserve their ancestral homelands or sacred sites considered culturally significant.

This bill takes 721.12 acres into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band, ensuring that the sacred sites and cultural history located on those lands will be honored appropriately and safeguarded. The bill also stipulates that current

land and water rights are not affected by its enactment, nor are any rights-of-way or rights of use that are currently permitted.

Lastly, the Pala Band may not conduct any gaming activities on the land.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank Representative Issa for championing this bipartisan legislation, and I urge its quick adoption. I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I do want to thank Representative Issa, Representative Westerman, and Chair Grijalva for moving this bipartisan bill forward and taking the action that is required at this time to ensure that the Pala Band of Indians can, indeed, control this land for their sacred and cultural sites.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Tom EmmerR-MN-6 · Nov 2, 2021

Madam Speaker, I was regrettably unable to vote on November 2, 2021. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on all the day's legislation: rollcall No. 342 (H.R. 1975), rollcall No. 343 (H.R.…

Rep. Bruce WestermanR-AR-4 · Nov 1, 2021

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1975, the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act. This bill would place approximately 721…

Rep. Chip RoyR-TX-21 · Nov 1, 2021

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued June 23, 2022

II

Calendar No. 431

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 1975

[Report No. 117–126]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 3, 2021

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

June 23, 2022

Reported by Mr. Schatz, without amendment

AN ACT

To take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2021.

2.

Transfer of land in trust for the Pala Band of Mission Indians

(a)

Transfer and administration

(1)

Transfer of lands into trust

If, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Tribe transfers title to the land referred to in subsection (b) to the United States, the Secretary, not later than 180 days after such transfer, shall take that land into trust for the benefit of the Tribe.

(2)

Administration

The land transferred under paragraph (1) shall be part of the Pala Indian Reservation and administered in accordance with the laws and regulations generally applicable to land held in trust by the United States for an Indian Tribe.

(b)

Land description

The land referred to in subsection (a)(1) is the approximately 721.12 acres of land located in San Diego County, California, generally depicted as Gregory Canyon Property Boundary on the map titled Pala Gregory Canyon Property Boundary and Parcels.

(c)

Rules of construction

Nothing in this Act shall—

(1)

enlarge, impair, or otherwise affect any right or claim of the Tribe to any land or interest in land that is in existence before the date of the enactment of this Act;

(2)

affect any water right of the Tribe in existence before the date of the enactment of this Act; or

(3)

terminate or limit any access in any way to any right-of-way or right-of-use issued, granted, or permitted before the date of the enactment of this Act.

(d)

Restricted use of transferred lands

The Tribe may not conduct, on the land taken into trust for the Tribe pursuant to this Act, gaming activities—

(1)

as a matter of claimed inherent authority; or

(2)

under any Federal law, including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and regulations promulgated by the Secretary or the National Indian Gaming Commission under that Act.

(e)

Definitions

For the purposes of this section:

(1)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(2)

Tribe

The term Tribe means the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

June 23, 2022

Reported without amendment