S. 5265Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Tonto Apache Land Transfer Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 7:25 PM UTC

The Tonto Apache Land Transfer Act directs the transfer of specific National Forest System parcels in Gila County, Arizona, from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of the Interior so they can be held in trust for the Tonto Apache Tribe. Once in trust, the land becomes part of the tribe’s reservation and is managed under the same rules that apply to other tribal trust lands. The bill also removes these parcels from public land, mining, and mineral‑leasing statutes, while respecting any existing easements or contracts.

Key Provisions

The Secretary of Agriculture must transfer jurisdiction over the listed forest lands to the Secretary of the Interior, who will place them in trust for the Tonto Apache Tribe.
The land parcels—totaling several thousand acres across sections 9, 10, 15‑17, 20‑21 in the Gila and Salt River Meridian—are identified for trust status.
The transferred land becomes part of the Tonto Apache Tribe’s reservation and is subject to federal laws governing tribal trust lands.
The land is withdrawn from public land entry, mining claims, and mineral or geothermal leasing, except for any valid existing rights such as easements or contracts.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 25, 2024

View full timeline

SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 25, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

September 25, 2024

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in SenateIssued September 25, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5265

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 25, 2024

Ms. Sinema (for herself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To take certain land into trust for the benefit of the Tonto Apache Tribe, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Tonto Apache Land Transfer Act.

Tonto Apache Tribe land transfer

(a)

In general

As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall transfer administrative jurisdiction over the National Forest System land described in subsection (b) to the Secretary of the Interior, who is authorized and directed to take and hold that land in trust for the benefit of the Tonto Apache Tribe.

(b)

National forest system land described

The land referred to in subsections (a) and (d) is, in T. 10 N., R. 10 E., Gila and Salt River Meridian, Gila County, Arizona—

(1)

20 acres in the S1/2 SW1/4 SW1/4 of sec. 9;

(2)

10 acres in the SW1/4 SE1/4 SW1/4 of sec. 9;

(3)

40 acres in the NE1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 10;

(4)

40 acres in the SE1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 10;

(5)

640 acres in sec. 15;

(6)

640 acres in sec. 16;

(7)

640 acres in sec. 17;

(8)

320 acres in the N1/2 of sec. 20;

(9)

20 acres in the N1/2 NW1/4 SW1/4 of sec. 20;

(10)

20 acres in the N1/2 NE1/4 SW1/4 of sec. 20;

(11)

40 acres in the NW1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 20;

(12)

40 acres in the NE1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 20;

(13)

40 acres in the SE1/4 SE1/4 of sec 20;

(14)

20 acres in the N1/2 SW1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 20;

(15)

320 acres in the N1/2 of sec. 21;

(16)

160 acres in the SW1/4 of sec. 21;

(17)

40 acres in the NW1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 21; and

(18)

10 acres in the NW1/4 SW1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 21.

(c)

Reservation status

The land taken into trust under subsection (a) shall be—

(1)

part of the Reservation of the Tonto Apache Tribe; and

(2)

administered in accordance with the laws and regulations generally applicable to land held in trust by the United States for an Indian Tribe.

(d)

Withdrawal

Subject to all valid existing rights, including easements, rights-of-way, contracts, and management agreements, the land described in subsection (b) is withdrawn from all forms of—

(1)

entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws;

(2)

location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and

(3)

disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials.