S. 2796Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act

Introduced September 11, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM UTC

This bill authorizes a land swap in San Bernardino County, California, between the federally recognized Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and the U.S. government. About 1,460 acres owned by the tribe would be traded for roughly 1,475 acres of National Forest land, with the Forest Service keeping road easements. The exchange also requires the tribe to protect a historic Arrowhead landmark and makes the transferred land part of the national forest system.

Key Provisions

  • The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation can offer its roughly 1,460 acres of land to the U.S. government, and the Secretary of Agriculture (through the Forest Service) must accept the offer and exchange it for about 1,475 acres of National Forest land within 120 days.
  • The exchange includes an easement for Forest Service road access on the federal land, and the tribe must pay for the surveys that define the exact boundaries of both parcels.
  • Minor boundary adjustments and corrections to maps or acreage estimates can be made by mutual agreement, and the final maps will be kept on public file at the Forest Service regional office.
  • Within 120 days of the law’s enactment, the tribe must sign an agreement to preserve the historic Arrowhead landmark on the exchanged federal land, and that agreement will be recorded with San Bernardino County and the Forest Service.
  • All land the Forest Service receives becomes part of the San Bernardino National Forest and will be managed under existing forest laws and regulations; the exchange is exempt from certain FLPMA requirements.

Legislative Activity

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

2 earlier actions
SenateCommittee Latest Action

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

June 3, 2026

View full timeline
SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 11, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6578)

September 11, 2025

SenateCommittee

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

June 3, 2026

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about S. 2796 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats
Alex Padilla
Sen. Alex PadillaD-CA · Sep 11, 2025

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act. This bill would transfer 1.475 acres of land from the Forest Service to the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel…

Alex Padilla
Sen. Alex PadillaD-CA · Sep 11, 2025

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act. This bill would transfer 1.475 acres of land from the Forest Service to the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel…

Richard J. Durbin
Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Sep 11, 2025

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

John Barrasso
Sen. John BarrassoR-WY · Sep 11, 2025

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Introduced in SenateIssued September 11, 2025

II

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2796

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 11, 2025

Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

A BILL

To provide for a land exchange in San Bernardino County, California, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act.

2.

Exchange of land

(a)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Federal Land

The term Federal Land means the approximately 1,475 acres of National Forest System land (including any and all easements, subsurface rights, hereditaments, improvements, and appurtenances thereon and thereto) depicted as F–1 and F–2 on the Federal Land Maps.

(2)

Federal Land Maps

The term Federal Land Maps means the maps entitled—

(A)

San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange, San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 1 of 2), created July 8, 2022, revised January 10, 2023; and

(B)

San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange, San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 2 of 2), created July 8, 2022, revised January 10, 2023.

(3)

Nation

The term Nation means the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, a federally recognized tribe, also recognized as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

(4)

Non-Federal Land

The term Non-Federal Land means the approximately 1,460 acres of land (including any and all easements, subsurface rights, hereditaments, improvements, and appurtenances thereon and thereto) owned by the Nation and depicted on the Non-Federal Land Maps as NF–1, NF–2, NF–3, NF–4a, and NF–5.

(5)

Non-Federal Land Maps

The term Non-Federal Land Maps means the maps entitled—

(A)

San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 1 of 4), created March 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023;

(B)

San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 2 of 4), created March 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023;

(C)

San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 3 of 4), created March 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023; and

(D)

San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 4 of 4), created July 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023.

(6)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

(b)

Land exchange

Subject to the provisions of this section, if the Nation offers to convey to the United States all right, title, and interest of the Nation in and to the Non-Federal Land, the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable within the 120-day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary receives such offer—

(1)

accept the offer; and

(2)

convey to the Nation all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Federal Land, excepting and reserving an easement for access and use by the Forest Service any portion of Forest Service roads 1N22, 1N24, and 1N25 located on the Federal Land.

(c)

Survey

(1)

Federal land

The exact acreage and legal description of the Federal Land to be conveyed under subsection (b) shall be determined by a survey reasonably satisfactory to the Secretary and the Nation.

(2)

Non-Federal land

(A)

In general

The exact acreage and legal description of the Non-Federal Land to be conveyed under subsection (b) shall be determined by a survey reasonably satisfactory to the Secretary and the Nation.

(B)

Cost

The cost of the survey in subparagraph (A) shall be borne by the Nation.

(d)

Maps, estimates, and descriptions

(1)

Minor error

The Secretary and the Nation may, by mutual agreement—

(A)

make minor boundary adjustments to the land to be exchanged under subsection (b); and

(B)

correct any minor errors in any map, acreage estimate, or description of the land to be exchanged under subsection (b).

(2)

Conflict

If there is a conflict between a map, acreage estimate, or description of any land to be exchanged under subsection (b), the map shall control unless the Secretary and the Nation mutually agree otherwise.

(3)

Availability of maps

The Federal Land Map and the Non-Federal Land Map shall be kept on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Regional Forester, Pacific Southwest Region, United States Forest Service, or any other appropriate office of the Forest Service, as determined by the Secretary.

(e)

Arrowhead Landmark preservation

(1)

Agreement

As a condition of the conveyance under subsection (b), not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Nation shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary under which the Nation agrees to preserve, to an extent mutually agreed upon, the historical and cultural integrity of the Arrowhead landmark site denoted on the Federal Land Maps as Arrowhead Landmark GA.

(2)

Records

The agreement entered into under paragraph (1) shall be recorded in the official records of the County of San Bernardino, California, and in an appropriate records system of the Forest Service, as determined by the Secretary.

(f)

Management of land

Land acquired by the Secretary under this section shall become part of the San Bernardino National Forest and be managed in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to such National Forest.

(g)

Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976

The land exchange under subsection (b) is not subject to section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716).