U.S. House OKs Reservation Act amendment

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives passed on Monday, Jan. 13, an amendment to the 1988 Grand Ronde Reservation Act that would streamline how the Tribe takes land into trust.

Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno testified before the House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs in support of the amendment in May 2013 and during the previous Congress in July 2012.

The legislation, H.R. 841, was introduced by Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader and received bipartisan support from the entire Oregon congressional delegation.

"The bureaucratic process that the Grand Ronde Tribe faces in re-acquiring their reservation lands is nightmarishly slow and costly," Schrader said in a press release. "My bill will not only accelerate this process, saving the Tribe time and money, but also will streamline the process at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, saving taxpayer money."

"The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde wants to express its deep appreciation for the hard work of Congressman Schrader, his staff and all of the Oregon delegation for their support and diligence in advancing this important piece of legislation," Leno said.

"This legislation is supported by the commissioners in Polk and Yamhill counties, who, like us, are focused on making their governments more efficient and using their revenues more wisely. This legislation will enable the Tribe to more efficiently move the land it owns into reservation status, which is historically a very complex and time-consuming process.

"The Tribe and its neighboring counties continue to work cooperatively as partners in this and other matters that improve the quality of life for our members and the people of the West Valley."

The amendment seeks to end the current two-step process that requires the Grand Ronde Tribe take each piece of former reservation land into trust with approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and then request the land be designated reservation land by Congress.

The amendment would allow the Grand Ronde Tribe to combine the two-step process for real property that is within the boundaries of its original reservation established in 1857.

"The Tribe is hampered in its efforts to restore land within its original reservation by a lengthy and cumbersome Bureau of Indian Affairs process," Leno said while testifying before the House in May 2013. "After it acquires a parcel in fee, the Tribe must prepare a fee-to-trust application package for the BIA. Then BIA processes the application as an 'on-reservation acquisition' or an 'off-reservation acquisition.'

"Because the Tribe does not have exterior reservation boundaries (instead, it has distinct parcels deemed reservation through legislation), all parcels are processed under the more rigorous off-reservation acquisition regulations - even if the parcel is located within the boundaries of the original reservation.

"After the land is accepted into trust, the Tribe must take an additional step of amending its Reservation Act through federal legislation to include the trust parcels in order for land to be deemed reservation land. Grand Ronde has been forced to come to the U.S. Congress three times in the last 20 years to amend its Reservation Act to secure reservation status for its trust lands. This process is unduly time-consuming, expensive and bureaucratic, and often takes years to complete."

In addition, the House-approved amendment prohibits the use of any land taken into trust to be used for any gaming activity unless it is within two miles of Spirit Mountain Casino.

Leno said passage of the legislation will save the Tribe and federal government time and money by streamlining the process.

"Polk County appreciates Representative Schrader's efforts to pass legislation of importance to the Grand Ronde Tribe," said Polk County Commissioner Jennifer Wheeler. "Polk County has been supportive of the legislation and is pleased to see it passed by the House of Representatives. Polk County continues to appreciate the Grand Ronde Tribe as an integral community partner."

A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate in February 2013 by Oregon Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden. Now that the amendment has passed the House, the Senate will more than likely take it under consideration, said Tribal lobbyist William Hollier.