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S642119th CongressWALLET

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Land Claim Settlement Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

Passed Senate

Summary

Settles Keweenaw Bay Indian Community land claims with a one-time federal payment. It compensates the Community for past losses of use of designated Swamp and Canal Lands and aims to clear title disputes around those lands.

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  • Keweenaw Bay Indian Community: A one-time federal transfer of $33.9 million will fund government services, economic development, natural-resources protection, or land acquisition. The funds cannot be used to acquire land for gaming.
  • Current non-Community landowners: The Community's claims to the specified Reservation Swamp and Reservation Canal Lands are extinguished upon payment. Current owners' titles are cleared of prior Community rights.
  • Federal and state exposures and gaming limits: The Act extinguishes potential Community claims against the United States and the State for these lands. The Secretary may not take lands into trust for gaming and lands bought with the settlement may not be used for gaming.

*Authorizes a one-time federal payment of $33.9 million, increasing federal spending by $33.9 million.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

One-time $33.9 million for the Community

If enacted, the bill would authorize $33.9 million for fiscal year 2026, to stay available until spent. Once the money is available, the Interior Department would transfer a one-time $33.9 million payment to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community as soon as practicable. The Secretary of the Interior would be allowed to take needed steps to carry out the settlement.

Community could use funds, no gaming

If enacted, the Community would be able to spend the settlement money on lawful uses like government services, economic development, natural resources protection, and buying land. The Community would not be allowed to buy land for gaming or use land bought with these funds for gaming. The Secretary would also not be allowed to take land into trust for gaming for the Community.

Clears titles and ends old land claims

If the Community receives the payment, on that date, current owners’ titles to the Reservation Swamp Lands and Reservation Canal Lands would be cleared of any Community rights. On the same date, the Community’s claims to those privately owned lands would end.

Defines which lands the settlement covers

If enacted, the bill would define which lands the settlement covers. “Reservation Canal Lands” would mean 1,333.25 to 2,720 acres inside the L’Anse Indian Reservation that the federal government gave to the State under the 1852 Act. “Reservation Swamp Lands” would mean 2,743 acres inside the Reservation that the federal government gave to the State between 1893 and 1937 under the Swamp Land Act.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

MI • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 2/19/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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