Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 504 would amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to expand the boundaries of the Miccosukee Reserved Area within the Everglades National Park. This expansion would ensure that the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida can access the Osceola Camp, a historic Tribal village that was, unfortunately, excluded from the original reserved area, without requiring the Tribe to obtain special use permits.

H.R. 504 would also direct the Department of the Interior to implement needed flood control measures to protect homes and structures within this village.

For centuries, the Miccosukee Tribe's way of life has been challenged through forced relocation, damage to wetland drainage projects, and the need to acquire special use permits to reside in their own villages.

In 1998, Congress established the Miccosukee Reserved Area, granting the Tribe rights to much of their ancestral lands within the park while supporting environmental restoration. However, not all of the Tribe's villages were included within the reserved area.

H.R. 504 would correct this oversight by incorporating Osceola Camp into the reserved area, a critical step toward honoring Tribal sovereignty, addressing ongoing governance concerns and environmental challenges.

This bill underscores the importance of righting historical wrongs and supporting Tribal communities.

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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