Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2400) to take certain Federal land in the State of California into trust for the benefit of the Pit River Tribe, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2400 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. LAND TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST. (a) Transfer of Four Corners Federal Land.-- (1) In general.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Four Corners Federal land is hereby taken into trust by the Secretary for the benefit of the Tribe. (2) Survey.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall provide to the Secretary a complete survey of the Four Corners Federal land. (b) Administration.--Upon being taken into trust under this section, the lands taken into trust by the Secretary for the benefit of the Tribe shall be-- (1) considered part of the Pit River Tribe Reservation; and (2) administered by the Secretary in accordance with the laws and regulations generally applicable to property held in trust by the United States for an Indian Tribe. (c) Gaming Prohibited.--Land taken into trust under this section shall not be used for any class II gaming or class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) (as those terms are defined in section 4 of that Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)). (d) Definitions.--In this Act: (1) Four corners federal land.-- (A) In general.--The term ``Four Corners Federal land'' means the approximately 583.79 acres of land managed by the Forest Service generally depicted within the ``Proposed Land Conveyance'' boundary on the Map, including improvements and appurtenances thereon. (B) Exclusion.--The term ``Four Corners Federal land'' does not include the approximately 20.03 acres of roads, highways, and public rights-of-way subject to existing easements generally depicted within the ``Proposed Land Conveyance'' boundary on the Map. (2) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map titled ``Proposed Land Conveyance to the Pit River Tribe'' prepared by the Forest Service and dated November 6, 2024. (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. (4) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Pit River Tribe, California (includes XL Ranch, Big Bend, Likely, Lookout, Montgomery Creek, and Roaring Creek Rancherias).

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Mr. STAUBER. 2400, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2400, the Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025, introduced by Representative LaMalfa, would place approximately 584 acres of U.S. Forest Service land, commonly known as the Four Corners, into trust for the Pit River Tribe.

After decades of conflict and loss, the Pit River Tribe was federally recognized in 1976. The Pit River Tribe consists of 11 different California Tribal bands and resides on a 100-square-mile reservation. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Tribe aimed to regain control of the Four Corners property near Burney, California.

Over the years, the Tribe repeatedly tried to regain the Four Corners land from Federal ownership but has been unsuccessful. Although the land is now owned by the U.S. Forest Service, it is ancestral to the Pit River Tribe.

The Tribe wishes to reacquire its ancestral lands and eventually build an interpretive center there. Gaming on these lands, pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, would be prohibited.

I applaud Mr. LaMalfa for working hard with the Tribe to develop H.R. 2400.
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Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2400 would place approximately 584 acres of U.S. Forest Service land, referred to as the Four Corners, into trust for the Pit River Tribe. The Tribe has attempted to pursue this ask through administrative process, but it is time for Congress to assist legislatively.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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