Federally Recognized Tribe Leasing Authority
Floor Speech
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Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 5910, which amends the Long-Term Leasing Act to authorize any federally recognized Indian Tribe to lease land held in trust for its benefit for up to 99 years.
With the enactment of the Indian Nonintercourse Act in 1834, Tribal land transactions have generally required congressional authorization. In 1955, however, Congress passed the Long-Term Leasing Act, authorizing Tribal lands held in trust to be leased by the Tribal owner for nongrazing purposes for up to 25 years, subject to approval from the Secretary of the Interior. These leases may be renewed for one additional term of up to 25 years, which could allow for a total lease time of up to 50 years.
It is becoming abundantly clear that longer term leasing is needed to assist with Tribal economic development.
For example, lease terms of 99 years are often needed for long-term commercial projects and financing arrangements. Requiring Tribes to come to Congress for enactment of a new authorization slows the process to the detriment of the Tribe.
Although Congress has acted more than 50 times to allow for lease terms greater than 25 years, more autonomy and flexibility are needed. H.R. 5910 amends the Long-Term Leasing Act to grant 99-year lease authority over trust lands for any Tribe that desires this ability.
Tribes know best what is in their interest, and this bill gives them additional authority to meet those needs. By proactively extending this long-term leasing authority to Tribes, Congress can empower them to pursue longer agreements that drive long-term investment, job creation, and economic opportunity in their communities. These goals simply cannot be achieved under the current statute.
At its core, H.R. 5910 would update existing law to better align with modern business practices, reduce time-consuming bureaucracy Tribes must go through, and allow each federally recognized Tribe to determine what lease authorities are best for them and their members.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Leger Fernandez for her continued co-leadership on this important piece of legislation and Chairman Westerman for our Natural Resources Committee's focus on Tribal autonomy and economic development. I encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 5910.
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