Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project

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Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act (S. 1513)

A bill was introduced to take certain Federal land in the State of Washington into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

A PRIL 29, 2025

Mrs. C ANTWELL (for herself and Mrs. M URRAY) introduced the following bill;

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

Section 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act’’.

Section 2. LAND TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR THE LOWER ELWHA KLALLAM TRIBE

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

  1. The term ‘‘Reservation’’ means the Lower Elwha Indian Reservation, also known as the Lower Elwha Reservation, located in the State of Washington.
  2. The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the Interior.
  3. The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Lower Elwha Tribal Community, also known as the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, located in the State of Washington.

(b) LAND HELD IN TRUST.—Subject to all valid existing rights of the United States, the approximately 1,082.63 acres of Federal land generally depicted as ‘‘NPS Parcels to be Transferred to Tribe’’ on the map entitled ‘‘Olympic National Park Proposed Transfer of Elwha Lands’’, numbered 149/178020, and dated December 2021 is hereby taken into and held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Tribe under this section.

(e) GAMING PROHIBITION.—No land taken into and held in trust for the benefit of the Tribe under this section shall be considered Indian lands for the purpose of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.).

Section 3. NO IMPACT ON TREATY RIGHTS

Nothing in this Act affects treaty rights under the Treaty between the United States of America and the S’Klallams Indians, concluded at Point no Point, Washington Territory, January 26, 1855 (12 Stat. 933) (commonly known as the ‘‘Treaty of Point No Point’’).