Albuquerque Indian School Land Transfer Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I thank
Representative Sablan and Representative Newhouse for their support. I
also thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their help
in bringing this legislation to the floor. Of course, I extend my
gratitude to our Senator Tom Udall for working with me on this
important piece of legislation.
I am the proud sponsor of the House companion to the Albuquerque
Indian School Land Transfer Act, which, as you have heard, directs the
Secretary of the Interior to take into trust four tracts of land for
the New Mexico 19 Pueblos.
The land taken into the trust would be used for educational, health,
cultural, business, and economic development of the New Mexico Pueblos.
The four parcels are located within a former Federal Indian boarding
school site called the 1884 Albuquerque Indian School Reserve in
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In 1969, the United States started the long process of converting the
Reserve into land under the jurisdiction and control of the New Mexico
Pueblos. Since then, Congress has enacted legislation in 1978, 2001,
and 2008 to convey additional land from the Reserve in trust for the
New Mexico Pueblos.
Pursuant to the 2008 legislation, the Bureau of Land Management
conducted a new survey of the former school properties and identified
minor discrepancies in the previous trust deeds and, also, identified
the correct boundaries of two additional tracts of land within the
Reserve that the Bureau of Indian Affairs no longer needed for its
administrative functions.
This legislation addresses those technical discrepancies identified
by BLM's survey, and it would complete the process of transferring
BIA's portion of the Reserve to New Mexico's Pueblos.
This transfer allows the Pueblos to expand their current economic
development plan for the region, which creates jobs, expands
educational and cultural opportunities, while continuing to generate
revenue for the New Mexico Pueblos.
I urge my colleagues to support this noncontroversial legislation,
which, as you have heard, has the support of the entire New Mexico
delegation and would benefit the New Mexico 19 Pueblos.
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