Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe Recognition Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5820 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5820

To extend Federal recognition to the Mono Lake Kootzaduka'a Tribe, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 24, 2025

   Mr. Kiley of California introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To extend Federal recognition to the Mono Lake Kootzaduka'a Tribe, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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 ``Mono Lake Kootzaduka'a Tribe 
Recognition Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Member.--The term ``member'' means an individual who is 
        enrolled in the Tribe pursuant to the constitution of the 
        Tribe.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (3) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Mono Lake 
        Kootzaduka'a Tribe.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL RECOGNITION.

    (a) In General.--Federal recognition is extended to the Tribe.
    (b) Effect of Federal Laws.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
Act, all Federal laws (including regulations) of general application to 
Indians and Indian tribes, including the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 
U.S.C. 5101 et seq.; commonly known as the Indian Reorganization Act), 
shall apply to the Tribe and members.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL SERVICES AND BENEFITS.

    (a) In General.--The Tribe and each member of the Tribe shall be 
eligible for all services and benefits provided by the United States to 
Indians and federally recognized Indian Tribes, without regard to--
            (1) the existence of a reservation for the Tribe; or
            (2) the location of the residence of any member on or near 
        an Indian reservation.
    (b) Service Area.--For purposes of the delivery of services and 
benefits to members, the service area of the Tribe shall be considered 
to be the counties of Mono and Inyo, in the State of California.

SEC. 5. REAFFIRMATION OF RIGHTS.

    (a) In General.--Nothing in this Act diminishes any right or 
privilege of the Tribe or any member that existed before the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Claims of Tribe.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, 
nothing in this Act alters or affects any legal or equitable claim of 
the Tribe to enforce any right or privilege reserved by, or granted to, 
the Tribe that was wrongfully denied to, or taken from, the Tribe 
before the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (c) Hunting and Fishing Rights.--The Tribe shall be granted hunting 
and fishing rights on all Federal lands within its aboriginal land 
area. Each Federal agency who administers lands within the Tribe's 
aboriginal land area shall work with the Tribe so as to accommodate the 
exercise of its hunting and fishing rights within the agencies existing 
land use plans, Federal law and governing regulations.

SEC. 6. MEMBERSHIP ROLL.

    (a) In General.--As a condition of receiving recognition, services, 
and benefits pursuant to this Act, the Tribe shall submit to the 
Secretary, by not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, a membership roll consisting of the name of each 
individual enrolled as a member of the Tribe.
    (b) Determination of Membership.--The qualifications for inclusion 
on the membership roll of the Tribe shall be determined in accordance 
with section (a) of Article III of the constitution of the Tribe, dated 
June 23, 2003.
    (c) Maintenance of Roll.--The Tribe shall maintain the membership 
roll.

SEC. 7. TRUST LAND.

    (a) Identification of Land.--The Secretary shall identify land 
administered by the Bureau of Land Management that is located in that 
portion of Mono County that is within the Tribe's ancestral homelands, 
sufficient to support the location of Tribal Government administration 
and services, economic development, and housing.
    (b) Land Into Trust.--After the Secretary identifies said land to 
meet the purposes so described, the Tribe shall request and the 
Secretary shall accept such lands into trust for the benefit of the 
Tribe. Nothing in this section shall prevent the Secretary or the Tribe 
from acquiring land, and the Secretary taking land into trust for the 
benefit of the Tribe, pursuant to section 5 of the Act of June 18, 1934 
(25 U.S.C. 5108; commonly known as the Indian Reorganization Act). For 
purposes of acquisitions under such Act, the Tribe shall be deemed to 
have been under Federal jurisdiction in 1934.
                                 <all>