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S-2796Senate2025-09-11Native Americans

Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act

YourVoice.Now Summary

Environmental ConcernsTransparency & Accountability

A 1,475-acre national forest parcel would go to the San Manuel Nation in exchange for 1,460 acres of tribal land.

Environmental Concerns

  • National forest land conveyed out — About 1,475 acres transferred to the Nation
  • National forest land acquired — About 1,460 acres of tribal land added to the forest
  • Landmark preservation — Tribe must agree to protect the Arrowhead site's cultural integrity

Transparency & Accountability

  • Land exchange review — Standard equal-value appraisal and public interest test waived

The details

About 1,475 acres of the San Bernardino National Forest would go to the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. In return, the tribe would hand the federal government about 1,460 acres it already owns. Those acres would become part of the same national forest. The land is ancestral territory for the tribe, also known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. The Forest Service would keep an easement on three forest roads crossing the transferred land. The Forest Service would have 120 days to finish the swap once the tribe makes its offer. The tribe would pay for the surveys. It would also have to sign an agreement protecting the Arrowhead landmark on the transferred acres. That agreement would be recorded in San Bernardino County records. The exchange skips the federal land law that normally requires an equal-value appraisal and a public interest finding.

Congressional Summary

Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange ActThis bill authorizes a land exchange between the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (also federally recognized as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians) and the federal government. The tribe is located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near the cities of Highland and San Bernardino in California.Specifically, if the tribe offers to convey to the federal government all right, title, and interest of the tribe in and to approximately 1,460 acres of land, then the Forest Service must accept the offer and convey all right, title, and interest of the federal government in and to approximately 1,475 acres of National Forest System land. The Forest Service must accept the offer and convey the land as soon as practicable within 120 days of receiving the offer.As a condition of the land exchange, within 120 days of the bill's enactment, the tribe must enter into an agreement with the Forest Service under which the tribe agrees to preserve the historical and cultural integrity of the Arrowhead landmark site. The site is located in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains directly above San Bernardino, California.Land acquired by the Forest Service shall become part of the San Bernardino National Forest.

Legislative Subjects

CaliforniaGeography and mappingIndian lands and resources rightsLand transfers

Details

Congress
119th
Chamber
Senate
Status
summarized
Action
Introduced in Senate
Action Date
2025-09-11
Date Added
2026-07-24
Source
Congress.gov →

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