A longstanding land claim by the Akwesasne Mohawk (Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe) in northern New York — involving the counties of Franklin and Saint Lawrence and the towns of Fort Covington and Bombay — would be formally resolved by ratifying a settlement agreement between the Tribe, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, the State of New York, and local governments. Land the Tribe owns or acquires within designated settlement areas would be recognized as Indian Country under federal law, subject to the terms of the agreement. The bill settles three related lawsuits that have been in litigation since the 1980s.
Congressional Summary
This bill recognizes and settles the Akwesasne land claim in northern New York. (Akwesasne is a Mohawk territory that extends into the United States and Canada, specifically New York, Ontario, and Quebec.)The bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms a specified settlement agreement entered into by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT), the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, the State of New York, Franklin and Saint Lawrence Counties in New York, the towns of Fort Covington and Bombay in New York, and the New York Power Authority. (Among its provisions, the settlement agreement restores land rights and provides access to land to SRMT, provides tuition assistance for tribal members to certain postsecondary institutions, and requires the New York Power Authority to make annual payments to SRMT.)Additionally, the bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms any transfer of land, right-of-way, or easement that is the subject of claims in specified court cases.The bill also recognizes as Indian country any land owned or subsequently acquired by SRMT within the settlement acquisition areas. (The term Indian country, for purposes of criminal jurisdiction, generally refers to all lands within a tribal reservation, dependent Indian communities, and tribal allotments.)
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-12-15
- Date Added
- 2026-04-09