To amend the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993.

Summary

On September 9, 2025, the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs examined five bills addressing tribal sovereignty and land management. H.R. 681 would authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), both in Massachusetts. H.R. 3654, the Tribal Emergency Response Resources Act, establishes a government-wide framework to help tribes address climate change, natural disasters and other extreme weather events. H.R. 3903, the Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025, authorizes a land exchange between the federal government and Chugach Alaska Corporation, a Alaska Native corporation whose communities were impacted by the Exxon Valdez oil spill on March 24, 1989. H.R. 3925, introduced by Representative Jay Obernolte, directs a mutual exchange of approximately 1,475 acres of U.S. Forest Service land in the San Bernardino National Forest for approximately 1,460 of tribal land, intended to reduce the checkerboard and create a more contiguous land base connecting the San Manuel Reservation and Arrowhead Springs. H.R. 4463 deletes a federal rule so that the Catawba Nation's own constitution and laws can fully decide who counts as a citizen, which likely helps people with real Catawba roots who are now blocked by paperwork or technical rules, and strengthens the tribe's right to manage its own affairs. The hearing featured testimony from federal officials and tribal representatives. Administration witnesses included Bryan Mercier, Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and John Crockett, Deputy Chief for State, Private, and Tribal Forestry at the U.S. Forest Service. Outside experts included Sheri Buretta, Chairman of the Board of Chugach Alaska Corporation; Joe Maarango, Councilman of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation; Brian Harris, Chief of the Catawba Nation; Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Chairwoman of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah); and Quintin Swanson, Chairman of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. The bills reflect a broader effort to enhance tribal self-determination in land management and governance. A hearing does not guarantee that bills will advance to a vote or become law.

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Witnesses(12)

Summary

On February 11, 2026, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup session to consider ten bills spanning natural resources, conservation, and infrastructure issues. The bills included H.R. 755, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act, which seeks to harmonize federal definitions of critical minerals and materials to reduce regulatory confusion and ensure consistent treatment of key resources across federal programs. Other bills addressed wildfire mitigation coordination across land boundaries, the designation of historic sites as national park affiliates, extension of commemorative work authorities, marine habitat identification standards, broadband deployment in rural areas, national park establishment and expansion, grazing on federal grasslands, and amendments to tribal land settlement agreements. The markup session resulted in several bills being ordered to be reported by unanimous consent, advancing them toward consideration by the full House. A markup session allows committee members to propose amendments and vote on whether to advance bills, though passage in markup does not guarantee the bills will be enacted into law, as they must still pass the full House and Senate and be signed by the President.

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