Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, S. 4439 would place into trust approximately 1,031 acres of U.S. Forest Service land where the Salmon River meets the Klamath River in Siskiyou and Humboldt Counties in California for the Karuk Tribe. {time} 1100 This bill would require that the land be taken into trust for traditional and customary uses for the benefit of the Tribe. This bill would prohibit gaming on the land and would require that the land held in trust shall not affect the status or administration of this section of the Klamath River as a wild and scenic river. The trust land is also subject to valid existing rights, contracts, and management agreements relating to easements and rights-of-way. The Karuk Tribe is one of the largest Tribes in northern California with approximately 3,300 enrolled Tribal members. Its people have lived in northwestern California for thousands of years. The land being placed into trust for the Tribe is considered, as Mr. Tonko stated, the center of the world of their religion, and it is used for their annual world renewal ceremonies. The Tribe has a special use permit with the Forest Service to access these lands for their ceremonies and closes the river during certain times in the summer to facilitate them. However, there have been public disruptions during the ceremonies from some unknowing individuals rafting the river.…”