Harriet Hageman

Taiwan is a significant piece of the first island chain, and China is looking for openings and opportunities to break through that first island chain.

Instability and volatility, it sounds like.

We have strong allies in the Freely Associated States, and this Congress must recognize the mutual benefit in this agreement.

Well, it sounds like we would have serious economic and trade impacts for the United States, because this is such an important region for the world.

H.R. 2461, the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribal Homelands Act, would establish an approximate 5,400-acre reservation for the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe.

H.R. 1722, the Grand Ronde Reservation Act Amendment of 2023, would amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to reflect that the Grand Ronde tribe's extinguishment of land claims against the United States only applies to an 84-acre parcel of…

H.R. 1240, the Winnebago Land Transfer Act of 2023, would provide for an administrative transfer of jurisdiction of approximately 1,600 acres of land in Iowa.

H.R. 630, the Urban Indian Health Confer Act, would require all agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, to establish an Urban Indian Organization, or UIO, confer policy.

We must do better for our tribal members, for our citizens, and for our country.

Are you aware of any changes that you would like to see to this bill?

How can all of the HHS improve its communication with urban Indian organizations, even without a required confer policy?

The San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe has historically lived in southern Utah and northern Arizona, and shared lands with the Navajo Nation.

The bill also includes a gaming prohibition on any future land that the tribe may be awarded as part of a land claims settlement.

This would return land to the tribe that was seized by Army Corps of Engineers in the 1970s for a recreation project that was never completed.

Currently, only the Indian Health Service is required to confer with UIOs, while other agencies of HHS only are required to consult with tribes.

Today, the Subcommittee is meeting to consider six bills.

I appreciate the Representatives and the various Congress Members who are willing to take up these issues.

Congress must do everything it can to protect all tribal homelands.

I grew up on a ranch, and I understand what all of you say when you talk about the importance of the land.

It is one of those things where both Democrats and Republicans agree on this.

I want to personally welcome all of you to Washington, DC and to the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs.

We look forward to continuing our work with Congress on this bill, and welcome the opportunity to provide technical assistance as requested by the Committee or its members.

In other words, are there any other federally recognized tribes prevented from filing land claims against the United States?

So, right now, you don't know what their position is?

Mr. Newland, I would like to visit with you about H.R. 1240.