S.Amdt. 5857

SA 5857, submitted by Ms. Smith, aims to change the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act to allow for the transfer of additional federal land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

The amendment seeks to add or change the following:

• Land Inclusion: It expands the definition of land to include other land in the Chippewa National Forest in Cass County, Minnesota, managed by the Secretary through the Chief of the Forest Service, that Bureau of Indian Affairs records show was sold without the unanimous consent of the rightful landowners.

• Land Exchange: It allows the Secretary and the Tribe to agree on substituting alternative National Forest System land in Cass County, Minnesota, on an acre-for-acre basis. This process is meant to avoid in-holdings and prefer land near existing trust lands or areas of cultural importance. These transfers can happen on a rolling basis as land is identified and surveyed.

• Findings: It changes the language regarding findings to state that the party "does not intend immediately to modify the use of the Federal land."

• Rights and Public Input: The amendment reaffirms that non-Tribal members' hunting, fishing, and recreation rights remain unchanged under Minnesota Statutes section 97A.151. It also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide for public engagement and comment during implementation.