Bill · S. 1514· Senate(119-S-1514)
Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act
- Introduced
- 4/29/2025
- Last activity
- 10/5/2026 — Held at the desk.
- Sponsored by
- Maria Cantwell
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Awaiting House
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act. It orders that about 72 acres of land in Washington State, known as Allotment 1157, be transferred from the Forest Service to the Department of the Interior. This land will then be held in trust for the benefit of the Quinault Indian Nation. Once transferred, the land will become part of the Quinault Indian Reservation. The bill also states that gaming is prohibited on this specific land. Finally, the bill includes rules regarding existing legal rights, treaty rights, and hazardous materials on the property.
Yes
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+7
The act transfers approximately 72 acres of land into trust for the benefit of the Quinault Indian Nation.
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?+5
The land transfer supports the sovereign territory and resources of the Quinault Indian Nation.
The opposite
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?-2
The bill specifies that the Secretary is not required to remediate or abate hazardous substances on the transferred land.
How the text last changed
Engrossed in Senate (9/30/2026), compared with Reported to Senate. Each change is on the Text tab.
The newer version of the bill updates references to specific sections of the text regarding the approximately 72 acres of land in Washington to be placed into trust for the Quinault Indian Nation. These updates clarify that provisions concerning how the land is administered, the prohibition of gaming on the land, and hazardous materials disclosure requirements apply specifically to the land described in subsection (a)(1) rather than the broader subsection (a). No dates, deadlines, or money amounts are altered in this version.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Benefit to the Quinault Indian Nation: Under Section 2(a)(1), about 72 acres of land in Washington State will be taken into trust for the benefit of the Quinault Indian Nation. This is positive because it places the land directly into trust for the tribe's benefit.
-
Protection of Existing Rights: Under Section 2(a)(2), any valid existing rights—including easements, rights-of-way, permits, utility corridors, and access rights—will remain in effect after the transfer. This ensures that current legal interests on the land are protected.
-
Preservation of Treaty Rights: Under Section 2(d), the bill explicitly states that nothing in the Act affects existing treaty rights under the Treaty of Olympia. This protects the established legal rights of the tribes involved.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Gaming Prohibition: Under Section 2(c), the land taken into trust is not eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This restricts the tribe from using the land for gaming activities.
-
Lack of Mandatory Cleanup for Hazardous Materials: Under Section 2(e)(2), the Secretary of the Interior is not required to remediate or abate any hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants found on the land when taking it into trust. This could leave existing environmental hazards unaddressed on the property.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+7
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+5
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections-2
The version one chamber actually passed
What changed from Reported to Senate
The newer version of the bill updates references to specific sections of the text regarding the approximately 72 acres of land in Washington to be placed into trust for the Quinault Indian Nation. These updates clarify that provisions concerning how the land is administered, the prohibition of gaming on the land, and hazardous materials disclosure requirements apply specifically to the land described in subsection (a)(1) rather than the broader subsection (a). No dates, deadlines, or money amounts are altered in this version.
Each change
- Section 2(b) was changed to specify that the land administered as part of the Quinault Indian Reservation is the land taken into trust under subsection (a)(1) instead of subsection (a).
- Section 2(c) was changed to specify that the prohibition on gaming applies to the land taken into trust under subsection (a)(1) instead of subsection (a).
- Section 2(e) was changed to specify that the hazardous materials disclosure requirements for the Secretary of the Interior apply to the taking of land into trust under subsection (a)(1) instead of subsection (a).
Written by an AI model from a comparison of this version’s text with the one before it, not by a person. .
- 10/5/2026
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 9/30/2026
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5297; text: CR S5297)
- 9/22/2026
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski with amendments. With written report No. 119-148.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 673.
- 8/5/2026
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
- 6/3/2026
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.
- 4/29/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Patty MurrayDemocrat · Washington