,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hiea ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #aj1 #bjbj,mr4 ,young 7for himself and ,mr4 ,cole7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to empower federally recognized ,indian ,tribes with the option to designate restricted fee ,tribal lands1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,american ,indian ,land ,empowerment ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,indian tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe means a federally recognized ,indian ,tribe4 7#b7 ,restricted fee status ,the term restricted fee status means-- 7,a7 owned in fee by the ,indian ,tribe by aboriginal title or conveyance2 7,b7 part of the ,indian ,tribe's reservation and subject to its jurisdiction1 or if the ,indian ,tribe does not have a reservation1 is located within the census-designated place in which the ,indian ,tribe is headquartered as of the date of enactment of this ,act2 7,c7 held by the ,indian ,tribe subject to a restriction against alienation and taxation and thus may not be sold by the ,indian ,tribe without the consent of ,congress 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #agg72 7,d7 not subject to taxation by a ,state or local government other than the government of the ,indian ,tribe1 including any activities occurring on the land2 7,e7 not subject to any provision of law providing for the review or approval by the ,secretary before the ,indian ,tribe may use the land for any purpose1 directly or through agreement with another party2 and 7,f7 not considered as ,federal public lands for any purpose1 nor subject to any provision of law providing for the review or approval by the ,secretary before the ,indian ,tribe may use the land for any purpose1 directly or through agreement with another party4 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior4 #c4 ,tribal option to designate restricted fee tribal lands 7a7 ,conversion of tribal trust or fee lands to restricted fee land status ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 not later than #ij days after receipt by the ,secretary of a written request adopted by the governing body of an ,indian ,tribe1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 convey to the ,indian ,tribe1 subject to a restriction imposed by the ,united ,states against alienation and taxation1 all right1 title1 and interest held by the ,united ,states in land specifically requested by the ,indian ,tribe which the ,united ,states holds in trust for that ,indian ,tribe2 or 7#b7 in the case of land owned in fee by an ,indian ,tribe and located within the ,indian ,tribe's reservation or1 if the ,indian ,tribe does not have a reservation1 located within the census-designated place in which the ,indian ,tribe is headquartered as of the date of enactment of this ,act1 designate such lands as subject to a restriction imposed by the ,united ,states against alienation and taxation4 7b7 ,fee to restricted fee process ,if the ,secretary has not rendered a decision within #ij days of receipt of the ,indian ,tribe's request to convert trust or eligible fee land1 the request shall be deemed approved and the land shall automatically be considered as owned by the ,indian ,tribe in restricted fee status4 7c7 ,land management 7#a7 ,written request ,an ,indian ,tribe that submits a written request for the ,secretary to convey trust land or eligible fee land under this section to restricted fee status shall specify in the request that either-- 7,a7 the ,indian ,tribe has elected for the ,secretary to have responsibility for managing land use2 or 7,b7 the ,indian ,tribe has elected for the ,secretary to recognize the ,indian ,tribe's responsibility for managing land use4 7#b7 ,transfer ,if the ,indian ,tribe elects to manage land use1 the ,secretary shall transfer any ,federal land management responsibilities to the ,indian ,tribe upon conveyance of the restricted fee status4 7d7 ,option ,to restore trust status ,an ,indian ,tribe that obtains restricted fee status to lands by converting trust lands in accordance with this section may restore the trust status of the land at its option on an expedited basis4 ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 not later than #ij days after receipt by the ,secretary of a written status restoration request adopted by the governing body of an ,indian ,tribe that received a conveyance of land under this section1 the ,secretary shall take the land into trust for that ,indian ,tribe4 ,the ,secretary's trust obligations with regard to the land-- 7#a7 shall reflect the ,secretary's trust obligations when the land was previously in trust2 7#b7 shall not be expanded based on any modifications1 changes1 or contamination on the land that occurred while the land was not in trust2 and 7#c7 may be reassumed by the ,secretary based on circumstances that occur after the land is returned to trust4 7e7 ,liability limitation ,the ,federal ,government shall not be subject to liability arising from modifications1 changes1 or contamination on land returned to trust under subsection 7d7 that occurred while the land was not in trust4 7f7 ,allotments not affected ,this ,act shall be inapplicable to trust allotments held by an ,indian ,tribe or an ,indian1 unless agreed to by the affected ,indian ,tribe or ,indian owner of the allotment4 #d4 ,additional attributes of restricted fee tribal lands 7a7 ,long-,term leasing ,notwithstanding the provisions of the ,act of ,august #i1 #aiee 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dae2 commonly known as the ,long-,term ,leasing ,act71 an ,indian ,tribe may lease land subject to a restriction imposed by the ,united ,states against alienation and taxation1 or grant an easement or right-of-way thereon1 for a period that does not exceed #ii years without review and approval by the ,secretary4 7b7 ,tribal land management ,real property law enacted or established by an ,indian ,tribe shall-- 7#a7 preempt any provision of ,federal law or regulation governing the use of such land1 except as set forth in this ,act2 7#b7 be given preemptive effect only upon having been first published in the ,federal ,register2 and 7#c7 be published in the ,federal ,register by the ,secretary not later than #abj days after the ,secretary receives a copy of the ,tribal law from the ,indian ,tribe4 7c7 ,applicability of the indian gaming regulatory act ,land subject to a restriction imposed by the ,united ,states against alienation and taxation acquired by an ,indian ,tribe under the provisions of this section shall be treated as trust lands for purposes of the ,indian ,gaming ,regulatory ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #bgja et seq474 #e4 ,responsibilities of the secretary relating to restricted fee tribal lands 7a7 ,trust responsibility not diminished ,nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish the ,federal trust responsibility to any ,indian ,tribe4 7b7 ,secretary's trust responsibility ,to protect restricted fee tribal lands ,with respect to restricted fee status lands1 the ,secretary shall enforce the provisions of the ,act of ,june #cj1 #ahcd 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #agg2 #d ,stat4 #gcj71 to protect the ,indian ,tribe's title1 ownership1 tax immunity1 and ,indian country status of such lands4