A bill to amend the Act of December 22, 1974 (88 Stat. 1712), and for other purposes.

Summary

Directs the Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Commission to grant life estates to certain lands to Navajo and Hopi individuals and their spouses whom the Commission determines to be eligible applicants according to specified criteria, in order to avoid relocation of such individuals, their spouses, and dependents. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to receive, consider, and pay claims from the Navajo Hopi tribes for compensation for such life estates. Requires that such payments be in lieu of certain rental payments for lands covered by such claims. Directs the Secretary to compensate heads of households receiving such life tenures in land for the fair market value of the habitation and other improvements owned by such heads of households within the areas from which they, but for such tenure, were required to relocate. Requires that such compensation be paid to the estate of such heads of households, in lieu of certain other payments. Requires that such eligible applicants and their spouses and dependents be subject to the jurisdiction of the tribe on whose reservation they reside, except that the land laws of the one tribe shall not apply to members of the other tribe. Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations: (1) prohibiting persons other than applicants, spouses, and dependents from residing on the land covered by such life estates, except to care for cases of illness or disability; and (2) granting access rights to such lands. Directs the Secretary to assure that individuals subject to relocation are not deprived of benefits or services or protection of rights and property. Authorizes the Secretary to assist such applicants to feed and maintain their livestock. Authorizes the Commission to purchase, with appropriated funds, but not by condemnation, up to 250,000 acres to relocate members of the Navajo Tribe. Directs the Secretary to pay local real property taxes on such lands if they become part of the Navajo Reservation. Directs the Commission to provide certain relocation assistance and housing on a preferential basis to certain Navajos who were evicted from the Hopi Reservation on the basis of a Department of the Interior survey. Raises the annual appropriations limitation on Commission expenses to $1,000,000.

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1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 22 June 1979

  Open at official source

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