§ 331. Repealed. [Pub. L. 106–462, title I, § 106(a)(1)](/us/pl/106/462/tI/s106/a/1), Nov. 7, 2000, [114 Stat. 2007](/us/stat/114/2007)

§ 331. Repealed. Pub. L. 106–462, title I, § 106(a)(1), Nov. 7, 2000, 114 Stat. 2007

Section, acts Feb. 8, 1887, ch. 119, § 1, 24 Stat. 388; Feb. 28, 1891, ch. 383, § 1, 26 Stat. 794; June 25, 1910, ch. 431, § 17, 36 Stat. 859, related to allotments of irrigable and nonirrigable land on reservations.

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was based on section 1 of act Feb. 8, 1887, as amended generally by section 1 of act Feb. 28, 1891, which was amended generally, by act June 25, 1910. The amendment by act June 25, 1910, to section 1 of act Feb. 28, 1891, was treated as an amendment to section 1 of act Feb. 8, 1887, to reflect the probable intent of Congress, and this section was based on the text of section 1 of act Feb. 28, 1891, as so amended. The repeal by Pub. L. 106–462 of section 1 of act Feb. 8, 1887, was executed by repealing this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–399, § 1, Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5331, provided that: “This Act [enacting and amending provisions set out as notes under section 355 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Stigler Act Amendments of 2018’.”

Short Title of 1987 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–153, § 1, Nov. 5, 1987, 101 Stat. 886, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 373, 1401, and 2301 of this title and section 4421 of Title 20, Education, and amending provisions set out as a note under this section] may be cited as the ‘Indian Law Technical Amendments of 1987’.”

Short Title

Act Feb. 8, 1887, ch. 119, 24 Stat. 388, as amended, enacting this section and sections 332 to 334, 339, 341, 342, 348, 349, 354, and 381 of this title, is popularly known as the “Indian General Allotment Act”.

Blackfeet Reservation, Montana

Act June 30, 1919, ch. 4, § 10, 41 Stat. 16, which provided for the allotment of lands within the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, was amended by act June 4, 1953, ch. 99, § 1, 67 Stat. 42, in order to remove the restrictions on alienation of the homestead allotments by making 80 acres of each allotment subject to sale, partition, issuance of patent in fee, or other disposition in accordance with the laws relating to the other allotments on the Reservation.

Act June 30, 1919, had provided that the 80-acre homestead allotment should remain inalienable. This restriction was removed on the alienation of homestead allotments after the death of the original allottee by act June 2, 1924, ch. 231, 43 Stat. 252, formerly set out as a note under this section. The restriction was completely removed by section 1 of act June 4, 1953, ch. 99, 67 Stat. 42. Section 2 of act June 4, 1953, ch. 99, 67 Stat. 42, repealed act June 2, 1924.

Creek Nation

Act Mar. 2, 1917, ch. 146, § 18, 39 Stat. 986, provided in part as follows: “Hereafter no allotments of land shall be made to members of the Creek Nation”.

Crow Indian Reservation

Act June 4, 1920, ch. 224, § 6, 41 Stat. 753, as amended by acts May 25, 1926, ch. 403, 44 Stat. 658; Sept. 16, 1959, Pub. L. 96–283, 73 Stat. 565; May 17, 1968, Pub. L. 90–308, 82 Stat. 123, provided for a reservation in perpetuity, for the benefit of the Crow Indian Tribe, of the minerals on or underlying the allotted lands on the Crow Indian Reservation.

Act Aug. 15, 1953, ch. 502, § 4, 67 Stat. 587, repealed act June 4, 1920, ch. 224, § 9, 41 Stat. 754, formerly set out as a note under this section. The act June 4, 1920, provided for allotment of lands of the Crow Tribe and section 9 of the act had provided that lands of the Crow Reservation should “be subject to all laws of the United States prohibiting the introduction of intoxicating liquors into the Indian country until otherwise provided by Congress”.

Act June 4, 1953, ch. 100, 67 Stat. 42, permitted the Indian owners of homestead, irrigable, or agricultural land on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana to sell such land, upon application in writing and subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior or his authorized representative. Restrictions against such sales were contained in act June 4, 1920, ch. 224, 41 Stat. 751. The act of June 4, 1920, set out as a note below, provided for the allotment of lands on the Crow Reservation.

Provisions for the allotment of lands of the Crow Tribe of Indians within the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, and for the distribution of tribal funds, were made by act June 4, 1920, ch. 224, 41 Stat. 751. The time for making allotments on the Crow Reservation, Montana, as provided by this act was extended for a period of two years from Dec. 4, 1921, by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 367, 42 Stat. 994.

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina

Act June 4, 1924, ch. 253, 43 Stat. 376, provided: “That the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina is hereby authorized, pursuant to the resolution of its council adopted the 6th day of November 1919, to convey to the United States of America, in trust, all land, money, and other property of said band for final disposition thereof as hereinafter provided; and the United States will accept such conveyance when approved by the Secretary of the Interior. “Sec. 2. That upon approval of such conveyance the Secretary of the Interior shall cause to be prepared a roll of the members of said band, to contain the names of all living on the date of this Act, and no person born after that date shall be entitled to enrollment.“The roll shall show the name, age, sex, and degree of Cherokee Indian blood, and separately of that derived from any other Indian ancestor, of each member. The day of the month indicating the birthday of each member shall also be shown upon said roll: Provided, That if such date is unknown and cannot be ascertained, the date of the entry of the name on the schedule shall be taken for the purposes of this Act to be the birth date of the member to whom the entry applies. “Said roll when approved by the Secretary of the Interior shall be final and conclusive as to the membership of said band, and as to the ages and degree of Indian blood of the members, but clerical changes relating to the names of such members or to sex designations may be made at any time thereafter. “Sec. 3. That in the preparation of said roll due consideration shall be given to all rolls and lists heretofore made of the membership of said band, together with any evidence elicited in the course of any investigations, and to all documents and records on file in the Interior Department or any of its bureaus or offices.“The fact that the name of any person appears on any such roll or list shall not be accepted to establish, conclusively, his right or that of his descendants to enrollment. Nor shall the absence of his name from such former rolls conclusively bar any person or his descendants from enrollment. “That in the preparation of said roll the act of the State of North Carolina of March 8, 1895, chapter 166, entitled ‘An Act to amend chapter 211, laws of 1889, relating to the charter of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ shall be disregarded. “Applications for enrollment may be presented in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of the Interior, but lack of application shall not prevent consideration of the right to enrollment of any person whose name appears on any former roll and his descendants or of any name brought in any manner to the attention of those in charge of the enrollment work, including the names of those persons of Cherokee Indian blood living July 27, 1868, in any of the counties of North Carolina, in which the common lands of said band are located, or in any of the contiguous counties of that State or of the States of Georgia and Tennessee, and of their descendants. “Sec. 4. That the lands so conveyed shall be surveyed, where found necessary, and divided into appropriate tracts or parcels and appraised at their true value as of the date of such appraisement, without consideration being given to the location thereof or to any mineral deposits therein or to improvements thereon, but such appraisement shall include all merchantable timber on all allottable lands. “Sec. 5. That reservations from allotment may be made, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, of lands for cemeteries, schools, water-power sites, rights of way, and for other public purposes, with proper safeguards, however, for compensation to individuals who may suffer losses by reason of such reservations.“There may also be reserved any tract chiefly valuable because of the timber or of stone, marble, or other quarries thereon, or which by reason of location or topographical features may be unsuitable for allotment purposes. “Any land or other property reserved from allotment as above provided and lands not needed for allotments may be sold at such time, in such manner, and upon such terms as the Secretary may direct, and the proceeds of such sale shall be added to the funds of the band: Provided, That in the sale of timberlands the timber and the land may be sold separately. “Conveyances under such sales shall be made as provided in the case of conveyances to allottees. “Sec. 6. That all oil, gas, coal, and other mineral deposits on said lands are hereby reserved to said band for a period of twenty-five years from the date of this Act, and during such period said deposits may be leased for prospecting and mining purposes by the Secretary of the Interior, for such periods (not exceeding the period for which such minerals are reserved) and upon such terms and conditions as he may prescribe: Provided, That at the end of such twenty-five year period all such deposits shall become the property of the individual owner of the surface of such land, unless Congress shall otherwise provide. “Sec. 7. That all improvements on the lands of said band of a permanent and substantial character shall be appraised separately from the lands upon which the same may be, and shall be listed in the names of the members of the band prima facie entitled thereto, but the designation of ownership shall be tentative only until the true ownership thereof is ascertained and declared, after due notice and hearing. The right to have such improvements appraised, and to make disposition thereof, shall extend to all members, except tenants, owning such improvements at the date of this Act [June 4, 1924].“Any person held to be the owner of improvements may remove the same, where found to be practicable, within ninety days from the date they are declared to belong to him, or may, within that period, dispose of the same at not more than the appraised value to any member of the band entitled to receive an allotment, under regulations to be prescribed: Provided, That the vendor shall have a lien upon the rents and profits accruing from the tract on which such improvements may be located until the purchase price thereof is fully paid. “Sec. 8. That the lands and money of said band shall be allotted and divided among the members thereof so as to give each an equal share of the whole in value, as nearly as may be, and to accomplish that the value of the standard allotment share shall be determined by dividing the total appraised value of all allotted and allottable lands by the total number of enrolled members.“If any member shall fail to receive his full share of the tribal lands, he shall be entitled to the payment of money so as to adjust the difference as nearly as possible. If any member shall receive an allotment exceeding in value his full share of the tribal lands, the difference shall be adjusted by deduction from his distributive share of the tribal funds. “Sec. 9. That when the tracts available for allotments are ascertained, each member of the said band may apply for a tract or tracts of land to the extent of thirty acres, as nearly as practicable, to include his home and improvements, if he so desires, and the selection so made shall be final as to the right to occupy and use the land so applied for as against all other members if no contest is filed against such selection within ninety days from and after formal application is made therefor: Provided, That any person claiming the right to select any given tract of land by reason of the purchase of improvements thereon shall have ninety days to make application therefor from and after the date of approval of any sale conveying to him said improvements, and such application shall become final as in other cases, subject to the right of any other member to contest such selection, ninety days from and after the same is duly made. All contests shall be instituted and heard pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Interior Department applicable thereto. Any allotment selection may be modified or limited, in the discretion of those in charge of the work, so as to give the selector of adjacent or contiguous lands access to firewood and drinking water. “Sec. 10. That adults may select their own allotments, where mentally capable of so doing, but allotments for minors may be selected by their father or mother, in the order named, or by the officers in charge of the allotment work. The said officers may also select allotments for prisoners, convicts, aged, infirm, and insane or otherwise mentally incompetent members and for the estates of deceased members and, if necessary to complete any allotments or to bring the allotment work to a close, may make arbitrary selections for and on behalf of any member of said band. “Sec. 11. That allotments may be selected for the members of any family, wherever practicable, from contiguous lands or other lands held by the head of the family, including both adult and minor children and such other relatives as are members of the household: Provided, That if any adult child shall claim the benefit of this section, he shall not be entitled as a matter of right to have his selection made from the lands desired by his father or mother or from lands needed by any minor member of the family for allotment purposes, but this shall not prevent selection of lands outside the family holdings if desired. “Sec. 12. That where annuity or other payments to individuals have heretofore been suspended because their enrollment status has been questioned, the amounts involved in such suspended payments shall be paid to individuals found entitled to enrollment or to their heirs, and all funds of said band, after making such payments and after payments needed for equalizing allotments as hereinbefore provided and all other payments herein directed to be made, shall be distributed per capita among the enrolled members of said band and the heirs of those who shall die before distribution is completed, and shall be paid to the distributees or conserved and used for their benefit, according to whether they belong to the restricted or unrestricted class, at such time and in such manner as shall be deemed advisable. “Sec. 13. That any member of said band whose degree of Indian blood is less than one-sixteenth may, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, be paid a cash equivalent in lieu of an allotment of land. Any person desiring to avail himself of this provision may make application to the officers in charge of the allotment work at any time within ninety days after the date of the approval of the final roll, and preference shall be given in the order of application. The said officers shall have the power to add to the register of such names the names of any other members of the same class, including minors for whom no application is made for such time as may be allowed for the purpose by the regulations. Applications should be made in person by adults and for minors by their fathers or mothers, in the order named. “Sec. 14. That if any member shall claim that he is the owner of a so-called private land claim, for the reason that money was advanced by him or his ancestor to pay in whole or in part for any land the title to which is now in the band, such claim may be submitted to and equitably adjusted by the Secretary of the Interior, whose decision thereon shall be final and not subject to review by the courts. In such adjustment due consideration shall be given to matters presented by the band in the way of offsets or counterclaims. “Sec. 15. That a certificate of allotment shall be issued to each allottee upon the expiration of the contest period, if no contest is then pending, or, if a contest is then pending, upon final disposition thereof, but shall be dated as of the date of selection. Each certificate shall contain the name and roll number of the allottee, and the legal effect thereof shall be to give the allottee the right to occupy and use the surface of the land described therein, as against each and every other member of the band, but not as against the band itself, or against the United States: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior may cancel any certificate of allotment at any time before title to the land described therein is conveyed to the allottee, if in his judgment said land should be reserved for allotment for any purpose herein authorized or for any other good and sufficient reason, but before such action is taken the allottee shall have due notice and opportunity to be heard. If any such certificate shall be revoked, the allottee may select other lands as if no certificate had been issued to him. “Sec. 16. That as soon as practicable after a certificate of allotment is issued there shall be issued to the allottee a deed conveying all right, title, and interest of the United States, as trustee, and of the band, and of every other member thereof, in and to the land described in said certificate. Each deed shall recite the roll number and degree of Indian blood of the grantee and shall be executed by or in the name of the Secretary of the Interior, who is hereby authorized to designate any clerk or employee of the department to sign his name for him to all such deeds.“Each deed, when so issued, shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds for the county in which the land conveyed thereby is located. When so recorded title to the land shall vest in the allottee subject to the conditions, limitations, and restrictions herein imposed. Upon the recording of any deed it shall be the duty of the officers representing the Government of the United States to deliver it to the allottee named therein. “Sec. 17. That if any member enrolled as provided in this Act shall die before receiving his distributive share of the band or tribal property, the land and moneys to which he would be entitled, if living, shall descend to his heirs according to the laws of the State of North Carolina and be distributed to them accordingly, but in all such cases the allotment and deed therefor shall be made in the name of the deceased ancestor and shall be given the same force and effect as if made during his lifetime: Provided, That the provisions of the Act of Congress approved June 25, 1910 (Thirty-sixth Statutes, page 855), as amended by the Act of Congress of February 14, 1913 (Thirty-seventh Statutes, page 678), relating to the determination of heirs and approval of wills by the Secretary of the Interior, and to other matters, are hereby made applicable to the persons and estates of the members of the said band, and in the construction of said Acts no distinction shall be made between restricted lands and moneys and those conveyed or held in trust. “Sec. 18. That leases of lands allotted under this Act may be made during the restricted period for any purpose and for any term of years, under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior: Provided, That such leases shall be executed on behalf of minors and other incompetents, including any Indian deemed to be incapable, mentally or physically, of managing his business affairs properly and with benefit to himself and in their names, by a duly authorized representative of the Indian Service designated by said Secretary for the purpose: Provided further, That all leases of unpartioned estates shall be so made and approved unless all of the Indian heirs or owners are of the unrestricted class, and shall be subject to supervision during the restricted period the same as leases made on other restricted lands, but all rents and royalties accruing therefrom to unrestricted owners shall be paid, by the proper officers of the Indian Service, to such owners at the earliest date practicable after the collection thereof.“Parents may use the lands allotted to their children and receive the rents and profits arising herefrom during the minority of such children: Provided, That this privilege may be revoked by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs at any time while said lands are restricted for such cause as may by him be deemed good and sufficient. “Sec. 19. That lands allotted under this Act shall not be alienable, either by voluntary or enforced sale by the allottee or his heirs or otherwise, for a period of twenty-five years from and after the date when the deed conveying such land to the allottee is recorded as directed herein: Provided, That upon the completion of the allotments and the recording of the deeds as herein directed each allottee shall become a citizen of the United States and a citizen of the particular State wherein he (or she) may reside, with all the rights, privileges, and immunities of such citizens: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior may, in his discretion, at any time after a deed is recorded remove the restrictions on the lands described therein, either with or without application by the owner or owners, under such rules and regulations or special orders governing the terms of sale and the disposition of the proceeds as he shall prescribe. “Sec. 20. That lands allotted under this Act shall not be subjected or held liable to any form of personal claim, or demand, against the allottee, arising or existing prior to the removal of restrictions; and any attempted alienation or incumbrance of restricted land by deed, mortgage, contract to sell, power of attorney, or other method of incumbering real estate, except leases specifically authorized by law, made before or after the approval of this Act and prior to removal of restrictions therefrom, shall be absolutely null and void. “Sec. 21. That all lands, and other property, of the band, or the members thereof, except funds held in trust by the United States, may be taxed by the State of North Carolina, to and including the tax year following the date of this Act. Such taxes shall be paid from the common funds of said band for such period, except upon such tracts as shall have been lawfully sold prior to the date when tax assessments can be made thereon under the State law. All tax assessments made pursuant to this Act on restricted allotments or undivided tribal property held in trust by the United States shall be subject to revision by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for a period of one year following the date when such assessments are spread on the local tax rolls, but if he shall take no action thereon during said year, such assessments shall be final, but this shall not be construed to deprive any allottee of any remedy to which he would be entitled under the State law: Provided, That such restricted and undivided property shall be exempt from sale for unpaid taxes for two years from the date when such taxes become due and payable, and no penalty for delinquency in the payment of such taxes shall be charged or collected for or during said period, so that Congress may have an opportunity to make provision for the payment of such taxes if the band, or tribal, funds are found insufficient for the purpose.“After the expiration of the tax year following that in which this Act is approved all lands allotted to members of said band, from which restrictions shall have been removed, shall be subject to taxation the same as other lands. But from and after the expiration of said tax year all restricted allotments and undivided property shall be exempt from taxation until the restrictions on the alienation of such allotments are removed or the title of the band to such undivided property is extinguished. “Sec. 22. That the removal of restrictions upon allotted lands shall not deprive the United States of the duty or authority to institute and prosecute such action in its own name, in the courts of the United States, as may be necessary to protect the rights of the allottees, or of their heirs, until the said band shall be dissolved by congressional action, unless the order removing such restrictions is based upon an express finding that the Indian to whom it relates if fully competent and capable of managing his own affairs. “Sec. 23. That the authority of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina to execute conveyances of lands owned by said band, or any interest therein, is recognized, and any such conveyance heretofore made, whether to the United States or to others, shall not be questioned in any case where the title conveyed or the instrument of conveyance has been or shall be accepted or approved by the Secretary of the Interior. “Sec. 24. That the reinvestment of the proceeds arising from the sale of surplus and unallotted lands of said band in other lands in the vicinity of the Indian school at Cherokee, North Carolina, is hereby authorized, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, and lands so purchased may be allotted as provided for herein respecting the allotment of lands now owned by said band. “Sec. 25. That all things provided for herein shall be done under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, who is authorized to prescribe needed rules and regulations.“All questions as to enrollment and as to all other matters involving the disposition of the lands or moneys of said band, or of the members thereof, shall be decided by the Secretary of the Interior, and such decision as to any matter of fact or law shall be final. “Sec. 26. That in addition to any sum or sums heretofore or hereafter regularly appropriated for salaries and expenses, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated, from the funds of the United States in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $10,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the payment of such expenses as shall be necessarily incurred, including the salaries of additional employees in the administration of this Act.”

Flathead Reservation, Montana

Act Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 87, 41 Stat. 452, provided for allotments on the Flathead Reservation, Montana, to all unallotted, living children, enrolled with the tribe, enrolled or entitled to enrollment.

Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana

Act Mar. 3, 1921, ch. 135, 41 Stat. 1355, provided for the enrollment of the Indians of the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes in the Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana, and for the allotment among such enrolled Indians of the unreserved and undisposed of lands on the reservation; declared the Indians to whom trust patents for such allotted lands shall be issued to be citizens of the United States; provided for reservation from allotment of lands chiefly valuable for the development of water power, and for Indian agency, school, religious, cemetery and administrative purposes; provided for the reservation of certain of the lands for park purposes and for a site for a sanatorium for the benefit of the Indians; provided for the issue of patents for a certain limited number of acres of the lands to missionary, religious and educational purposes; provided for the examination of the lands, prior to their allotment, to determine the mineral character thereof; provided for the reservation of coal on the lands for certain purposes; provided that the timber lands shall remain tribal property and for the use of the timber thereon by the Indians; provided for the reservation and disposition of town-sites on the lands; provided for the construction of irrigation projects on the lands; provided for the grant of certain of the lands to the State of Montana for school lands and made an appropriation to carry out the purposes of the act.

Kansas or Kaw Tribe of Oklahoma

Act Mar. 4, 1923, ch. 297, 42 Stat. 1561, extended period of restriction against alienation of lands allotted to minor members of Kansas or Kaw Tribe of Oklahoma for a period of twenty-five years from Mar. 4, 1923.

Lac du Flambeau Band of Wisconsin

Act May 19, 1924, ch. 158, 43 Stat. 132, as amended by Pub. L. 87–25, Apr. 24, 1961, 75 Stat. 46, provided for enrollment and allotment of members of Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewas in Wisconsin.

Osage Indian Tribe of Oklahoma

Pub. L. 98–576, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 3065, provided: “That (a) any Osage headright or restricted real estate or funds which is part of the estate of a deceased Osage Indian with respect to whom—“(1) a certificate of competency had never been issued before the time of death, or “(2) a certificate of competency had been revoked by the Secretary of the Interior before the death of such Osage Indian, shall be exempt from any estate or inheritance tax imposed by the State of Oklahoma. “(b) Subsection (a) shall apply to the estate of any Osage Indian who dies on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 1984]. “Sec. 2. For purposes of this Act—“(1) the term ‘headright’ means any right of any person to share in any royalties, rents, sales, or bonuses arising from the Osage mineral estate; “(2) the term ‘Osage mineral estate’ means any right, title, or interest in any oil, gas, coal, or other mineral held by the United States in trust for the benefit of the Osage Tribe of Indians under section 3 of the Osage Tribe Allotment Act; “(3) the term ‘restricted real estate or funds’ means any real estate or fund held by an Osage Indian or by the Secretary of the Interior in trust for the benefit of such Indian which is subject to any restriction against alienation, or transfer by any other means, under any Act of Congress applicable to the Osage Tribe of Indians or applicable generally to Indians or any bands, tribes, or nations of Indians; and “(4) the term ‘Osage Tribe Allotment Act’ means the Act approved June 28, 1906, and entitled ‘An Act for the division of the lands and funds of the Osage Indians in Oklahoma Territory, and for other purposes’ (34 Stat. 539).”

Pub. L. 95–496, §§ 3–11, Oct. 21, 1978, 92 Stat. 1660–1664, as amended by Pub. L. 98–605, § 2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 3163, provided that: “Sec. 3. (a) [Repealed act Feb. 5, 1948, ch. 46, 62 Stat. 18, formerly set out below.] “(b) Any Osage Indian having received a certificate of competency under paragraph 7 of section 2 of the Act of June 28, 1906 (34 Stat. 539, 542); section 3 of the Act of March 2, 1929 (45 Stat. 1478, 1480) [amending act Feb. 27, 1925, ch. 359, 43 Stat. 1008, which is set out below]; or the Act of February 5, 1948 (62 Stat. 18) [Act Feb. 5, 1948, ch. 46, 62 Stat. 18], may make application to the Secretary of the Interior to revoke such certificate and the Secretary shall revoke such certificate: Provided, That revocation of any certificate shall not affect the legality of any transactions heretofore made by reason of the issuance of any such certificate. Restrictions against alienation of lands heretofore removed are not reimposed. “(c) [Amended act Feb. 27, 1925, set out below, act Mar. 2, 1929, ch. 493, § 4, 45 Stat. 1480, and June 24, 1938, ch. 645, §§ 1, 3, 52 Stat. 1034, 1035. “Sec. 4. In order to conserve natural resources and provide for the greatest ultimate recovery of oil and gas underlying the Osage mineral estate, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to establish rules and regulations under which oil and gas leases producing from a common source of supply may be unitized. “Sec. 5. (a) [Amended act Apr. 18, 1912, ch. 83, § 8, 37 Stat. 88.] “(b) [Amended act Apr. 18, 1912, ch. 83, § 3, 37 Stat. 86.] “(c) [Amended act Feb. 27, 1925, set out below.] “(d)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of—“(A) section 3 or 8 of the Osage Indians Act of 1912 (as amended by subsections (b) and (a), respectively) [not classified to the Code], or “(B) section 7 of the Osage Indians Act of 1925 (as amended by subsection (c)) [act Feb. 27, 1925, set out below], any sale or transfer or any disposition by any other means of any headright shall be subject to section 7 of this Act [set out below]. “(2) Notwithstanding section 6(a) of this Act [set out below] or section 8 of the Osage Indians Act of 1912, no Osage Indian may—“(A) provide for the transfer of any interest of such person in any headright—“(i) by will to any person which is not an individual, or “(ii) by the establishment of an inter vivos trust for the benefit of any person which is not an individual; or “(B) provide, whether by the terms of a will, the terms of a testamentary trust established by a will, or by the terms of an instrument establishing an inter vivos trust, that any interest in any headright—“(i) which such Osage Indian had (at the time of death of such person or at the time any such inter vivos trust was established), and “(ii) in which any individual was granted a life estate by such Osage Indian, may be transferred to or held for the benefit of any individual who is not an Osage Indian upon the death of the individual who held such life estate. “Sec. 6. (a) With the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, any person of Osage Indian blood, eighteen years of age or older, may establish an inter vivos trust covering his headright or mineral interest except as provided in section 8 hereof; surplus funds; invested surplus funds; segregated trust funds; and allotted or inherited land, naming the Secretary of the Interior as trustee. An Osage Indian having a certificate of competency may designate a banking or trust institution as trustee. Said trust shall be revocable and shall make provision for the payment of funeral expenses, expenses of last illness, debts, and an allowance to members of the family dependent on the settlor. “(b) Property placed in trust as provided by this section shall be subject to the same restrictions against alienation that presently apply to lands and property of Osage Indians, and the execution of such instrument shall not in any way affect the tax-exempt status of said property. “rules governing devolution of interests in osage headrights“Sec. 7. (a) General Rule.—No person who is not an Osage Indian may, on or after October 21, 1978, receive any interest in any headright, other than a life estate in accordance with subsection (b), whether such interest would be received by such person (but for this subsection) under a will, a testamentary or inter vivos trust, or the Oklahoma laws of intestate succession. “(b) Exception for Life Estates.—Notwithstanding subsection (a) and subject to section 5(d)(2) [set out above], an individual who is not an Osage Indian may receive a life estate in any headright held by a testator, settlor, or decedent who is or was an Osage Indian under a will, or under a testamentary trust established by a will, of such testator, an inter vivos trust established by such settlor, or the Oklahoma laws of intestate succession relating to the administration of the estate of such decedent. “(c) Special Rules Governing Interests in Osage Headright Upon Death of Individual Who Held Life Estate in Such Headright.—“(1) Designated osage remaindermen.—Upon the death of any individual who is not an Osage Indian and who held a life estate in any headright of a testator or settlor described in subsection (b), all remaining interests in such headright shall vest in any remaindermen who—“(A) are designated in the will of the testator or the instrument establishing the trust of the settlor to receive such remainder interest, and “(B) are Osage Indians. “(2) No designated osage remaindermen.—Upon the death of any individual who is not an Osage Indian and who held a life estate in any headright of a testator, settlor, or decedent described in subsection (b) who—“(A) did not designate any remainderman who is an Osage Indian to receive any remaining interest in such headright in the will of such testator or instrument of such settlor, or “(B) died intestate, all remaining interests in such headright shall vest in any heirs, as determined under the Oklahoma laws of intestate succession, of such testator, settlor, or decedent who are Osage Indians. “(3) No heir who is an osage indian.—Upon the death of any individual who is not an Osage Indian and who held a life estate in any headright of an Osage testator, settlor, or decedent described in subsection (b) who—“(A) designated no remainderman who is an Osage Indian for any remaining interest in such headright, and “(B) had no heir under the Oklahoma laws of intestate succession who is an Osage Indian and is living at the time of death of the individual who held such life estate, all remaining interests in such headright shall vest in the Osage Tribe of Indians. “(d) Liability of Tribe in Case of Remainderman or Heir Who is Not an Osage Indian.—In any case in which—“(1) any remainder interest of a testator, settlor, or decedent described in subsection (b) vests in the Osage Tribe of Indians under subsection (c)(3), and “(2) an individual who is not an Osage Indian and who, but for this section, would have received any portion of such remaining interest in the headright by virtue of—“(A) having been designated under the will of such testator, or the instrument of such settlor which established any such trust, to receive such remainder interest, or “(B) being the heir of such decedent under the Oklahoma laws of intestate succession, the tribe shall pay any such individual the fair market value of the portion of the interest in such headright such individual would have received but for this section. “Sec. 8. (a)(1) No headright owned by any person who is not of Indian blood may be sold, assigned, or transferred without the approval of the Secretary. Any sale of any interest in such headright (and any other transfer which divests such person of any right, title, or interest in such headright) shall be subject to the following rights of purchase: “(1) First right of purchase by the heirs in the first degree of the first Osage Indian to have acquired such headright under an allotment who are living and are Osage Indians, or, if they all be deceased, all heirs in the second through the fourth degree of such first Osage Indian who are living and are Osage Indians. “(2) Second right of purchase by any other Osage Indian for the benefit of any Osage Indian in his or her individual capacity. “(3) Third right of purchase by the Osage Tribal Council on behalf of the Osage Tribe of Indians. No owner of any headright shall be required, by reason of this subsection, to sell such headright for less than its fair market value or to delay any such sale more than 90 days from the date by which notice of intention to sell (or otherwise transfer) such headright has been received by each person with respect to whom a right of purchase has been established under this subsection. “(b) Notwithstanding the paragraph designated ‘First’ of section 4 of the Osage Tribe Allotment Act or any other provision of law, any income from the Osage mineral estate may be used for the purchase of any headright offered for sale to the Osage Tribal Council pursuant to subsection (a) or vested in the Osage Tribe pursuant to section 7 if, prior to the time that any income from the Osage mineral estate is segregated for distribution to holders of headrights, the Osage Tribal Council requests the Secretary to authorize such use of such funds and the Secretary approves such request. “Sec. 9. Under such regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe, the heirs and legatees of any deceased owner of an Osage headright or mineral interest, real estate on which restrictions against alienation have not been removed, and funds on deposit at the Osage Agency may be determined by the Secretary if such aggregate interests do not exceed $10,000: Provided, That no court of competent jurisdiction has undertaken the probate of the deceased’s estate and a request for such administrative determination has been made to the Secretary by one or more of the heirs or legatees.”

“Sec. 10. Except where any provision of this Act explicitly provides otherwise, wherever the term ‘Osage Indian’ is used in this Act, such term shall be construed so as to include any child who has been adopted by an Osage Indian (pursuant to the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction) and any lineal descendant of such child.

“Sec. 11. For purposes of this Act—

“(1) the term ‘Osage mineral estate’ means any right, title, or interest in any oil, gas, coal, or other mineral held by the United States in trust for the benefit of the Osage Indian Tribe under section 3 of the Osage Tribe Allotment Act;

“(2) the term ‘headright’ means any right of any person to share in any royalties, rents, sales, or bonuses arising from the Osage mineral estate;

“(3) the term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of the Interior;

“(4) the term ‘person’ has the meaning given to such term in section 1 of title 1, United States Code;

“(5) the term ‘Osage Tribe Allotment Act’ means the Act approved June 28, 1906, and entitled ‘An Act For the division of the lands and funds of the Osage Indians in Oklahoma Territory, and for other purposes.’ (34 Stat. 539);

“(6) the term ‘Osage Indians Act of 1912’ means the Act approved April 18, 1912, and entitled ‘An Act Supplementary to and amendatory of the Act entitled “An Act for the division of the lands and funds of the Osage Nation of Indians in Oklahoma,” approved June twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and six, and for other purposes.’ (37 Stat. 86); and

“(7) the term ‘Osage Indians Act of 1925’ means the Act approved February 27, 1925, and entitled ‘An Act To amend the Act of Congress of March 3, 1921, entitled “An Act to amend section 3 of the Act of Congress of June 28, 1906, entitled ‘An Act of Congress for the division of the lands and funds of the Osage Indians in Oklahoma, and for other purposes.’ ” ’ (43 Stat. 1008) [set out below].”

Pub. L. 95–496, § 3(a), Oct. 21, 1978, 92 Stat. 1660, repealed act Feb. 5, 1948, ch. 46, 62 Stat. 18, which related to issuance of certificates of competency to members of the Osage Tribe of less than one-half Indian blood upon attaining age twenty-one.

Act Aug. 4, 1947, ch. 474, § 1, 61 Stat. 747, as amended by Pub. L. 85–857, § 13(n), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1266, provided: “That the provisions of section 6 of the Act approved February 27, 1925 (43 Stat. 1008) [set out in note below], as amended by section 5 of the Act approved March 2, 1929, (45 Stat. 1478) [set out in note below], which make invalid contracts of debt entered into by certain members of the Osage Tribe of Indians, shall not apply to any debt contracted pursuant to title III of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 or chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code, by any member of such tribe who, by reason of his service in the armed forces of the United States during World War II, is eligible for the benefits of such title III or chapter 37; and any other member of the Osage Tribe upon attaining the age of twenty-one years may contract a valid debt without approval of the Secretary of the Interior: Provided, That the Osage lands and funds and any other property which has heretofore or which may hereafter be held in trust or under supervision of the United States for such Osage Indians not having a certificate of competency shall not be subject to lien, levy, attachment, or forced sale to satisfy any debt or obligation contracted or incurred prior to the issuance of a certificate of competency.”

Act Feb. 27, 1925, ch. 359, 43 Stat. 1008, as amended by acts Mar. 2, 1929, ch. 493, §§ 3, 4, 45 Stat. 1480; Sept. 1, 1950, ch. 832, 64 Stat. 572; Oct. 21, 1978, Pub. L. 95–496, §§ 3(c), 5(c), formerly 5(7), 92 Stat. 1661, 1662; Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–605, §§ 2(b), 4, 98 Stat. 3163, 3167, provided that: “The Secretary of the Interior shall cause to be paid at the end of each fiscal quarter to each adult member of the Osage Tribe of Indians in Oklahoma having a certificate of competency, his or her pro rata share, either as a member of the tribe or heir or devisee of a deceased member, of the interest on trust funds, the bonus received from the sale of oil or gas leases, the royalties therefrom and any other moneys due such Indian received during each fiscal quarter, including all moneys received prior to the passage of this Act and remaining unpaid; and so long as the accumulated income is sufficient the Secretary of the Interior shall cause to be paid to the adult members of said tribe not having a certificate of competency $1,000 quarterly, except where such adult members have legal guardians, in which case the amounts provided for herein may be paid to the legal guardian or direct to such Indian in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, the total amounts of such payments, however, shall not exceed $1,000 quarterly except as hereinafter provided; and shall cause to be paid for the maintenance and education, to either one of the parents or legal guardians actually having personally in charge, enrolled or unenrolled, minor member under twenty-one years of age, and above eighteen years of age, $1,000 quarterly out of the income of each of said minors, and out of the income of minors under eighteen years of age, $500 quarterly, and so long as the accumulated income of the parent or parents of a minor who has no income or whose income is less than $500 per quarter is sufficient, shall cause to be paid to either of said parents having the care and custody of such minor $500 quarterly, or such proportion thereof as the income of such minor may be less than $500, in addition to the allowances above provided for such parents. Rentals due such adult members from their lands and their minor children’s lands and all income from such adults’ investments shall be paid to them in addition to the allowance above provided. All payments to legal guardians of Osage Indians shall be expended subject to the joint approval in writing of the court and the superintendent of the Osage Agency. All payments to adults not having certificates of competency, including amounts paid for each minor, shall, in case the Secretary of the Interior finds that such adults are wasting or squandering said income, be subject to the supervision of the superintendent of the Osage Agency: Provided, That if an adult member, not having a certificate of competency, so desires, his entire income accumulating in the future from the sources herein specified may be paid to him without supervision, unless the Secretary of the Interior shall find, after notice and hearing, that such member is wasting or squandering his income, in which event the Secretary of the Interior shall pay to such member only the amounts hereinbefore specified to be paid to adult members not having certificates of competency. The Secretary of the Interior shall invest the remainder, after paying the taxes of such members, in United States bonds, Oklahoma State bonds, real estate, first mortgage real estate loans not to exceed 50 per centum of the appraised value of such real estate, and where the member is a resident of Oklahoma such investment shall be in loans on Oklahoma real estate, stock in Oklahoma building and loan associations, livestock, or deposit the same in banks in Oklahoma, or expend the same for the benefit of such member, such expenditures, investments, and deposits to be made under such restrictions, rules, and regulations as he may prescribe: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior shall not make any investment for an adult member without first securing the approval of such member of such investment: Provided further, That at the beginning of each fiscal year there shall first be reserved and set aside, out of Osage tribal funds available for that purpose, a sufficient amount of money for the expenditures authorized by Congress out of Osage funds for that fiscal year. No guardian shall be appointed except on the written application or approval of the Secretary of the Interior for the estate of a member of the Osage Tribe of Indians who does not have a certificate of competency or who is of one-half or more Indian blood. All moneys now in the possession or control of legal guardians heretofore paid to them in excess of $4,000 per annum each for adults and $2,000 each for minors under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1921, relating to the Osage Tribe of Indians, shall be returned by such guardians to the Secretary of the Interior, and all property, bonds, securities, and stock purchased, or investments made by such guardians out of said moneys paid them shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Interior by them, to be held by him or disposed of by him as he shall deem to be for the best interest of the members to whom the same belongs. All bonds, securities, stocks, and property purchased and other investments made by legal guardians shall not be subject to alienation, sale, disposal, or assignment without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Any indebtedness heretofore lawfully incurred by guardians shall be paid out of the funds of the members for whom such indebtedness was incurred by the Secretary of the Interior. All funds other than as above mentioned, and other property heretofore or hereafter received by a guardian of a member of the Osage Tribe of Indians, which was theretofore under the supervision and control of the Secretary of the Interior or the title to which was held in trust for such Indian by the United States, shall not thereby become divested of the supervision and control of the Secretary of the Interior or the United States be relieved of its trust; and such guardian shall not sell, dispose of or otherwise encumber such fund or property without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, and in accordance with orders of the county court of Osage County, Oklahoma. In case of the death, resignation, or removal from office of such a guardian, the funds and property in his possession subject to supervision and control of the Secretary of the Interior or to which the United States held the title in trust shall be immediately delivered to the superintendent of the Osage Agency, to be held by him and supervised or invested as hereinbefore provided. Within thirty days after the passage of this Act, such guardian shall render and file with the Secretary of the Interior or the superintendent of the Osage Agency a complete accounting, fully itemized, under oath, for the funds so paid to him and pay to the said Secretary or superintendent any and all moneys in his hands at the time of the passage of this Act, which have been paid him in excess of $4,000 per annum each for adults and $2,000 each for minors. The said guardian shall at the same time tender to said Secretary or superintendent all property or whatsoever kind in his possession at the time of the passage of this Act, representing the investment by him of said funds. The Secretary or superintendent is hereby authorized to accept such property or any part thereof at the price paid therefore by said guardian for the benefit of the ward of such guardian, if in his judgment he deems it advisable, and to make such settlement with such guardian as he deems best for such ward. Failing to make satisfactory settlement with said guardian as to said investments or any part thereof, the Secretary is authorized to bring such suit or suits against said guardian, his bond, and other parties in interest as he may deem necessary for the protection of the interests of the ward and may bring such action in any State court of competent jurisdiction or in the United States district court for the district in which said guardian resides. “The Secretary of the Interior be, and is hereby, authorized, in his discretion, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, upon application of any member of the Osage Tribe of Indians not having a certificate of competency, to pay all or any part of the funds held in trust for such Indian: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior shall, within one year after this Act is approved, pay to each enrolled Indian of less than half Osage blood, one-fifth part of his or her proportionate share of accumulated funds. And such Secretary shall on or before the expiration of ten years from the date of the approval of this Act, advance and pay over to such Osage Indians of less than one-half Osage Indian blood, all of the balance appearing to his credit of accumulated funds, and shall issue to such Indian a certificate of competency: And provided further, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to interfere in any way with the removal by the Secretary of the Interior of restrictions from and against any Osage Indian at any time. “Sec. 2. Upon the death of an Osage Indian who does not have a certificate of competency, his or her moneys and funds and other property accrued and accruing to his or her credit and which have heretofore been subject to supervision as provided by law may be paid to the administrator or executor of the estate of such deceased Indian or direct to his heirs or devisees, or may be retained by the Secretary of the Interior in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, under regulations to be promulgated by him: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior shall pay to administrators and executors of the estates of such deceased Osage Indians a sufficient amount of money out of such estates to pay all lawful indebtedness and costs and expenses of administration when approved by him; and, out of the shares belonging to heirs or devisees, above referred to, he shall pay the costs and expenses of such heirs or devisees, including attorney fees, when approved by him, in the determination of heirs or contest of wills. Upon the death of any Osage Indian of less than one-half of Osage Indian blood or upon the death of an Osage Indian who has a certificate of competency, his moneys and funds and other property accrued and accruing to his credit shall be paid and delivered to the administrator or executor of his estate to be administered upon according to the laws of the State of Oklahoma: Provided, That upon the settlement of such estate any funds or property subject to the control or supervision of the Secretary of the Interior on the date of the approval of this Act, which have been inherited by or devised to any adult or minor heir or devisee who does not have a certificate of competency, and which have been paid or delivered by the Secretary of the Interior to the administrator or executor shall be paid or delivered by such administrator or executor to the Secretary of the Interior for the benefit of such Indian and shall be subject to the supervision of the Secretary as provided by law. “Sec. 3. Lands devised to members of the Osage Tribe who do not have certificates of competency, under wills approved by the Secretary of the Interior, and lands inherited by such Indians, shall be inalienable unless such lands be conveyed with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Property of Osage Indians not having certificates of competency purchased as hereinbefore set forth shall not be subject to the lien of any debt, claim, or judgment except taxes, or be subject to alienation, without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. “Sec. 4. Whenever the Secretary of the Interior shall find that any member of the Osage Tribe, to whom has been granted a certificate of competency, is squandering or misusing his or her funds, he may revoke such certificate of competency after notice and hearing in accordance with such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, and thereafter the income of such member shall be subject to supervision and investment as herein provided for members not having certificates of competency to the same extent as if a certificate of competency had never been granted: Provided, That all just indebtedness of such member existing at the time his certificate of competency is revoked shall be paid by the Secretary of the Interior, or his authorized representative, out of the income of such member, in addition the quarterly income hereinbefore provided for: And provided further, That such revocation or cancellation of any certificate of competency shall not affect the legality of any transactions theretofore made by reason of the issuance of any certificate of competency. “Sec. 5. No person convicted of having taken, or convicted of causing or procuring another to take, the life of an Osage Indian shall inherit from or receive any interest in the estate of the decedent, regardless of where the crime was committed and the conviction obtained. “Sec. 6. No contract for debt hereafter made with a member of the Osage Tribe of Indians not having a certificate of competency, shall have any validity, unless approved by the Secretary of the Interior. In addition to the payment of funds heretofore authorized, the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized in his discretion to pay, out of the funds of a member of the Osage Tribe not having a certificate of competency, any indebtedness heretofore or hereafter incurred by such member by reason of his unlawful acts of carelessness or negligence. “Sec. 7. Except as provided in sections 5(d) and 7 of the Act approved October 21, 1978, and entitled ‘An Act to amend certain laws relating to the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma, and for other purposes.’, on or after October 21, 1978 [Pub. L. 95–496, set out above], none but heirs of Indian blood and children legally adopted by a court of competent jurisdiction and parents, Indian or non-Indian, shall inherit, in accordance with the laws of the State of Oklahoma relating to intestate succession from Osage Indians any right, title, or interest to any restricted land, moneys, or Osage headright or mineral interest. No adopted child of any Osage Indian who is not an Osage Indian shall be eligible to inherit, as the collateral heir (within the meaning of the laws of the State of Oklahoma relating to intestate succession) of any Osage Indian decedent, any property or interest in property held in trust by the Secretary of the Interior for the benefit of such decedent.”

Act Mar. 2, 1929, ch. 493, § 5, 45 Stat. 1481, provided that: “The restrictions concerning lands and funds of allotted Osage Indians, as provided in this Act and all prior Acts now in force, shall apply to unallotted Osage Indians born since July 1, 1907, or after the passage of this Act, and to their heirs of Osage Indian blood, except that the provisions of section 6 of the Act of Congress approved February 27, 1925 [set out below], with reference to the validity of contracts for debt, shall not apply to any allotted or unallotted Osage Indian of less than one-half degree Indian blood: Provided, That the Osage lands and funds and any other property which has heretofore or which may hereafter be held in trust or under supervision of the United States for such Osage Indians of less than one-half degree Indian blood not having a certificate of competency shall not be subject to forced sale to satisfy any debt or obligation contracted or incurred prior to the issuance of a certificate of competency: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized in his discretion to grant a certificate of competency to any unallotted Osage Indian when in the judgment of the said Secretary such member is fully competent and capable of transacting his or her own affair.”

Act Apr. 12, 1924, ch. 95, 43 Stat. 94, provided that any right to an interest in lands, money, or mineral interests, as provided in act June 28, 1906, ch. 3572, 34 Stat. 539 (Osage Indians), and in the amendatory and supplemental acts, vested in, determined, or adjudged to be the right or property of any person not an Indian by blood, may, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, and not otherwise, be sold, assigned, and transferred under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe.

Pueblo Indians of New Mexico

Act May 31, 1933, ch. 45, §§ 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 48 Stat. 109, 110, 111, as amended by Pub. L. 91–550, Dec. 15, 1970, 84 Stat. 1437, in addition to authorizing appropriations to pay in part the liability of the United States to the Indian pueblos, provided: “Sec. 4. (a) That, for the purpose of safeguarding the interests and welfare of the tribe of Indians known as the Pueblo de Taos of New Mexico, the following described lands and improvements thereon, upon which said Indians depend and have depended since time immemorial for water supply, forage for their domestic livestock, wood and timber for their personal use, and as the scene of certain religious ceremonials, are hereby declared to be held by the United States in trust for the Pueblo de Taos:“Beginning at the southeast corner of the Tenorio tract on the north boundary of the Taos Pueblo grant in section 22, township 26 north, range 13 east; “thence northwesterly and northeasterly along the east boundary of the Tenorio tract to the point where it intersects the boundary of the Lucero de Godoi or Antonio Martinez Grant; “thence following the boundary of the Lucero de Godoi Grant northeasterly, southeasterly and northerly to station 76 on the east boundary of the survey of the Lucero de Godoi Grant according to the March 1894 survey by United States Deputy Surveyor John H. Walker as approved by the United States Surveyor’s Office, Santa Fe, New Mexico, on November 23, 1894; “thence east 0.85 mile along the south boundary of the Wheeler Peak Wilderness, according to the description dated July 1, 1965, and reported to Congress pursuant to section 3(a)(1) of the Wilderness Act (Public Law 88–577) [16 U.S.C. 1132(a)(1)]; “thence northeast approximately 0.25 mile to the top of an unnamed peak (which is approximately 0.38 mile southeasterly from Lew Wallace Peak); “thence northwesterly 1.63 miles along the ridgetop through Lew Wallace Peak to Old Mike Peak; “thence easterly and northeasterly along the ridgetop of the divide between the Red River and the Rio Pueblo de Taos to station numbered 109 of said 1894 survey, at the juncture of the divide with the west boundary of the Beaubien and Miranda Grant, New Mexico (commonly known as the Maxwell Grant), according to the official resurvey of said grant executed during July and August 1923 by United States Surveyor Glen Haste and approved by the General Land Office, Washington, District of Columbia, on April 28, 1926; “thence southeasterly, southwesterly, and southerly along the west boundary of the Maxwell grant to the north line of unsurveyed section 33, township 26 north, range 15 east; “thence southerly to the north boundary of fractional township 25 north, range 15 east; “thence southerly and southwesterly through sections 4, 9, 8, and 7, township 25 north, range 15 east to the southwest corner of said section 7; “thence westerly along the divide between the Rio Pueblo de Taos and Rio Fernando de Taos to the east boundary of the Taos Pueblo grant; “thence north to the northeast corner of the Taos Pueblo grant; “thence west to the point of beginning; containing approximately 48,000 acres, more or less. “(b) The lands held in trust pursuant to this section shall be a part of the Pueblo de Taos Reservation, and shall be administered under the laws and regulations applicable to other trust Indian lands: Provided, That the Pueblo de Taos Indians shall use the lands for traditional purposes only, such as religious ceremonials, hunting and fishing, a source of water, forage for their domestic livestock, and wood, timber, and other natural resources for their personal use, all subject to such regulations for conservation purposes as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. Except for such uses, the lands shall remain forever wild and shall be maintained as a wilderness as defined in section 2(c) of the Act of September 3, 1964 (78 Stat. 890) [16 U.S.C. 1131(c)]. With the consent of the tribe, but not otherwise, nonmembers of the tribe may be permitted to enter the lands for purposes compatible with their preservation as a wilderness. The Secretary of the Interior shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of conservation measures for these lands, including, without limitation, protection of forests from fire, disease, insects or trespass; prevention or elimination of erosion, damaging land use, or stream pollution; and maintenance of streamflow and sanitary conditions; and the Secretary is authorized to contract with the Secretary of Agriculture for any services or materials deemed necessary to institute or carry out any of such measures. “(c) Lessees or permittees of lands described in subsection (a) which are not included in the lands described in the Act of May 31, 1933 [this Act], shall be given the opportunity to renew their leases or permits under rules and regulations of the Secretary of the Interior to the same extent and in the same manner that such leases or permits could have been renewed if this Act had not been enacted; but the Pueblo de Taos may obtain the relinquishment of any or all of such leases or permits from the lessees or permittees under such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreeable. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to disburse, from the tribal funds in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of said tribe, so much thereof as may be necessary to pay for such relinquishments and for the purchase of any rights or improvements on said lands owned by non-Indians. The authority to pay for the relinquishment of a permit pursuant to this subsection shall not be regarded as a recognition of any property right of the permittee in the land or its resources. “(d) The Indian Claims Commission is directed to determine in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of the Act of August 13, 1946 (60 Stat. 1049, 1050) [former 25 U.S.C. 70a], the extent to which the value of the interest in land conveyed by this Act should be credited to the United States or should be set off against any claim of the Taos Indians against the United States. “(e) Nothing in this section shall impair any vested water right. “Sec. 5. Except as otherwise provided herein the Secretary of the Interior shall disburse and expend the amounts of money herein authorized to be appropriated, in accordance with and under the terms and conditions of the Act approved June 7, 1924: Provided, however, That the Secretary be authorized to cause necessary surveys and investigations to be made promptly to ascertain the lands and water rights that can be purchased out of the foregoing appropriations and earlier appropriations made for the same purpose, with full authority to disburse said funds in the purchase of said lands and water rights without being limited to the appraised values thereof as fixed by the appraisers appointed by the Pueblo Lands Board appointed under said Act of June 7, 1924 [set out below] and all prior Acts limiting the Secretary of the Interior in the disbursement of said funds to the appraised value of said lands as fixed by said appraisers of said Pueblo Lands Board be, and the same are, expressly repealed: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized to disburse a portion of said funds for the purpose of securing options upon said lands and water rights and necessary abstracts of title thereof for the necessary period required to investigate titles and which may be required before disbursement can be authorized: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized, out of the appropriations of the foregoing amounts and out of the funds heretofore appropriated for the same purpose, to purchase any available lands within the several pueblos which in his discretion it is desirable to purchase, without waiting for the issuance of final patents directed to be issued under the provisions of the Act of June 7, 1924, where the right of said pueblos to bring independent suits, under the provisions of the Act of June 7, 1924, has expired; Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior shall not make any expenditures out of the pueblo funds resulting from the appropriations set forth herein, or prior appropriations for the same purpose, without first obtaining the approval of the governing authorities of the pueblo affected: And provided further, That the governing authorities of any pueblo may initiate matters pertaining to the purchase of lands in behalf of their respective pueblos, which matters, or contracts relative thereto, will not be binding or concluded until approved by the Secretary of the Interior. “Sec. 6. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent any pueblo from prosecuting independent suits as authorized under section 4 of the Act of June 7, 1924. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to enter into contract with the several Pueblo Indian tribes, affected by the terms of this Act, in consideration of the authorization of appropriations contained in section 2 hereof, providing for the dismissal of pending and the abandonment of contemplated original proceedings, in law or equity, by, or in behalf of said Pueblo Indian tribes, under the provisions of section 4 of the Act of June 7, 1924, (43 Stat. L. 636), and the pueblo concerned may elect to accept the appropriations herein authorized, in the sums herein set forth, in full discharge of all claims to compensation under the terms of said Act, notifying the Secretary of the Interior in writing of its election so to do: Provided, That if said election by said pueblo be not made, said pueblo shall have one year from the date of this approval of the Act within which to file any independent suit authorized under section 4 of the Act of June 7, 1924, at the expiration of which period the right to file such suit shall expire by limitation: And provided further, That no ejectment suits shall be filed against non-Indians entitled to compensation under this Act, in less than six months after the sums herein authorized are appropriated. “Sec. 8. The attorney or attorneys for such Indian tribe or tribes shall be paid such fee as may be agreed upon by such attorney or attorneys and such Indian tribe or tribes, but in no case shall the fee be more than 10 per centum of the sum herein authorized to be appropriated for the benefit of such tribe or tribes, and such attorney’s fees shall be disbursed by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance herewith out of any funds appropriated for said Indian tribe or tribes under the provisions of the Act of June 7, 1924 (43 Stat. L. 636), or this Act: Provided however, That 25 per centum of the amount agreed upon as attorneys’ fees shall be retained by the Secretary of the Interior to be disbursed by him under the terms of the contract, subject to approval of the Secretary of the Interior, between said attorneys and said Indian tribes, providing for further services and expenses of said attorneys in furtherance of the objects set forth in section 19 of the Act of June 7, 1924. “Sec. 9. Nothing herein contained shall in any manner be construed to deprive any of the Pueblo Indians of a prior right to the use of water from streams running through or bordering on their respective pueblos for domestic, stock-water, and irrigation purposes for the lands remaining in Indian ownership, and such water rights shall not be subject to loss by nonuse or abandonment thereof as long as title to said lands shall remain in the Indians.”