ALBUQUERQUE INDIAN SCHOOL ACT OF 2025

On 2026-06-02, Representative Melanie A. Stansbury (D-NM-1) delivered a floor speech titled "ALBUQUERQUE INDIAN SCHOOL ACT OF 2025" in the House.

ALBUQUERQUE INDIAN SCHOOL ACT OF 2025

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 93 (Tuesday, June 2, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 2, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3754-H3755] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ALBUQUERQUE INDIAN SCHOOL ACT OF 2025 Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6162) to transfer certain Federal land into trust for certain Indian Pueblos in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6162 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF LAND INTO TRUST FOR THE 19 PUEBLOS. (a) Definitions.--In this section: (1) 19 pueblos.--The term ``19 Pueblos'' means the New Mexico Indian Pueblos of-- (A) Acoma; (B) Cochiti; (C) Isleta; (D) Jemez; (E) Laguna; (F) Nambe; (G) Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan); (H) Picuris; (I) Pojoaque; (J) San Felipe; (K) San Ildefonso; (L) Sandia; (M) Santa Ana; (N) Santa Clara; (O) Santo Domingo; (P) Taos; (Q) Tesuque; (R) Zia; and (S) Zuni. (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. (3) Survey.--Except as provided in subsection (e), the term ``survey'' means the survey plat entitled ``Plat of Tracts 1 Thru 3 Lands of US Indian Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs'', prepared by Surv-Tek, Inc., and dated May 2023. (b) Transfer of Jurisdiction.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General Services shall-- (1) complete the relocation of all Federal tenants; and (2) transfer to the Secretary administrative jurisdiction over the Federal land described in subsection (d). (c) Land Into Trust.--Not later than 90 days after completion of the relocation of all Federal tenants under subsection (b)(1) and transfer of administrative jurisdiction under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall take into trust all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Federal land described in subsection (d) for the benefit of the 19 Pueblos. (d) Federal Land.--The Federal land referred to in this section is the 3 tracts of Federal land, the combined acreage of which is approximately 9.89 acres, that were historically part of the Albuquerque Indian School and, as of the date of enactment of this Act, are under the administrative jurisdiction of the General Services Administration, more particularly described as follows: (1) Tract 1.--The approximately 3.57 acres located in secs. 7 and 8 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on which stands a 76,682 square foot warehouse, as identified on the survey. (2) Tract 2.--The approximately 5.78 acres located in secs. 7 and 8 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified on the survey. (3) Tract 3.--The approximately .54 acres located in secs. 7 and 8 of T. 10 N., R. 3 E., of the New Mexico Principal Meridian in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as identified on the survey. (e) Survey.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary-- (A) shall obtain, with respect to the land transferred under subsection (b)(2)-- (i) a survey; and (ii) from the Administrator of General Services, copies of all encumbrances of the land; and (B) may make minor corrections to the survey and legal description of the Federal land described in subsection (d) as the Secretary determines to be necessary to correct clerical, typographical, and surveying land title errors. (2) Availability.--The survey and all applicable transfer documents obtained under paragraph (1) shall be recorded in the public records of the County Clerk Office of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, and in the appropriate Land Titles and Records Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. (f) Use of Land.--The Federal land taken into trust under subsection (c) shall be-- (1) used for the educational, health, cultural, business, and economic development of the 19 Pueblos; and (2) subject to Federal laws applicable to Indian trust land in the State of New Mexico. (g) Limitations and Conditions.--The Federal land taken into trust under subsection (c) shall remain subject to any private or municipal encumbrance, right-of-way, restriction, easement of record, or utility service agreement in effect on the date of enactment of this Act. (h) Conveyance of Buildings and Other Structures.--Not later than 90 days after the relocation of all Federal tenants in subsection (b)(1) and the transfer of administrative jurisdiction under subsection (b)(2), the United [[Page H3755]] States shall convey all ownership interests of the United States in all buildings, structures, improvements, and appurtenances located within Tract 1 described in subsection (d)(1), to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, to own in fee. (i) Gaming Prohibition.--The land taken into trust under subsection (c) shall not be used for any class II gaming or class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (as those terms are defined in section 4 of that Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)). The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Stansbury) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. General Leave Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 6162, the bill now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas? There was no objection. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may assume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 6162, the Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025. This legislation conveys approximately 9.89 acres of Federal land in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the Department of the Interior to be held in trust for the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. The land is currently owned by the General Services Administration. The transfer includes three tracts formerly used by the Albuquerque Indian School, which operated for a century, from 1881 to 1981. Those tracts remain historically and culturally significant to the 19 pueblos. H.R. 6162 requires the 19 pueblos to use the transferred land for educational and cultural purposes, as well as economic development. The legislation has received wide support from the All Pueblo Council of Governors, the Albuquerque City Council, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, and various local officials. It also includes a prohibition on gaming, subject to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is always a good day when New Mexico is in the House, and we are in the House today with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which is why I am so honored to be able to speak about my legislation supported by the entire New Mexico delegation, H.R. 6162, which is the Albuquerque Indian School Act. Back home in New Mexico, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is a place for community, culture, language, celebration, education, and economic development for our 19 pueblos right in the heart of my hometown in Albuquerque. What is now the nationally recognized Indian Pueblo Cultural Center was once the Albuquerque Indian School, which was established as an Indian boarding school in the 1880s. Although the school operated through 1981, Congress began efforts to return the property to New Mexico's 19 pueblos in 1969, and the center was reopened as a cultural center in 1976. Since then, Congress has passed a number of bills to place this land into trust for the benefit of the pueblos. H.R. 6162 continues this important work, and this bill will transfer 9.89 acres of land that was historically a part of the former Albuquerque Indian School from the GSA to the Department of the Interior so that it can be taken into trust for the benefit of our 19 pueblos who helped to govern the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. {time} 1520 The IPCC campus serves as a vibrant gathering place, where Pueblo culture is celebrated through community events, educational experiences, the arts, and economic opportunities for Pueblo and local economic development. This property is managed by the All Pueblo Council of Governors and New Mexico's 19 sovereign Pueblos. This council traces its origins back to before 1598 and is one of the oldest, continuous intertribal governing organizations in North America today. It serves as a collective voice for the Pueblo nations. Through leadership, advocacy, and cultural stewardship, the council works to protect Tribal sovereignty and advance the shared priorities of our Pueblo communities. Under the leadership and dedication of the Pueblos, a site that was once marked by trauma and cultural loss has been transformed into a place of renewal, resilience, and investment in Tribal communities. Since its opening in 1976, the IPCC has served as a living hub for Pueblo languages, art, culture, dance, storytelling, and empowerment of our Pueblo communities, right in the heart of our city, as thousands of visitors from all over the world come every year to visit. We invite everyone across the country and the world to come visit and to join us in celebrating Pueblo culture. The center serves as a home not only to the thriving communities of our New Mexico Pueblo communities but also as a place for education. It is home to regional BIE and BIA offices; tribally run businesses; a Native-run charter school; and a meeting space, of course, for the All Pueblo Council of Governors. Mr. Speaker, passing H.R. 6162 will allow the IPCC to continue to expand it

Referenced legislation: HR6162, HR6162