Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 105 Part 2.djvu/191

 PUBLIC LAW 102-171—NOV. 26, 1991 105 STAT. 1143 Public Law 102-171 102d Congress An Act To settle all claims of the Aroostook Band of Micmacs resulting from the Band's omission from the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980, and for other purposes. 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 "Aroostook Band of Micmacs Settlement Act". SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY. (a) FINDINGS AND POLICY. —Congress hereby finds and declares that: (1) The Aroostook Band of Micmacs, as represented as of the time of passage of this Act by the Aroostook Micmac Council, is the sole successor in interest, as to lands within the United States, to the aboriginal entity generally known as the Micmac Nation which years ago claimed aboriginal title to certain lands in the State of Maine. (2) The Band was not referred to in the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 because historical documentation of the Micmac presence in Maine was not available at that time. (3) This documentation does establish the historical presence of Micmacs in Maine and the existence of aboriginal lands in Maine jointly used by the Micmacs and other tribes to which the Micmacs could have asserted aboriginal title but for the extinguishment of all such claims by the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980. (4) The Aroostook Band of Micmacs, in both its history and its presence in Maine, is similar to the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and would have received similar treatment under the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 if the information available today had been available to Congress and the parties at that time. (5) It is now fair and just to afford the Aroostook Band of Micmacs the same settlement provided to the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians for the settlement of that Band's claims, to the extent they would have benefited from inclusion in the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980. (6) Since 1820, the State of Maine has provided special services to the Indians residing within its borders, including the members of the Aroostook Band of Micmacs. During this same period, the United States provided few special services to the Band and repeatedly denied that it had jurisdiction over or responsibility for the Indian groups in Maine. In view of this provision of special services by the State of Maine, requiring substantial expenditures by the State of Maine and made by the State of Maine without being required to do so by Federal law, it Nov. 26, 1991 [S. 374] Aroostook Band of Micmacs Settlement Act. 25 USC 1721 note. 25 USC 1721 note.

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