Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 76.djvu/477

 76 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 87-629-SEPT. 5, 1962

429

Public Law 87-629 AN ACT To provide for the division of the tribal assets of the Ponca Tribe of Native Americans of Nebraska among the members of the tribe, and for other purjKtses.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior shall, with the advice and assistance of the Ponca Tribe of Native Americans of Nebraska and pursuant to such regulations as he may prescribe, prepare a roll of the members of the tribe and record thereon persons whose names appeared on the census roll of April 1, 1934, and the supplement thereto of January 1, 1935, and their descendants of not less than one-quarter degree Indian blood of the Ponca Tribe, regardless of place of residence, who are living on the date of this Act. He shall provide a reasonable opportunity for any person to protest against the inclusion or omission of any name on or from the roll and his decision on such protests shall be final and conclusive. After all protests are disposed of, the roll shall be published in the Federal Register. The Secretary shall thereupon give the adult members of the tribe whose names appear on the roll an opportunity to indicate their agreement or disagreement with a division of tribal assets in accordance with the provisions of this Act. I f a majority of those indicating agreement or disagreement are favorable to such division, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of the fact and the roll prepared by him shall thereupon become final and the following sections of this Act shall become effective. SEC. 2. Each member whose name appears on the final roll of the tribe as published in the Federal Register shall be entitled to receive in accordance with the provisions oi this Act an equal share of the tribe's assets that are held in trust by the United States. This right shall constitute personal property which may be inherited or bequeathed, but it shall not otherwise be subject to alienation or encumbrance. SEC. 3. (a) All property of the United States used for the benefit of the Ponca Tribe of Native Americans of Nebraska is hereby declared to be a part of the assets of the tribe, and all of the tribe s assets shall be distributed in accordance with the provisions of this section. The distribution shall be completed within three years from the date of this Act, or as soon thereaiter as practicable. (b) The tribe shall designate any part of the tribe's property that is to be set aside for church, park, playground, or cemetery purposes, and the Secretary is authorized to convey such property to trustees or agencies designated by the tribe for that purpose and approved by the Secretary. (c) Each member may select for homesite purposes and receive title to not to exceed five acres of tribal land that is being used for homesite purposes by such member. The member shall pay the current market value of the homesite selection excluding any improvements or repairs constructed by such member, his wife, children, or ancestor, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior. (d) All assets of the tribe that are not selected and conveyed to members shall be sold by competitive bid at not less than the current market value, and any member shall have the right to purchase property offered for sale for a price not less than the highest acceptable bid therefor. If more than one member exercises such right, the property shall be sold to the member exercising the right who offers the highest price.

September S, 1962 [S. 3174]

Indians. Ponca Tribe. Division of tribal a s s e t s.

Publication in F. R.

Distribution of

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