Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 88 Part 2.djvu/400

 1716

Paiute Indians, allotment. 25 USC 640d-8.

25 USC 640d-9.

25 USC 640d-10.

Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Commission. Establishment. 25 USC 6 4 0 d - l l,

PUBLIC LAW 93-531-DEC. 22, 1974

[88 STAT.

shall be partitioned by the District Court on the basis of fairness and equity and the area so partitioned shall be retained in the Navajo Reservation or added to the Hopi Reservation, respectively. (c) The Navajo and Hopi Tribes are hereby authorized to exchange lands which are part of their respective reservations. (d) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to be a Congressional determination of the merits of the conflicting claims to the lands that are subject to adjudication pursuant to this section, or to affect the liability of the United States, if any, under litigation now pending before the Indian Claims Commission. (e) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to pay any or all appropriate legal fees, court costs, and other related expenses arising out of, or in connection with, the commencing of, or defending against, any action brought by the Navajo or Hopi Tribe under this section. SEC. 9. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary is authorized to allot in severalty to individual Paiute Indians, not now members of the Navajo Tribe, who are located within the area described in the Act of June 14, 1934 (48 Stat. 960), and who were located within such area, or are direct descendants of Paiute Indians who were located within such area, on the date of such Act, land in quantities as specified in section 1 of the Act of February 8, 1887 (24 Stat. 388), as amended (25 U.S.C. 331), and patents shall be issued to them for such lands having the legal effect and declaring that the United States holds such land in trust for the sole use and benefit of each allottee and, following his death, of his heirs according to the laws of the State of Arizona. SEC. 10. (a) Subject to the provisions of section 9 and subsection (a) of section 17, any lands partitioned to the Navajo Tribe pursuant to section 3 or 4 and the lands described in the Act of June 14, 1934 (48 Stat. 960), except the lands as described in section 8, shall be held in trust by the United States exclusively for the Navajo Tribe and as a part of the Navajo Reservation. (b) Subject to the provisions of section 9 and subsection (a) of section 17, any lands partitioned to the Hopi Tribe pursuant to section 3 or 4 and the lands as described in section 8 shall be held in trust by the United States exclusively for the Hopi Tribe and as a part of the Hopi Reservation. SEC. 11. (a) The Secretary is authorized and directed to transfer not to exceed 250,000 acres of lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management within the States of Arizona or New Mexico to the Navajo Tribe: Providedy That the Navajo Tribe shall pay to the United States the fair market value for such lands as may be determined by the Secretary. Such lands shall, if possible, be contiguous or adjacent to the existing Navajo Reservation. Title to such lands which are contiguous or adjacent to the Navajo Reservation shall be taken by the United States in trust for the benefit of the Navajo Tribe. (b) Any private lands the Navajo Tribe acquires wdiich are contiguous or adjacent to the Navajo Reservation may be taken by the United States in trust for the benefit of the Navajo Tribe: Provided, That the land acquired pursuant to subsection (a) and this subsection shall not exceed a total of 250.000 acres. SEC. 12. (a) There is hereby established as an independent entity m the executive branch the Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Commission (hereinafter referred to, as the "Commission"). (b) The Commission shall be composed of three members appointed by the Secretary within sixty days of enactment of this Act. (c) The Commission shall elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among its members.

�