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This section captures a floor statement or debate entry. It mentions legislation such as Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act, members such as Bruce Westerman.
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September 14, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3925) to provide for a land exchange in San Bernardino County, California, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3925
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 “Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel
Nation Land Exchange Act”.
SEC. 2. EXCHANGE OF LAND.
(a) Definitions.—In this Act:
(1) Federal land.—The term “Federal Land” means the
approximately 1,475 acres of National Forest System land
(including any and all privileges, easements, subsurface
rights, hereditaments, improvements and appurtenances thereon
and thereto) depicted as F-1 and F-2 on the Federal Land
Maps.
(2) Federal land maps.—The term “Federal Land Maps”
means the maps entitled—
(A) “San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange, San Bernardino
National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Federal
Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 1 of 2)”, created July 8,
2022, revised January 10, 2023; and
(B) “San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange, San Bernardino
National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Federal
Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 2 of 2)”, created July 8,
2022, revised January 10, 2023.
(3) Nation.—The term “Nation” means the Yuhaaviatam of
San Manuel Nation, a federally recognized tribe, also
recognized as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
(4) Non-federal land.—The term “Non-Federal Land” means
the approximately 1,460 acres of land (including any and all
privileges, easements, subsurface rights, hereditaments,
improvements and appurtenances thereon and thereto) owned by
the Nation and depicted on the Non-Federal Land Maps as NF-1,
NF-2, NF-3, NF-4a, and NF-5.
(5) Non-federal land maps.—The term “Non-Federal Land
Maps” means the maps entitled—
(A) “San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino
National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-
Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 1 of 4)”, created
March 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023;
(B) “San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino
National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-
Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 2 of 4)”, created
March 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023;
(C) “San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino
National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-
Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 3 of 4)”, created
March 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023; and
(D) “San Manuel Ancestral Land Exchange San Bernardino
National Forest, San Bernardino County, California, Non-
Federal Lands Proposed for Exchange (map 4 of 4)”, created
July 8, 2022, revised January 9, 2023.
(6) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service.
(b) Land Exchange.—Subject to the provisions of this
section, if the Nation offers to convey to the United States
all right, title, and interest of the Nation in and to the
Non-Federal Land, the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable
within the 1-year period beginning on the date on which the
Secretary receives such offer—
(1) accept the offer; and
(2) convey to the Nation all right, title, and interest of
the United States in and to the Federal Land, excepting and
reserving an easement for access and use by the Forest
Service any portion of Forest Service roads 1N22, 1N24, and
1N25 located on the Federal Land.
(c) Survey.—
(1) Federal land.—The exact acreage and legal description
of the Federal Land to be conveyed under subsection (b) shall
be determined by a survey approved by the Secretary and the
Nation.
(2) Non-federal land.—
(A) In general.—The exact acreage and legal description of
the Non-Federal Land to be conveyed under subsection (b)
shall be determined by a survey approved by the Secretary and
the Nation.
(B) Cost.—The cost of the survey in subparagraph (A) shall
be borne by the Nation.
(d) Maps, Estimates, and Descriptions.—
(1) Minor error.—The Secretary and the Nation may, by
mutual agreement—
(A) make minor boundary adjustments to the lands to be
exchanged under subsection (b); and
(B) correct any minor errors in any map, acreage estimate,
or description of the land to be exchanged under subsection
(b).
(2) Conflict.—If there is a conflict between a map,
acreage estimate, or description of any land to be exchanged
under subsection (b), the map shall control unless the
Secretary and the Nation mutually agree otherwise.
(3) Availability of maps.—The Federal Land Map and the
Non-Federal Land Map shall be kept on file and available for
public inspection in the office of the Regional Forester,
Pacific Southwest Region, United States Forest Service, or
any other appropriate office of the Forest Service, as
determined by the Secretary.
(e) Arrowhead Landmark Preservation.—
(1) Agreement.—As a condition of the conveyance under
subsection (b), not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Nation shall enter into an
agreement with the Secretary under which the Nation agrees to
preserve, to an extent mutually agreed upon, the historical
and cultural integrity of the Arrowhead landmark site denoted
on the Federal Land Maps as “Arrowhead Landmark GA”.
(2) Records.—The agreement entered into under paragraph
(1) shall be recorded in the official records of the County
of San Bernardino, California, and an in an appropriate
records system of the Forest Service, as determined by the
Secretary.
(f) Management of Land.—Land acquired by the Secretary
under this section shall become part of the San Bernardino
National Forest and be managed in accordance with the laws,
rules, and regulations applicable to such National Forest.
(g) Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976.—The land
exchange under subsection (b) is not subject to section 206
of the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1716).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Elfreth) 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 to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3925, 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 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte), the lead sponsor of this bill.
Mr. OBERNOLTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 3925,
the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act.
with the U.S. Forest Service to complete a land exchange in San Bernardino County.
communities of San Bernardino and Highland, leaving the Nation with limited space to meet its housing, infrastructure, and cultural needs.
H.R. 3925 would complete an exchange of approximately 1,500 acres of Forest Service land for an equivalent amount already owned by the Nation. Much of the land being provided by the Nation was acquired specifically to facilitate this exchange at the request of the Forest Service.
reduce checkerboard ownership, and improve land management for both the Nation and the Forest Service.
site of significant cultural importance to the Yuhaaviatam people and a well-known symbol throughout the San Bernardino Valley.
management in an area that faces significant wildfire risk. The Nation has already made substantial investments in fire protection and emergency response at the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest.
Mr. Speaker, after years of work and unfortunate delay, congressional action is needed to finally complete this process. This is a straightforward measure that respects Tribal sovereignty, protects important cultural resources, and improves land management in my district.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3925.
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3925 would authorize a land exchange between the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and the U.S. Forest Service.
within the San Bernardino National Forest for approximately 1,460 acres of Tribal land. The Nation began working with the Forest Service on this exchange in 2017. The lands the Nation is seeking to acquire are adjacent to the reservation and include an arrowhead-shaped rock formation at the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains.
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sacred to the Nation and are intertwined with their creator and sacred stories.
Nation has dedicated significant time and resources towards completing this land transfer. However, administrative hurdles have delayed such an exchange.
checkerboard of Tribal and Forest Service lands, while providing the Nation with culturally significant lands.
integrity of the Arrowhead landmark site and enhance stewardship of the San Bernardino National Forest.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3925, introduced by Congressman Obernolte, as has been said, authorizes a land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and the Yuhaaviatam Tribe of San Manuel Nation. Again, this land exchange would create a more contiguous land base for the Yuhaaviatam, and it would reduce checkerboard land holdings in the region. Under the exchange, the Yuhaaviatam would receive approximately 1,475 acres of Forest Service land, and the Tribe would transfer 1,460 acres to the Forest Service.
Federal Government and the Tribe but would also reduce the overall size of the Federal estate.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte) for working with the Yuhaaviatam to develop H.R. 3925. I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close. I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I also urge passage of H.R. 3925, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3925, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.