To authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes.

House Votes

This bill approves a settlement to resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk land claim in northern New York. It confirms the agreement made by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, local governments, and the New York Power Authority, and it validates related land transfers from past court cases. The goal is to settle who owns and manages certain lands and to provide clear rules going forward.

Once the settlement takes effect, land the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe owns now—or later buys—inside the agreed “Settlement Acquisition Areas” will be treated as tribal land under federal law, following the terms of the settlement.

• Who is affected: Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe; nearby towns and counties in New York; community members living in and around the settlement areas.
• What changes: The settlement is officially approved; certain past land transfers are confirmed; specified lands will be recognized as tribal land under federal law per the agreement.
• When: These changes apply starting on the effective date of the settlement agreement, and also cover qualifying lands the Tribe acquires later within the defined areas.