Sponsor
Darrell Issa
Representative · R-CA
Representative · R-CA
The bill returns ~860 acres to the Pechanga Band as federal trust land and protects it for cultural and environmental preservation, strengthening tribal sovereignty while restricting commercial uses (notably gaming) and reducing local tax revenue, requiring ongoing coordination over existing encumbrances.
The Pechanga Band gains ~860 acres placed into federal trust, strengthening the Tribe's land base, jurisdiction, and self-determination.
The parcel is legally protected as open space and for archaeological, cultural, and wildlife preservation, conserving local natural and cultural resources for surrounding communities.
Existing encumbrances, water rights, and service agreements are preserved, avoiding disruption to current users and reducing the risk of legal disputes.
The Tribe is prohibited from conducting class II or III gaming on the parcel, removing a potential source of revenue and economic development for the Tribe.
Placing the land into federal trust may remove the parcel from local property tax rolls, reducing revenue for local governments and potentially affecting local services or tax rates.
Strict open-space and preservation requirements limit future economic or community uses the Tribe might prefer, constraining tribal flexibility over the land.
Based on analysis of 1 section of legislative text.
Conveys ~860 acres of BLM land in Riverside County into federal trust for the Pechanga Band, limits use to open-space and cultural/wildlife protection, and bars class II/III gaming.
Transfers about 860 acres of Bureau of Land Management property in Riverside County, California, into federal trust for the benefit of the Pechanga Band of Indians. The land becomes part of the Tribe's reservation, is managed under federal trust law by the Secretary of the Interior, must remain open space and protect cultural and wildlife resources, and is expressly prohibited from use for class II or class III gaming. Existing liens, easements, rights-of-way, water rights, and service agreements remain in place, and a dated map of the parcel will be kept on file at BLM for public inspection.
Introduced October 3, 2025 by Darrell Issa · Last progress June 3, 2026