To provide for the continued use of certain trust land in San Diego County for healthcare purposes.
- Sponsor
- Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]
- Committees
- Natural Resources Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Sep 1, 2026
Bottom line
This bill codifies a specific, time-limited restriction on the use of a particular parcel of tribal trust land, dedicating it exclusively to healthcare and social services for tribal members while prohibiting commercial and gaming activities.
What it actually does
This bill restricts the use of approximately 8.6 acres of trust land in San Diego County, California, held for the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians. It mandates that this land can only be used for health and social services for members of Indian Tribes, explicitly prohibiting its use for gaming or any other commercial activities. This restriction is set to expire 50 years after the bill's enactment.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that this bill ensures a stable and dedicated land base for essential health and social services for Indian Tribes, particularly the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians. They contend that by explicitly prohibiting commercial and gaming uses, the bill reinforces the land's purpose for community welfare, protecting it from potential pressures for alternative development and ensuring long-term access to vital services for tribal members.
Opponents contend
Opponents might argue that this bill imposes an unnecessary and potentially paternalistic restriction on tribal sovereignty and economic self-determination. They could contend that the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, as a federally recognized tribe, should have the inherent right to determine the best use of its trust land, including for economic development through gaming or other commercial ventures, without a 50-year federal mandate.
The bill is exceptionally short and straightforward, making it very accessible for any reader to understand its provisions quickly.
Section 1(a) and 1(b)
Dedicated Use of Trust Land for Healthcare and Social Services
This provision dictates that a specific 8.6-acre parcel of land in San Diego County, held in trust by the United States for the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, can only be used for providing health and social services to members of Indian Tribes. It explicitly forbids the use of this land for any form of gaming (Class II or Class III) or any other commercial activities.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this provision guarantees that the land will serve its intended purpose of providing essential services, preventing its diversion to potentially more lucrative but less community-focused uses like gaming, thereby securing critical support for tribal health and welfare for decades.
Critics contend
Critics might argue that this provision infringes on the tribe's self-determination by limiting their ability to leverage their trust land for economic development, which could generate revenue to fund services or other tribal priorities. They may contend that tribes are capable of making their own land-use decisions.
Tradeoffs
The provision balances the desire to secure a dedicated space for health and social services against the principle of tribal sovereignty and the tribe's right to determine the economic use of its trust land. It prioritizes a specific welfare outcome over broader economic flexibility.
Section 1(c)
50-Year Sunset Clause
This section specifies that the restrictions imposed by the Act on the use of the covered land will automatically expire 50 years after the date the bill becomes law. After this period, the land's use would no longer be federally constrained by this specific Act.