To take certain land into trust for the benefit of the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians.
- Sponsor
- Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
- Committees
- Natural Resources Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Jun 9, 2026
Bottom line
H.R. 6917 expands the reservation of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe by placing 3,156 acres of federal land into trust, with specific restrictions on gaming and a requirement for an energy transmission corridor.
What it actually does
This bill transfers approximately 3,156 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land into trust for the benefit of the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians, making it part of their reservation. It includes specific conditions, such as prohibiting Class II and Class III gaming on the newly acquired land and requiring the Tribe to grant a 300-foot-wide right-of-way for a renewable energy transmission corridor. The bill also clarifies that it does not affirm or deny federal reserved water rights but preserves the Tribe's state water rights.
Proponents argue
Proponents argue that this bill supports tribal self-determination and economic development by expanding the Tribe's land base. They emphasize that the conditions, such as the gaming prohibition and the energy corridor, address potential concerns from local communities and ensure responsible land use while promoting renewable energy infrastructure. This action aligns with federal policy to strengthen tribal nations.
Opponents contend
Opponents, if any, might raise concerns about the loss of federal land from public access or potential impacts on local jurisdictions, even with the gaming prohibition. Some may also question the specific terms of the right-of-way grant or the long-term implications of expanding tribal land within a rapidly developing region, though no organized opposition is explicitly stated in the provided context.
The bill is very concise and can be read and understood quickly by an informed reader, making it accessible for evaluation within a short timeframe.
Section 1(a)
Land Into Trust for Las Vegas Paiute Tribe
This provision mandates that all right, title, and interest of the United States in approximately 3,156 acres of land, currently administered by the Bureau of Land Management, be taken into trust by the United States for the benefit of the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians. Once taken into trust, this land will become an integral part of the Tribe's existing reservation, expanding its sovereign territory.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this provision is a crucial step towards tribal self-determination and economic development, providing the Tribe with a larger land base to pursue housing, infrastructure, and other community needs. It rectifies historical injustices by returning ancestral lands to tribal control.
Critics contend
Some local governments or public land advocates might express concern about the reduction of publicly accessible land or the potential for future jurisdictional complexities, even though the land is transferred to trust for a specific purpose. However, no specific opposition to the land transfer itself is explicitly stated.
Tradeoffs
The provision balances the federal commitment to tribal sovereignty and self-determination with the interests of public land management and local jurisdictions. It expands tribal land while potentially altering public access to the specific acreage.
Section 1(c)
Renewable Energy Transmission Corridor Grant
As a condition for the land being taken into trust, this provision requires the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians to grant an approximately 300-foot-wide right-of-way to a qualified electric utility. This right-of-way is specifically for the construction and maintenance of high-voltage transmission facilities, consistent with existing renewable energy transmission agreements between the Tribe and the utility on the Snow Mountain Reservation.
Section 1(d)
Prohibition on Gaming
This section explicitly prohibits both Class II and Class III gaming, as defined by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, on the approximately 3,156 acres of land taken into trust for the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians. This means that the Tribe will not be able to establish or operate casinos or other forms of regulated gambling on this specific parcel of land.
Section 1(e)
Water Rights Clarification
This section clarifies the status of water rights for the newly acquired trust land. It explicitly states that nothing in the bill either affirms or denies federal reserved rights to surface water or groundwater for the land. However, it also affirms that the Tribe will retain any existing rights or claims to water under State law for this land, ensuring that their current state-recognized water entitlements are preserved.
Section 1(g)
Repeal of Prior Land Provision
This provision repeals Section 3092 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 'Buck' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. This prior section likely contained provisions related to land management or tribal land that are now superseded or made redundant by the current bill's actions regarding the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians.
The bill defines 'Map' as 'the map titled "Southern Nevada Land Management" and dated November 14, 2024.' This map is crucial for precisely identifying the 3,156 acres of covered land and the 300-foot-wide right-of-way.
Section 1(h)(2)
Why it matters:Defining terms in a dedicated section is standard legislative practice for clarity and brevity in the operative text. However, the specific map reference holds significant legal weight for the exact boundaries.
Case for: Supporters would argue that referencing a specific, dated map ensures precision and avoids ambiguity regarding the exact parcels of land being transferred and the corridor location. This prevents future disputes over boundaries.
Case against: Critics might note that without public access to this specific map, the exact implications of the land transfer and right-of-way are not fully transparent to the public or even to all stakeholders, requiring external research to understand the full scope.
Estimated impact: The map defines the exact 3,156 acres of land transferred and the specific location of the energy corridor, directly impacting the Tribe's new reservation boundaries and the utility's infrastructure path.