TITLE 25 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER XX - PUEBLO AND CANONCITO NAVAJO INDIANS

25 USC 621 - Portions of tribal lands to be held in trust by the United States; remainder to become part of the public domain

Title to the lands and the improvements thereon, lying and situated within the State of New Mexico, which have been acquired by the United States under authority of title II of the National Industrial Recovery Act of June 16, 1933 (48 Stat. 200), the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of April 8, 1935 (49 Stat. 115), section 55 of title I of the Act of August 24, 1935 (49 Stat. 750, 781), the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (50 Stat. 522, 525) and subsequent emergency relief appropriation Acts administrative jurisdiction over which has heretofore been transferred by the President from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of the Interior, to be administered through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the benefit of the Indians, by Executive Orders Numbered 7792, 7975, 8255, 8471, 8696, and 8472 and that title to the public domain lands and improvements thereon, lying and situated within the State of New Mexico, which were withdrawn in aid of proposed legislation by the Secretary of the Interior on December 23, 1938, and May 31, 1939, and now in use by Pueblo or Canoncito Navajo Indians, excepting those portions thereof used by the United States for administrative purposes, is declared to be in the United States of America in trust for the respective tribes, bands, or groups of Indians occupying and using same as a part of their respective existing reservations, subject to valid existing rights. The remainder of the aforesaid land is declared to be a part of the public domain of the United States and shall be transferred by the Secretary of the Interior to the Bureau of Land Management for administration under the provisions of the Act of Congress of June 28, 1934, generally known as Taylor Grazing Act [43 U.S.C. 315 et seq.] (48 Stat. 1269, as amended). The boundaries and descriptions of the areas to become Indian lands and those which are to be transferred to the Bureau of Land Management are set out in sections III and IV, respectively, of the memorandum of information which is attached to and a part of the report of the Secretary of the Interior to the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs on this subchapter, and such boundaries and descriptions are adopted as part of this subchapter and shall be published in the Federal Register: Provided, That before said boundaries and descriptions are published in the Federal Register as herein provided, the Secretary of the Interior may correct any clerical errors in section III of said memorandum of information and shall revise the same so as to define the areas on that portion of the lands conveyed by this subchapter and known as Bell Rock Mesa used and occupied respectively by the Laguna Pueblo Indians and the Canoncito Navajo Indians.

25 USC 622 - Exchange of tribal lands; title to lands

For the purpose of consolidation of Indian lands the Secretary of the Interior is authorized, under such regulations as he may prescribe, to exchange any lands or interests therein, including improvements and water rights with the consent of the Pueblo or Navajo tribal authorities for other lands, water rights, and improvements of similar value in the area set apart for the Pueblos and Canoncito Navajos or in the areas declared to be public domain or within any public domain within New Mexico. Title to all lands acquired under the provisions of this subchapter shall be taken in the name of the United States in trust for the respective Pueblo Indians and the Navajo Canoncito group.

25 USC 623 - Disbursement of deposits in the United Pueblos Agency

The funds now on deposit in the United Pueblos Agency in special deposits which have accrued from issuance of livestock-crossing permits and fees collected for grazing permits on the lands which have been under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior shall be expended or disbursed for the benefit of the Indians under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe.

25 USC 624 - Exchange of lands

(a) Authorization of Secretary; manner and place 
For the purpose of improving the land tenure pattern and consolidating Pueblo Indian lands, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized, under such regulations as he may prescribe, to acquire by exchange any lands or interests therein, including improvements and water rights, within the Pueblo land consolidation areas, and to convey in exchange therefor not to exceed an equal value of unappropriated public lands within the State of New Mexico, or, with the consent of the Pueblo authorities any Pueblo tribal lands or interest therein, including improvements and water rights.
(b) Reservation of minerals, easements, or rights of use 
Either party to an exchange under this section may reserve minerals, easements, or rights of use.
(c) Execution of title documents 
The Secretary may execute any title documents necessary to effect the exchanges authorized by this section.
(d) Title to lands 
Title to all lands acquired under the provisions of this section shall be taken in the name of the United States in trust for the respective Pueblo Indian tribes.