25 U.S.C. § 1771 : US Code - Section 1771: Congressional findings and declaration of policy

Search 25 U.S.C. § 1771 : US Code - Section 1771: Congressional findings and declaration of policy

The Congress hereby finds and declares that -
(1) there is pending before the United States District Court
for the District of Massachusetts a lawsuit that involves Indian
claims to certain public lands within the town of Gay Head,
Massachusetts;
(2) the pendency of this lawsuit has resulted in severe
economic hardships for the residents of the town of Gay Head by
clouding the titles to much of the land in the town, including
land not involved in the lawsuit;
(3) the Congress shares with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
and the parties to the lawsuit a desire to remove all clouds on
titles resulting from such Indian land claim; (!1)
(4) the parties to the lawsuit and others interested in
settlement of Indian land claims within the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts executed a Settlement Agreement which, to become
effective, requires implementing legislation by the Congress of
the United States and the General Court of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts;
(5) the town of Gay Head has agreed to contribute approximately
50 percent of the land involved in this settlement;
(6) the State of Massachusetts has agreed to provide up to
$2,250,000 to be used for the purchase of land to be held in
trust by the Secretary for the use and benefit of the Wampanoag
Tribal Council of Gay Head, Inc.; and
(7) the Secretary has acknowledged the existence of the
Wampanoag Tribal Council of Gay Head, Inc. as an Indian tribe and
Congress hereby ratifies and confirms that existence as an Indian
tribe with a government to government relationship with the
United States.