What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
This bill recognizes and settles the Akwesasne land claim in northern New York. (Akwesasne is a Mohawk territory that extends into the United States and Canada, specifically New York, Ontario, and Quebec.) The bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms a specified settlement agreement entered into by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT), the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, the State of New York, Franklin and Saint Lawrence Counties in New York, the towns of Fort Covington and Bombay in New York, and the New York Power Authority. (Among its provisions, the settlement agreement restores land rights and provides access to land to SRMT, provides tuition assistance for tribal members to certain postsecondary institutions, and requires the New York Power Authority to make annual payments to SRMT.) Additionally, the bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms any transfer of land, right-of-way, or easement that is the subject of claims in specified court cases. The bill also recognizes as Indian country any land owned or subsequently acquired by SRMT within the settlement acquisition areas. (The term Indian country , for purposes of criminal jurisdiction, generally refers to all lands within a tribal reservation, dependent Indian communities, and tribal allotments.)
Action Timeline
2025-12-15
Introduced in Senate
2025-12-15
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did S.3475 pass?
S.3475 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: pending.
What does S.3475 do?
This bill recognizes and settles the Akwesasne land claim in northern New York. (Akwesasne is a Mohawk territory that extends into the United States and Canada, specifically New York, Ontario, and Quebec.) The bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms a specified settlement agreement entered into by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT), the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, the State of New York, Franklin and Saint Lawrence Counties in New York, the towns of Fort Covington and Bombay in New York, and the New York Power Authority. (Among its provisions, the settlement agreement restores land rights and…
Who sponsored S.3475?
S.3475 was sponsored by Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-New York).
Full Bill Text
119 S3475 IS: To authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes. U.S. Senate 2025-12-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3475 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 15, 2025 Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes. 1. Agreement and transfers authorized, ratified and confirmed The following are hereby authorized, ratified, and confirmed: (1) The Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York (hereafter in this Act referred to as the Settlement Agreement ), entered into by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, the State of New York, the Counties of Franklin and Saint Lawrence, New York, the Towns of Fort Covington and Bombay, New York, and the New York Power Authority. (2) Any transfer of land, right-of-way, or easement that is the subject of the claims in the Canadian Saint Regis Band of Mohawk Indians v. New York et al. (82–CV–783); the Canadian Saint Regis Band of Mohawk Indians v. New York et al. (82–CV–1114); and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Counciland the People of the Longhouse at Akwesasne, by Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs v. The State of New York, et al. (89–CV–829). 2. Lands owned by Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe within settlement acquisition areas The following shall be Indian Country as defined in section 1151(a) of title 18, United States Code, subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations of the Settlement Agreement: (1) Land owned on the effective date of the Settlement Agreement by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe within the Settlement Acquisition Areas, as defined in the Settlement Agreement. (2) Land acquired by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe within the Settlement Acquisition Areas after the effective date of the Settlement Agreement.
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