§ 1775. — Findings and purposes.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 25USC1775]
TITLE 25--INDIANS
CHAPTER 19--INDIAN LAND CLAIMS SETTLEMENTS
SUBCHAPTER IX--MOHEGAN NATION (CONNECTICUT) LAND CLAIMS SETTLEMENT
Sec. 1775. Findings and purposes
(a) Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut received
recognition by the United States pursuant to the administrative
process under part 83 of title 25 of the Code of Federal
Regulations.
(2) The Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut is the successor
in interest to the aboriginal entity known as the Mohegan Indian
Tribe.
(3) The Mohegan Tribe has existed in the geographic area that is
currently the State of Connecticut for a long period preceding the
colonial period of the history of the United States.
(4) Certain lands were sequestered as tribal lands by the Colony
of Connecticut and subsequently by the State of Connecticut.
(5) The Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut v. State of
Connecticut, et al. (Civil Action No. H-77-434, pending before the
United States District Court for the Southern District of
Connecticut) relates to the ownership of certain lands within the
State of Connecticut.
(6) Such action will likely result in economic hardships for
residents of the State of Connecticut, including residents of the
town of Montville, Connecticut, by encumbering the title to lands in
the State, including lands that are not currently the subject of the
action.
(7) The State of Connecticut and the Mohegan Tribe have executed
agreements for the purposes of resolving all disputes between the
State of Connecticut and the Mohegan Tribe and providing a
settlement for the action referred to in paragraph (5).
(8) In order to implement the agreements referred to in
paragraphs (5) and (6) of section 1775a of this title that address
matters of jurisdiction with respect to certain offenses committed
by and against members of the Mohegan Tribe and other Indians in
Indian country and matters of gaming-related development, it is
necessary for the Congress to enact legislation.
(9) The town of Montville, Connecticut, will--
(A) be affected by the loss of a tax base from, and
jurisdiction over, lands that will be held in trust by the
United States on behalf of the Mohegan Tribe; and
(B) serve as the host community for the gaming operations of
the Mohegan Tribe.
(10) The town of Montville and the Mohegan Tribe have entered
into an agreement to resolve issues extant between them and to
establish the basis for a cooperative government-to-government
relationship.
(b) Purposes
The purposes of this subchapter are as follows:
(1) To facilitate the settlement of claims against the State of
Connecticut by the Mohegan Tribe.
(2) To facilitate the removal of any encumbrance to any title to
land in the State of Connecticut that would have resulted from the
action referred to in subsection (a) of this section.
(Pub. L. 103-377, Sec. 2, Oct. 19, 1994, 108 Stat. 3501.)
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 103-377 provided that: ``This Act [enacting
this subchapter] may be cited as the `Mohegan Nation of Connecticut Land
Claims Settlement Act of 1994'.''
