119-HR-6162 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary

Headline Summary: Transfer three small federal parcels (about 9.89 acres) at the former Albuquerque Indian School into trust for the benefit of New Mexico’s 19 Pueblos to use for community, cultural, and economic purposes—no gaming allowed. (congress.gov)

What It Does: The bill directs the General Services Administration to hand administrative control of three specified tracts in Albuquerque to the Interior Department, which must then hold the land in trust for the 19 Pueblos. The land could be used for education, health, cultural, business, and economic development; it remains subject to existing easements and rights-of-way; and all classes of gaming are prohibited. A survey and minor boundary corrections are authorized to finalize the legal description. (congress.gov)

Who’s For It:

• Sponsor: Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D–NM), who introduced the bill on November 19, 2025. (congress.gov)
• Senate partners: Sens. Martin Heinrich (lead) and Ben Ray Luján, who say the land would help the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center scale Native-owned businesses and jobs while advancing long‑running efforts to consolidate the campus for the 19 Pueblos. (heinrich.senate.gov)

Who’s Against It:

• No organized opposition has been prominent in official records so far. Potential concerns sometimes raised with similar transfers include: loss of direct federal control over a site, coordination among multiple beneficiary governments (19 Pueblos), and logistics around relocating current federal tenants and honoring existing easements.

What’s Next: As of February 26, 2026, the bill remains in the House Natural Resources Committee and is scheduled for a Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs legislative hearing on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (congress.gov)