Congress·Reported·S. 1513

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act

Land Transfer for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe

May 20·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

This bill is one vehicle in a longer effort. See the full story across every version.View effort →

Next up: The Senate

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs recently approved this bill and sent it forward for further consideration. It is currently moving through the legislative process and awaits a vote by the full Senate. There are no other companion bills currently linked to this legislation.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Could go either way

This bill has strong support from both of Washington's senators, but it still needs to go through committees and find support in the House of Representatives.

How we got here

This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.

Reintroduced
Reintroduced from S. 5287 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
S. 5287 (118th) →

Key Points

This bill would move about 1,082 acres of federal land in Washington State to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. The land is currently managed by the National Park Service but would become part of the tribe's official reservation.
When land is held in trust, the federal government keeps the legal title, but the tribe gets to use and manage the land for their own benefit. This helps tribes regain control over areas that were historically theirs.
A portion of the Elwha River is included in this land transfer. The bill requires that this section of the river continue to be protected under federal rules that keep rivers wild and scenic, ensuring the ecosystem stays healthy.
The tribe is not allowed to build casinos or use this specific land for gambling. This ensures the land is used for other purposes like housing, cultural preservation, or natural restoration.
The bill makes it clear that no existing treaty rights are changed. The tribe keeps all the rights they were promised in the 1855 Treaty of Point No Point, including their rights to fish and hunt in the area.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

Milestones

4 milestones4 actions

May 20, 2026Senate

Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Dec 17, 2025Senate

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Apr 29, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Apr 29, 2025

Introduced in Senate

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

No votes or news coverage recorded for this bill yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act

Bill NumberS 1513

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionCommittee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Read Full Bill Text

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)

D: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.