Key Points

This bill would make a negotiated deal official to settle a long-running Akwesasne Mohawk land dispute in northern New York.
It signs off on certain land transfers (including rights-of-way and easements) that are part of the settlement tied to older court cases.
It says that land the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe already owns in the defined settlement areas counts as “Indian Country,” with rules set by the deal.
It also says future land the Tribe buys in those same areas would get that same status, as long as it follows the settlement’s limits.

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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Positive Impacts(1)

Tribal Member

Helps

State Impacts

New YorkNY

Mixed

The bill is specifically about resolving an Akwesasne Mohawk land claim in New York and names New York State, two counties, and two towns as parties. It could reduce costly, long-running legal conflict and clarify land ownership and access rights. Over time, more land in the covered areas could be treated as tribal land under federal law, which may shift how some local rules apply on those parcels.

Milestones

3 milestones3 actions

Jun 3, 2026Senate

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Dec 15, 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.

Dec 15, 2025

Introduced in Senate

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

Related News

3 articles

Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand·Dec 16, 2025

Gillibrand Introduces Bill To Confirm Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Land Claim Settlement Agreement

Sen. Gillibrand announces introduction of legislation to authorize, ratify, and confirm the settlement agreement resolving the decades-old Akwesasne Mohawk land claim.

Center Left

Office of Rep. Elise Stefanik·Dec 9, 2025

House Passes Stefanik's Congressional Ratification of Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim

Rep. Stefanik announces House passage of H.R. 2916 to ratify the land claim settlement agreement involving SRMT, MCA, NYS, counties/towns, and NYPA.

Center Right

PRAI NEWS·Dec 15, 2025

Ierahkwa Ne Kanienke Government Asserts Sovereign Authority, Demands End to Misrepresentation by Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) and Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA)

Article describing a sovereignty-related dispute and critique of SRMT/MCA representations, contemporaneous with land-claim settlement developments.

Related Bills

1 bill

H.R. 2916Identical 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.

Jun 3 — Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

No votes recorded for this bill yet.

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.

Legislative Progress

Key Points

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

State Impacts

Milestones

Related News

Gillibrand Introduces Bill To Confirm Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Land Claim Settlement Agreement

House Passes Stefanik's Congressional Ratification of Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim

Ierahkwa Ne Kanienke Government Asserts Sovereign Authority, Demands End to Misrepresentation by Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) and Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA)

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