107 STAT. 234 PUBLIC LAW 103-48—JULY 2, 1993 Public Law 103-48 103d Congress An Act July 2, 1993 To resolve the status of certain lands relinquished to the United States under [H.R. 765] the Act of June 4, 1897 (30 Stat. 11, 36), and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) FINDINGS. — Congress finds the following: (1) Pursuant to the invitation and requirements contained in the 15th paragraph under the heading "Surveying the Public Lands" in the Act of June 4, 1897 (30 Stat. 11, 36), as amended or supplemented by the Acts of June 6, 1900 (31 Stat, 588, 614), March 4, 1901 (31 Stat. 1010, 1037), and September 22, 1922 (42 Stat. 1067), certain landowners or entrjmien within forest reserves acted to transfer their lands to the United States as the basis for an in lieu selection of other Federal lands (hereafter in this Act referred to as "lieu lands") in exchange for such lands within such reserves (hereafter in this Act referred to as "base lands"). (2) By the Act of March 3, 1905 (33 Stat. 1264), Congress repealed the in lieu selection provisions of the Act of June 4, 1897, as amended, and terminated the right to select lieu lands, but expressly preserved the rights of land owners who had valid pending applications for in lieu selections, most of which have subsequently been granted. (3) Other persons affected by the Acts cited in paragraphs (1) and (2) who acted to transfer base lands, or their successors in interest, have never obtained either (A) a patent to the lieu lands or any other consideration for their relinquishment, or (B) a quitclaim of their base lands, notwithstanding relief legislation enacted in 1922 and 1930. (4) By the Act of July 6, 1960 (74 Stat. 334), Congress established a procedure to compensate persons affected by the Acts cited in paragraphs (1) and (2) who had not received appropriate relief under prior legislation. However, no pay- ments of such compensation were made under that Act. (5) Section 4 of the Act of July 6, 1960, further provided that lands with respect to which compensation under that Act were or could have been made, and not previously disposed of by the United States, shall be a part of any national forest, national park, or other area withdrawn from the public domain wherein they are located. (6) Absent further legislation, lengthy and expensive litigation will be required to resolve existing questions about the title to lands covered by section 4 of the 1960 Act.
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