108 STAT. 2156 PUBLIC LAW 103-324—SEPT. 21, 1994 Public Law 103-324 103d Congress An Act Sept. 21, 1994 [S. 1357] Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Act. Michigan. 25 USC 1300k note. 25 USC 1300k. To reaffirm and clarify the Federal relationships of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians as distinct federally recognized Indian tribes, 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. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Act". SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians are descendants of, and political successors to, signatories of the 1836 Treaty of Washington and the 1855 Treaty of Detroit. (2) The Greind Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indieins, and the Bay Mills Band of Chippewa Indians, whose members are also descendants of the signatories to the 1836 Treaty of Washington and the 1855 Treaty of Detroit, have been recognized by the Federal Government as distinct Indian tribes. (3) The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians consists of at least 1,000 eligible members who continue to reside close to their ancestral homeland as recognized in the Little Traverse Reservation in the 1836 Treaty of Washington and 1855 Treaty of Detroit, which area is now known as Emmet and Charlevoix Counties, Michigan. (4) The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians consists of at least 500 eligible members who continue to reside close to their ancestral homeland as recognized in the Manistee Reservation in the 1836 Treaty of Washington and reservation in the 1855 Treaty of Detroit, which area is now known as Manistee and Mason Counties, Michigan. (5) The Bands filed for reorganization of their existing tribal governments in 1935 under the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.; commonly referred to as the "Indian Reorganization Act"). Federal agents who visited the Bands, including Commissioner of Indian Affairs, John Collier, attested to the continued social and political existence of the Bands and concluded that the Bands were eligible for reorganization. Due to a lack of Federal appropriations to implement the provi-
�
