Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68 Part 1.djvu/757

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

68 S T A T. ]

721)

PUBLIC LAW 588-AUG. 13, 1954

The Secretary shall review such appeals and his decisions thereon shall be final and conclusive. After disposition of all such appeals the roll of the tribe shall be published in the Federal Register and such roll shall be final for the purposes of this Act. SEC, 4. Upon publication in the Federal Register of the final roll as provided in section 3 of this Act, the rights or beneficial interests in tribal property of each person whose name appears on the roll shall constitute personal property which may be inherited or bequeathed, but shall not otherwise be subject to alienation or encumbrance before the transfer of title to such tribal property as provided in section 5 of this Act without the approval of the Secretary. Any contract made in violation of this section shall be null and void. SEC. 5. (a) Upon request of a tribe, the Secretary is authorized within two years from the date of this Act to transfer to a corporation or other legal entity organized by the tribe in a form satisfactory to the Secretary title to all or any part of the tribal property, real and personal, or to transfer to one or more trustees designated by the tribe and approved by the Secretary, title to all or any part of such property to be held in trust for management or liquidation purposes under such terms and conditions as may be specified by the tribe and approved by the Secretary, or to sell all or any part of such property and make a pro rata distribution of the proceeds of sale among the members of the tribe after deducting, in his discretion, reasonable costs of sale and distribution. (b) Title to any tribal property that is not transferred in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be transferred by the Secretary to one or more trustees designated by him for the liquidation and distribution of assets among the members of the tribe under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe: Provided, That the trust agreement shall provide for the termination of the trust not more than three years from the date of such transfer unless the term of the trust is extended by order of a judge of a court of record designated in the trust agreement: Provided further, That the trust agreement shall provide that at any time before the sale of tribal property by the trustees the tribe may notify the trustees that it elects to retain such property and to transfer title thereto to a corporation, other legal entity, or trustee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, and that the trustees shall transfer title to such property in accordance with the notice from the tribe if it is approved by the Secretary. (c) The Secretary shall not approve any form of organization pursuant to subsection (a) of this section that provides for the transfer of stock or an undivided share in corporate assets as compensation for the services of agents or attorneys unless such transfer is based upon an appraisal of tribal assets that is satisfactory^ to the Secretary. (d) When approving or disapproving the selection of trustees m accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, and when designating trustees pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall give due regard to the laws of the State of Oregon that relate to the selection of trustees. SEC. 6. (a) The Secretary is authorized and directed to transfer within two years after the date of this Act to each member of each tribe unrestricted control of funds or other personal property held in trust for such member by the United States. (b) All restrictions on the sale or encumbrance of trust or restricted land owned by members of the tribes (including allottees, purchasers, heirs, and devisees, either adult or minor) are hereby removed two years after the date of this Act and the patents or deeds under which titles are then held shall pass the titles in fee simple, subject to any

Final roll. P u b l i c a t i o n in FR. Personal property rights.

Tribal property. P r o c e d u r e for transfer.

A g e n t s or attorneys.

Trustees.

Property of i n dividuals.

Trust restrictions, e t c. Removal,