92 STAT. 244
PUBLIC LAW 95-280—MAY 15, 1978
Public Law 95-280 95th Congress An Act May 15, 1978 [S. 482]
Zuni Indian Tribe, New Mex. Lands in trust.
Land titles.
Jurisdiction.
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to purchase and hold certain lands in trust for the Zuni Indian Tribe of New Mexico, and to confer jurisdiction on the Court of Claims with respect to land claims of such tribe.
Be it enacted by the Senute and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Secretary") shall acquire, through purchase or exchange, the lands described in subsection (b). (b) The lands to be acquired under subsection (a) are lands in the State of New Mexico upon which the Zuni Salt Lake is located and which are more particularly described as follows: Lots 3 and 4, east half southwest quarter, west half southeast quarter, section 30, township 3 north, range 18 west, lots 1 and 2, east half northwest quarter, west half northeast quarter, section 31, township 3 north, range 18 west, southeast quarter southeast quarter, section 25, and east half northeast quarter, section 36, township 3 north, range 19 west, all of the New Mexico principal meridian. New Mexico, containing approximately 618.41 acres, more or less. (c) Title to the lands to be acquired under subsection (a) shall be taken and held in trust in the name of the United States for the benefit of the Zuni Indian Tribe of New Mexico (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "tribe"), and such lands shall be exempt from State and local taxation. SEC. 2. (a) Notwithstanding sections 2401 and 2501 of title 28, United States Code, and section 12 of the Act of August 13, 1946 (60 Stat. 1052; 25 U.S.C. 70k), jurisdiction is hereby conferred upon the United States Court of Claims to hear, determine, and render judgment on any claims of the Zuni Indian Tribe of New Mexico against the United States with respect to any lands or interests therein in the State of New Mexico or the State of Arizona held by aboriginal title or otherwise which were acquired from the tribe without payment of adequate compensation by the United States: Provided, That jurisdiction is conferred only with respect to claims accruing on or before August 13, 1946, and all such claims must be filed within three years after approval of this Act. Such jurisdiction is conferred notwithstanding any failure of the tribe to exhaust any available administrative remedies. (b)(1) Any award made to any Indian tribe other than the Zuni Indian Tribe of New Mexico before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act, under any judgment of the Indian Claims Commission or any other authority, with respect to any lands that are the subject of a claim submitted by the tribe under subsection (a) shall not be considered as a defense, estoppel, or setoff to such claim, and shall not otherwise affect the entitlement to, or amount of, any relief with respect to such claim.
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