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S 5559118th CongressFailed / ExpiredSenate

A bill to amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the "Long-Term Leasing Act"), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes.

Policy Area: Native Americans
View on Congress.gov
Origin Chamber
Senate
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2025
Latest Action Date
Dec 17, 2024

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Official Summary

Official summary has not been imported yet.

GovScope Watchdog™

AI Government Intelligence™
Executive Summary

This bill proposes to amend the Long-Term Leasing Act of 1955 to allow leases of up to 99 years on land within the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). The amendment aims to extend the maximum lease term beyond current limits, potentially facilitating longer-term land use arrangements for these tribal lands. The bill was introduced in the Senate during the 118th Congress and was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs but ultimately failed or expired without further action.

Bottom Line

The bill sought to authorize longer-term leases on specific tribal lands but did not advance beyond committee referral and expired in the 118th Congress.

Policy Risk Level
🟡 Medium
Neutral Risk Assessment
Key Points
  • Amends the Long-Term Leasing Act of 1955 to permit leases up to 99 years on designated tribal lands.
  • Applies specifically to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).
  • The bill was read twice in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs but did not progress further.
Who Benefits?

['Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe', 'Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)', 'Potential lessees of tribal land', 'Federal agencies managing tribal land leases']

Potential Concerns

['Implementation challenges related to managing longer-term leases on tribal lands.', 'Oversight mechanisms for lease agreements extending up to 99 years.', 'Potential impacts on tribal sovereignty and land management practices.', 'Unclear cost implications or funding provisions associated with lease administration.']

Political Context

The bill was introduced in the Senate during the 118th Congress and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. It addresses a specific policy area concerning Native American land management and leasing authority. The bill did not advance beyond committee referral and expired, indicating limited legislative momentum during this session.

Hidden Impact Review

Hidden impact flags detected: 2

GovScope reviewed 2 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.

2 Detected
Detected Flags
Indirect Effects

['Longer lease terms may encourage increased investment or development on tribal lands by providing greater lease security.', 'Extended leases could affect future tribal land use planning and flexibility.', 'Potential changes in federal oversight or administrative workload related to managing longer leases.']

GovScope Watchdog Notes

The bill lacks publicly available full text and official summary, limiting detailed analysis. The referral to the Committee on Indian Affairs and subsequent expiration without further action suggests limited legislative engagement. Transparency on lease administration, oversight provisions, and cost implications would be important for evaluating the bill's full impact.

Passage Likelihood: LowConfidence: 85%Model: gpt-4.1-mini

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