Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act
The Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act would direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions needed to place approximately 40 acres of land near Wounded Knee, South Dakota, on Pine Ridge Reservation under “restricted fee status” held by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Under restricted fee status, the land remains tribal-owned, within the reservation, and under tribal civil and criminal jurisdiction; it cannot be transferred without Congress and tribal consent, is not subject to state or local taxation, and uses would be governed by a 2022 covenant between the two tribes. The land must be used in a manner consistent with that covenant and cannot be used for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The act also preserves existing encumbrances and easements and requires the Secretary to finalize the actions within 365 days of enactment. Overall, the bill aims to memorialize and protect the Wounded Knee Massacre site as a sacred site under tribal stewardship.
Key Points
- 1Creates “restricted fee status” for about 40 acres at Wounded Knee, which keeps the land tribal-owned, within the Pine Ridge Reservation, and under Oglala Sioux Tribe jurisdiction, with protections against transfer or alienation.
- 2Requires the Secretary to complete all necessary actions within 365 days, including finalizing the survey/description and assigning any private or municipal utility rights or agreements tied to the land.
- 3Land usage is limited to purposes permitted by the 2022 Covenant between the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; the land remains subject to Indian country laws and protections against alienation.
- 4Encumbrances, easements, rights-of-way, and existing agreements in effect at enactment stay in place and continue to affect the land.
- 5The land cannot be used for gaming activities under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, aligning with the Covenant and tribal governance over the site.