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Washington : Government Printing Office
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed, with the advice and consent of the business council of the Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, to prepare a roll showing the members of said tribe living on the date of the approval of this Act, and such roll shall form the basis for the distribution of the judgment fund of said tribe created as the result of the passage of the Act of June 25, 1938 (52 Stat. 1114-1156), and accrued interest thereon.
That there shall be credited on the books of the Office of Indian Affairs the sum of $2,450 to each member of said tribe whose name appears on the roll provided for in section 1 hereof; and out of such sum so credited the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to make available immediately to each individual member of the tribe the sum of $100; and, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, the sum of $1,350 to each adult and the sum of $500 to each minor for the following purposes: Purchase of land, improvement of lands to be acquired or already held by the Indian, for the erection
and improvement of suitable homes, the purchase of building material, farming equipment, livestock, feed, food, seed, grain, tools, machinery, implements, household goods, bedding, clothing, and any other equipment or supplies necessary to enable the Indians to fit themselves for or to engage in farming, livestock, industry, or such other pursuits or vocations, including education, as will enable them to become self-supporting: Provided, however, That the funds of the aged, infirm, decrepit, and incapacitated members may be used for their proper maintenance and support in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior. The remainder of the share of each adult individual Indian, including accrued interest, shall be made available under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe, and the remainder of the share of each minor Indian shall, with accrued interest, be held intact until such Indian reaches the age of eighteen years, when it shall be available under the same conditions as herein provided for adults. As herein used the term "adult" shall include the members of the tribe eighteen years of age or over, and the term "minor" shall include all members less. than eighteen years of age. On the death of any enrolled member, adult or minor, the sum on deposit to his credit shall be available for expenditure for the benefit of his heirs for the purposes herein authorized.
(a) Not to exceed $1,000,000 of said judgment fund, or interest thereon, shall be available for expenditure upon the request of the tribe and with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, for the purchase of lands in the manner prescribed in section 6 of this Act.
(b) The sum of $125,000 of said judgment fund, or interest thereon, shall, at the request of the tribe and with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, be set aside as a loan fund for making loans to individual members, or groups of members, of said tribe under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior.
(c) The remainder of said judgment fund, including interest thereon, after making the segregation provided for in section 2, and after setting aside the respective amounts authorized by this section, shall be available for appropriation, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Interior, and with the consent of the tribe, for purposes of benefit to the tribe, including the establishment and administration of productive enterprises for the benefit of said tribe, and any income derived from such enterprises shall be credited to the Shoshone tribal judgment fund: Provided, That should such enterprises also benefit the Arapaho Tribe repayment proportionate to the benefit to the Arapaho Tribe shall be made into the Shoshone judgment fund by the Arapaho Tribe out of such tribal income as the Arapaho Tribe may enjoy.
That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to establish land-use districts within the diminished and ceded portions of the Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming, and, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, to effect the consolidation of Indian and privately owned lands within said districts through exchange, relinquishment, donation, assignment, or purchase of lands or interests therein, including water rights or surface rights to lands, improvements thereon and improvements on undisposed-of ceded lands, to the end that the respective Indian and non-Indian land holdings may be consolidated for more beneficial use. Exchanges of lands hereunder shall be made on the basis of equal value, and the value of improvements on lands to be relinquished to the Indians or by Indians to non-Indians shall be given due consideration, and allowance made therefor in the valuation of lieu lands. This section shall apply to tribal land, and trust or otherwise restricted Indian allotments, whether the allottees be living or deceased. In all transactions involving tribal Indian land, the consent of the Shoshone
and Arapaho Tribes shall first be obtained. Title to all lands or interests therein acquired by the Government through exchange of tribal land shall be taken in the name of the United States in trust for the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes of Indians of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming. Title to lands exchanged for individual Indian allotments, or purchased for individual Indians with restricted funds shall be taken by the United States in trust for the individual Indian allottee or heir. The right herein granted individual Indians to acquire lands by purchase with restricted funds or by exchange shall not extend to lands on the ceded or opened portion of the reservation.
That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby directed to restore to tribal ownership all undisposed-of surplus or ceded lands within the land use districts which are not at present under lease or permit to non-Indians; and, further, to restore to tribal ownership the balance of said lands progressively as and when the non-Indian owned lands within a given land use district are acquired by the Government for Indian use pursuant to the provisions of this Act. All such restorations shall be subject to valid existing rights and claims: Provided, That no restoration to tribal ownership shall be made of any lands within any reclamation project heretofore authorized within the diminished or ceded portions of the reservation.
That the sum of $1,000,000 authorized in section 3 for use in carrying out the land purchase and consolidation program hereinbefore authorized shall remain available until expended and any amount expended shall be reimbursed with interest at 4 per centum per annum to the Shoshone Tribe of Indians of the Wind River Reservation from joint funds to the credit of the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River Reservation or from future accruals to said joint fund, as and when said funds accrue. Title to all land purchases made hereunder shall be taken in the name of the United States in trust for the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes of Indians of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming. All purchases of lands or interests therein made pursuant to this section shall receive the approval of the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Councils or of the business committees thereof.
That in no event shall any portion of the Shoshone judgment fund become liable, payable, or subject to any debt or debts contracted prior to the passage of this Act by any Indian of the Shoshone Tribe except debts to the United States or to the tribe.
Approved, July 27, 1939.
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