Washington : Government Printing Office
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| VOLUME 20—1955 | 4430 |
Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of August 23, 1954 (68 Stat. 768), I, Douglas McKay, Secretary of the Interior, do hereby proclaim that:
1. I am this day executing a quitclaim deed, effective July 1, 1955, which conveys to the State of Texas the lands held in trust by the United States for the tribe of Indians organized and known as the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas, located in Polk County, Texas. Such lands shall be held by the State of Texas in trust for the benefit of the Indians of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas, subject to such conditions regarding management and use as the State of Texas may prescribe, and the disposition of such lands shall be subject to approval of a majority of the adult members of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas.
2. On and after July 1, 1955, the tribe and its members shall not be entitled to any of the services performed by the United States for Indians because of their status as Indians, except that such Indians shall be eligible for admission, on the same terms that apply to other Indians, to hospitals and schools maintained by the United States.
3. Effective on July 1, 1955, all powers of the Secretary of the Interior or any other officer of the United States to take, review, or approve any action under the constitution and by-laws of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas approved on August 19, 1938, pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), are terminated. Any powers conferred upon the tribe by its constitution and by-laws that are inconsistent with the provisions of the Act of August 23, 1954, supra, are terminated. Such termination shall not affect the power of the tribe to take any action under its constitution and by-laws that is consistent with that Act without the participation of the Secretary or other officer of the United States in such action.
4. Effective on July 1, 1955, the indebtedness of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas to the United States incurred under the provisions of the Act of May 29, 1928 (45 Stat. 883, 900) is cancelled.
5. Effective on July 1, 1955, the corpo-
rate charter of the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas issued pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), and ratified on October 17, 1939, is revoked.
6. After July 1, 1955, the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), as amended by the Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 387), shall not apply to the tribe and its members.
7. On and after July 1, 1955, all statutes of the United States which affect Indians because of their status as Indians shall no longer be applicable to the Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas or the members thereof, except as provided in provision 2 of this proclamation, and the laws of the several states shall apply to the tribe and its members in the same manner as they apply to other citizens or persons within their jurisdiction.
8. Nothing in this proclamation, issued pursuant to Public Law 627, 83d Congress, shall affect the status of the members of the tribe as citizens of the United States.
In witness whereof, I have hereunder subscribed my name and caused the seal of the Department of the Interior to be affixed this 25th day of May 1955.
DOUGLAS MCKAY,
Secretary of the Interior.
