Sarah Elfreth

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Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 550 would provide the U.S. Court of Federal Claims with jurisdiction over the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma's land claim in east central Illinois. Prior to being forcibly removed from their homeland, the Miami Tribe resided in the Great Lakes region. In 1805, the Miami Tribe, the Eel River Band, and the Wea signed the Treaty of Grouseland with the United States. The 1805 treaty provided that land south of the Great Lakes in the Wabash River watershed were not ceded and the United States would not purchase lands without the consent of the signatories. However, the United States later violated this treaty when lands were placed into the public domain and parcels were transferred to settlers without extinguishing the Tribe's title to the land. This has resulted in difficulties and confusion with the current landowners as the Miami Tribe maintains a claim to the title. S. 550 would allow the Tribe 1 year to bring their claim before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and would extinguish any other of the Tribe's claims to the land. The bill provides the Tribe with a path forward to get their day in court but does not dictate an ultimate outcome. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.