Senate Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Padilla, Schiff Bill to Support Over 500 Acres of Tribal Land Management

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate unanimously passed U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s (D-Calif.) Pit River Land Transfer Act , a bicameral and bipartisan bill to promote Tribal management of over 500 acres of land in California by transferring federal land to the Pit River Tribe. Padilla introduced the legislation with Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) last year to protect Tribal communities and local environment in surrounding regions. The Senate passed an amended version of the late Representative Doug LaMalfa’s (R-Calif.-01) companion bill, which now heads back to the House of Representatives for a final vote. “Senseless conflict and bureaucratic barriers have kept California Tribes from managing their ancestral lands, and it’s past time we take action to help Tribes protect their communities and local environment,” said Senator Padilla . “I am grateful that the Senate unanimously passed this critical bill. We’re another step closer to ensuring the Pit River Tribe can steward the land they have inhabited for countless generations.” “I am proud to see our legislation to help the Pit River Tribe restore their ancestral homelands and promote Tribal sovereignty pass the Senate,” said Senator Schiff . “This bill will help the Pit River Tribe manage the Four Corners site as their ancestors did.” The Pit River Tribe consist of 11 autonomous bands traditionally inhabiting the area surrounding the Pit River and its tributaries. They are known for their deep spiritual connection to the land, with a rich cultural heritage centered around fishing, hunting, and seasonal gatherings. This bill would transfer 557 acres of federal land administered by the United States Forest Service to the Secretary of the Interior to be held in trust for the Pit River Tribe. The Tribe has been actively trying to acquire this land through various governmental processes for over a decade. However, they have experienced a series of delays that have added years to the process. The proposed land to be transferred is known as the Four Corners Property, located in Shasta County. The Tribe has strong cultural and historical connections to the Four Corners, and they view it as a central landmark of their ancestral lands. In October 1970, members of the Tribe erected a Quonset hut on the Four Corners, staking a peaceful, yet firm claim. That month, over 100 sheriff’s deputies, federal marshals, and forest rangers ordered the occupants to evacuate the property, which eventually resulted in violence and the hospitalization of several Tribal members. Padilla is a strong advocate for restoring Tribal ownership of ancestral lands. In July, Padilla testified at a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing to advocate for critical water investments for California Tribes. In 2024, the Senate passed Padilla’s Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act , which established over 170 acres as trust lands for the benefit of the Jamul Tribe. Under the Biden Administration, a series of Padilla’s bills to restore Tribal stewardship of sacred lands and ensure federal land management laws respected Tribal sovereignty were signed into law . The package included laws to take more than 2,500 acres of land in the San Jacinto Mountains into trust for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and to place roughly 1,000 acres of federal land located in Humboldt and Siskiyou counties into trust for the Karuk Tribe. Full text of the Pit River Land Transfer Act is available here . ###