Senate bill locks Wounded Knee land into permanent tribal memorial status
Placed on the calendarS. 105Latest action
Sponsor: Mike Rounds · Senator · SD
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act
119th Congress
Topics: Family & community
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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S 105 would place ~40 acres at Wounded Knee in restricted fee status jointly held by two Sioux tribes, banning sale, taxation, and gambling.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
S 105 directs the Secretary of the Interior to place approximately 40 acres in Wounded Knee, South Dakota into restricted fee status, jointly held by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. The land, already owned by the tribes, would become a permanent memorial and sacred site. The government would have one year after enactment to complete all required steps, and the land could never be used for gambling or gaming.
Who does it affect?
Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe are most directly affected, along with visitors and anyone holding utility or road access rights connected to the land. South Dakota state and local governments would lose authority to tax the property.
Why does it matter?
The restricted fee status would prevent the tribes from selling or transferring the land without approval from both Congress and the tribes themselves. State and local governments would permanently lose taxing authority over the property, and federal oversight of tribal land use would be reduced as long as the tribes follow a 2022 intertribal agreement.
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Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Where does it stand?
- IntroducedJan 15, 2025
- Senate committee
- Senate voteYou are here · Oct 2, 2025
- House
- The president's desk
Right now: it was placed on the , and the official record shows no floor action on it since. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 176.