Senate bill settles decades-old Mohawk land dispute in upstate New York
In committeeS. 3475Latest action
Sponsor: Kirsten E. Gillibrand · Senator · NY
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: A bill to authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes.
119th Congress
Topics: Family & community
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
The plain-language version comes first. The official text is always the reference.
S 3475 approves a negotiated settlement resolving 1980s Mohawk land lawsuits in Franklin and Saint Lawrence Counties, NY.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
S 3475 approves a negotiated settlement that resolves lawsuits filed by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and a related Canadian Mohawk group in the 1980s and 1989 over lands in Franklin and Saint Lawrence Counties in New York. The bill also formally designates certain Tribe-owned lands in the settlement areas as Indian Country, a legal status that determines which laws govern criminal justice, taxation, and land use there. This designation would apply to land the Tribe already owns and land it acquires in the future within those defined areas.
Who does it affect?
The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne are the primary parties, along with New York State, Franklin and Saint Lawrence Counties, two towns, and the New York Power Authority. Residents and local governments in those two counties are also directly affected.
Why does it matter?
For the Tribe, the settlement establishes legal certainty over land rights that have been contested for decades. For nearby landowners and local governments, it ends uncertainty tied to the open lawsuits without requiring a court trial.
AI-drafted summary. Check it against the official text before you act on it.
Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Where does it stand?
- IntroducedDec 15, 2025
- Senate committeeYou are here · Jun 3, 2026
- Senate vote
- House
- The president's desk
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.