Seminole Indian Land Claims Settlement Act of 1987
Public Law 100-228 · S. 1684 · 100th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Dec 31, 1987 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Lawton Chiles
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Seminole Indian Land Claims Settlement Act of 1987 - Prohibits the approval of certain prior transfers and the extinguishing of certain claims and aboriginal title involving the Seminole Tribe of Indians of Florida until the later of: (1) 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act; or (2) the time when the Secretary of the Interior has made required findings regarding the payment of settlement funds, the State has enacted legislation to implement the Settlement Agreement, and certain waivers have been given. Provides that the Congress approves the Settlement Agreement on the date of enactment of this Act.
Provides that upon the publication by the Secretary of the findings regarding the payment of settlement funds that: (1) the Tribe's commitments shall become effective; and (2) the Tribe's land and resource transfers are deemed constitutional.
Extinguishes all aboriginal Seminole land claims in Florida and any claims arising from any interest in or right involving such lands or natural resources transferred. Prohibits the United States from being liable for certain claims including those arising from the approval of the Settlement Agreement.
Leaves unaffected the claim of any individual Indian not derived through the Tribe.
Authorizes an individual Indian or non-Seminole Tribe of Florida claiming a loss of property by the provisions of this Act to file an action within one year after the Secretary makes the required findings regarding the payment of settlement funds and the enactment of legislation to implement the Settlement Agreement.
Directs the Secretary to hold in trust for the Seminole Tribe a reservation consisting of specified land.
Requires the Secretary within three years of the date of enactment of this Act to: (1) take a cadastral survey of Seminole Federal reservations in Florida; and (2) publish the correct legal descriptions of the Seminole Reservations in the Federal Register.
Requires the Secretary, if the parties agree, to accept the transfer of such lands, unless: (1) the total land taken in trust land transferred to the State and Water District by the Tribe under the Settlement Agreement; (2) the Secretary determines that such transfer would place an unreasonable burden on the United States as trustee; (3) the land is not in Florida; or (4) the land is not agricultural in nature.
Provides for State jurisdiction over the transferred lands unless the State retrocedes jurisdiction to the Tribe. Applies Florida's statutes on alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, and gambling to the transferred lands.
Provides that the compact defining the scope of Seminole water rights shall have the force of Federal law for enforcing the tribe's rights and obligations.
Bars any action to challenge the constitutionality of this Act unless it is filed within 180 days after the enactment of this Act. Vests in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida exclusive jurisdiction over such actions.
Provides that if the Settlement Agreement is ever invalidated: (1) the actions by the State, the Tribe, or the district in the Settlement Agreement shall no longer be in effect; (2) the Tribe will be released from its commitments under the Settlement Agreement; and (3) the approvals of prior transfers and extinguishment of claims and aboriginal title shall be void.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Indian Affairs Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Dec 31, 1987Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-228.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 22, 1987PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 18, 1987FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Dec 17, 1987FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Dec 15, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Nov 19, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Nov 5, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Sep 15, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.