A bill to declare that the United States holds in trust for the Pueblo of Santa Ana certain public domain lands.
Public Law 95-498 · S. 2588 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 21, 1978 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Harrison Schmitt
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Declares that the United States holds certain lands in New Mexico in trust for the Pueblo Indians of Santa Ana.
Provides that approximately 2,240 acres of the lands transferred shall remain subject to Public Land Order 873, withdrawing those lands for flood control use by the Department of the Army.
States that the trust includes all rights of the United States in the minerals underlying that land. Allows existing mineral leases to remain in force.
Provides that certain non-Indians holding grazing permits shall continue to have grazing permits on transferred land for ten years, without payment of the prescribed fees for the first five years. Stipulates that upon cancellation or relinquishment permits cannot be renewed or reissued.
States that receipts relating to said lands acquired by the United States after acquisition of these lands shall be deposited to the credit of the Pueblo of Santa Ana.
Declares that such lands shall be exempt from Federal, State and local taxation for so long as they are held in trust by the United States. States that distribution of receipts to tribal members shall not be considered as income for the purposes of taxation or federally assisted programs.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire, by purchase or exchange, all State school lands in a certain area of New Mexico.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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. 12 actions.
- Oct 21, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-498.
- Oct 12, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 11, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 10, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 7, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Oct 4, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 3924.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 6, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Aug 22, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Feb 24, 1978CommitteeCommittee · 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.