H.R. 2252 Passed the House Public Lands and Natural Resources

North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2026

To authorize the relinquishment and in lieu selection of land and minerals in the State of North Dakota, to restore land and minerals to Indian Tribes within the State of North Dakota, and for other purposes.

  1. Introduced
  2. Committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor Rep. Fedorchak, Julie [R-ND-At Large] Introduced March 21, 2025 Cosponsors 0 Latest action May 20, 2026

Summary

North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2026
This bill allows North Dakota to exchange certain state land grant parcels (e.g., lands granted to North Dakota by Congress when it became a state) located wholly or partially within an Indian reservation for certain federal land of substantially equivalent value. North Dakota manages oil, gas, and agriculture leases on state land grant parcels to generate revenue for education and other public benefits. However, tribal reservations were created on state land grant parcels and reduced the amount of land available for revenue generation.
Specifically, the bill allows the North Dakota Board of University and School Lands to exchange with the Department of the Interior state land grant parcels located wholly or partially within tribal reservations for certain public land in North Dakota administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Upon the request of a tribe, Interior must hold exchanged land within the tribe's reservation in trust on behalf of the tribe.
Further, the bill provides for the continuation of active grazing operations on land exchanged under this bill.

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congress.gov

Actions

  1. May 20, 2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  2. May 19, 2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. May 19, 2026 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3567-3569)
  4. May 19, 2026 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2252.
  5. May 19, 2026 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3567-3570)
  6. May 19, 2026 Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  7. Apr 2, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 501.
  8. Apr 2, 2026 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-581.
  9. Mar 5, 2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
  10. Mar 5, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  11. Mar 21, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
  12. Mar 21, 2025 Introduced in House

Congressional and federal records come from official public sources: the House Clerk, the U.S. Senate, GovInfo and the Library of Congress (bill status), the Federal Register, and the congress-legislators project. They are copied on a schedule and may lag the official record by a few hours; the official sources govern. News and coverage counts are drawn from the 4Search index and reflect what the press published, not 4Search's views. Nothing here is an endorsement of any candidate, party or position. Terms of use.