U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 1723. Approval of prior transfers and extinguishment of Indian title and claims of Indians within State of Maine

(a) Ratification by Congress; personal claims unaffected; United States barred from asserting claims on ground of noncompliance of transfers with State laws or occurring prior to December 1, 1873

(1) Any transfer of land or natural resources located anywhere within the United States from, by, or on behalf of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, or any of their members, and any transfer of land or natural resources located anywhere within the State of Maine, from, by, or on behalf of any Indian, Indian nation, or tribe or band of Indians, including but without limitation any transfer pursuant to any treaty, compact, or statute of any State, shall be deemed to have been made in accordance with the Constitution and all laws of the United States, including but without limitation the Trade and Intercourse Act of 1790, Act of July 22, 1790 (ch. 33, Sec. 4, 1 Stat. 137, 138), and all amendments thereto and all subsequent reenactments and versions thereof, and Congress hereby does approve and ratify any such transfer effective as of the date of said transfer: Provided however, That nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or eliminate the personal claim of any individual Indian (except for any Federal common law fraud claim) which is pursued under any law of general applicability that protects non-Indians as well as Indians.

(2) The United States is barred from asserting on behalf of any Indian, Indian nation, or tribe or band of Indians any claim under the laws of the State of Maine arising before October 10, 1980, and arising from any transfer of land or natural resources by any Indian, Indian nation, or tribe or band of Indians, located anywhere within the State of Maine, including but without limitation any transfer pursuant to any treaty, compact, or statute of any State, on the grounds that such transfer was not made in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine.

(3) The United States is barred from asserting by or on behalf of any individual Indian any claim under the laws of the State of Maine arising from any transfer of land or natural resources located anywhere within the State of Maine from, by, or on behalf of any individual Indian, which occurred prior to December 1, 1873, including but without limitation any transfer pursuant to any treaty, compact, or statute of any State.

(b) Aboriginal title extinguished as of date of transfer

To the extent that any transfer of land or natural resources described in subsection (a)(1) of this section may involve land or natural resources to which the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, or any of their members, or any other Indian, Indian nation, or tribe or band of Indians had aboriginal title, such subsection (a)(1) of this section shall be regarded as an extinguishment of said aboriginal title as of the date of such transfer.

By virtue of the approval and ratification of a transfer of land or natural resources effected by this section, or the extinguishment of aboriginal title effected thereby, all claims against the United States, any State or subdivision thereof, or any other person or entity, by the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians or any of their members or by any other Indian, Indian nation, tribe or band of Indians, or any predecessors or successors in interest thereof, arising at the time of or subsequent to the transfer and based on any interest in or right involving such land or natural resources, including but without limitation claims for trespass damages or claims for use and occupancy, shall be deemed extinguished as of the date of the transfer.

(d) Effective date; authorization of appropriations; publication in Federal Register

The provisions of this section shall take effect immediately upon appropriation of the funds authorized to be appropriated to implement the provisions of section 1724 of this title. The Secretary shall publish notice of such appropriation in the Federal Register when such funds are appropriated.

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