EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. — In a sweeping bipartisan move Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved H.R.2302, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025, sending the measure to the Senate for further consideration. The legislation would transfer roughly 204 acres of land in El Dorado County into federal trust for the benefit of the tribe, a key step toward addressing long-standing housing and land management needs.
Under the bill’s provisions, approximately 85.3 acres of Bureau of Land Management land and 118.8 acres of tribally owned property would be placed into trust, officially expanding the Shingle Springs Rancheria’s reservation footprint. The legislation also prohibits gaming activities on the transferred land.
“The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians survived near annihilation during the Spanish and Gold Rush eras to become a prosperous and integral part of El Dorado County,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, the bill’s sponsor, during floor debate. “I am honored to carry this legislation that will continue their progress and contributions to their posterity and to our community.”
El Dorado County officials also weighed in. The Board of Supervisors unanimously endorsed the land trust proposal, acknowledging the collaboration between tribal and local governments. According to remarks recorded in the Congressional Record, county and tribal leaders agreed to restrictions on land use that include a ban on commercial gaming, aligning with community priorities.
Supporters of the bill characterize it as a practical response to a critical housing shortage within the tribe, where officials say hundreds of families are on waiting lists for homes.
“This is about giving the tribe the land they need to build homes and plan for future generations,”
one supporter told lawmakers on the House floor.
The bill now awaits Senate action, where it has been referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. If approved there and signed by the president, the trust transfer would mark a major milestone in the tribe’s efforts to secure sovereign land for community development.
