HR 2388: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act

HR 2388 in plain English: This bill would place approximately 1,082.63 acres of land in Washington state into federal trust for the benefit of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, making that land part of the tribe's reservation. Gaming would be prohibited on the land taken into trust.

Stated purpose

This bill transfers approximately 1,082.63 acres of federal land in Washington State into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, making that land part of the tribe's reservation. Gaming is explicitly prohibited on the transferred land.

Key points

• Takes approximately 1,082.63 acres of land in Washington into federal trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
• The land taken into trust becomes part of the tribe's reservation
• Prohibits gaming on the newly designated trust land

Arguments supporters make

• These lands were historically part of the Lower Elwha Klallam people's territory, and returning them helps restore a land base that the tribe lost over generations.
• The bill supports ongoing Elwha River ecosystem restoration efforts by placing the land under tribal stewardship, which aligns with the tribe's longstanding connection to the river and its fisheries.
• The explicit prohibition on gaming addresses a common concern about land-into-trust transfers, making the bill a narrow, focused restoration measure rather than an economic development deal.

Arguments opponents make

• Transferring federal land to tribal trust reduces the acreage available to the general public as National Park land, potentially limiting public access and recreation in the area.
• Land-into-trust decisions can shift tax and regulatory authority away from state and local governments, which some argue reduces accountability and local input over how the land is used.
• Critics may question whether a legislative shortcut — bypassing normal federal valuation and appraisal requirements — sets a precedent that sidesteps standard processes meant to protect the public interest.

Tradeoffs

Adding land to the tribe's reservation expands tribal sovereignty and furthers historical restoration goals, but removes the acreage from federal public land management and exempts it from standard valuation requirements that typically apply to land transfers.

Current status in Congress: Passed both chambers.

NewsClear — neutral news & congressional tracking · Bill of the Week