{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-andrea-salinas-sen-jeff-merkley-oregon-lawmakers-introduce-grand-ronde", "Rep. Andrea Salinas, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Oregon Lawmakers Introduce Grand Ronde Land Transfer Act", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led their Oregon Congressional Delegation colleagues\u2014including Senator Ron Wyden and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)\u2014to introduce the Grand Ronde Land Transfer Act. The bicameral bill would transfer 18,626 acres of federal land from the U.S. Forest Service into trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. The Tribe will maintain all public and recreational access to the area.\n\n\u201cFor too long, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde has faced historic injustices that stripped them of their ancestral lands,\u201d said Salinas. \u201cThis legislation is a meaningful step towards righting those wrongs. By transferring these 18,626 acres to the Tribe\u2019s stewardship, we honor their deep connection to this land and their leadership in strengthening forest health, wildfire resilience, and community safety for all Oregonians.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith the Grand Ronde Land Transfer Act, we will enable the Grand Ronde to enhance their self-determination and ability to sustainably steward ancestral lands, while boosting economic opportunity across the region,\u201d said Merkley. \u201cThis is long-overdue, and I\u2019ll keep pushing to ensure the federal government upholds its commitment to Tribal communities across Oregon.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregonians know that responsible conservation and resource stewardship improve ecosystem health, reduce wildfire risks, and preserve healthy forests for future generations,\u201d said Bonamici. \u201cThis land transfer will enhance long-term forest health, expand public access to outdoor recreation, and enhance reconciliation among the tribal, state, and federal governments. I\u2019m grateful for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde\u2019s commitment to sustainable land management and will continue to advocate for tribal rights and justice.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis bill rights a historic wrong for the Grand Ronde who have worked tirelessly to return a just fraction of its ancestral territory,\u201d said Hoyle. \u201cThe Grand Ronde Tribe are experts in sustainable forestry management and Indigenous ecology. They are the best stewards of these federal forest lands, and will continue to do so for all Oregonians, as they have done since time immemorial.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor generations, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde have cared for the lands within their ancestral territory,\u201d said Dexter. \u201cThis legislation recognizes the Tribe\u2019s deep connection to these lands and its generations of experience protecting Oregon\u2019s forests and natural resources. Placing these lands in the Tribe\u2019s care will honor that connection and help keep Oregon\u2019s forests healthy for future generations. I will continue working to deliver on our commitments to Oregon\u2019s tribal communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde has shown that it is a responsible steward of Oregon\u2019s natural resources, and I\u2019m proud to support this effort,\u201d said Bynum. \u201cThis bill transfers over 18,000 acres of forest land in Tillamook and Yamhill Counties to the Tribe, strengthening tribal sovereignty and ensuring the land is managed for conservation, recreation, and sustainable harvest for generations to come. I\u2019ll keep working to honor our commitments to Oregon\u2019s tribal communities.\u201d\n\nThe Grand Ronde Land Transfer Act is supported by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, Tillamook County, Yamhill County, Oregon Department of Forestry, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, The Nature Conservancy, Sustainable Northwest, The Stewardship Project, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts.\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Senator Merkley for introducing this bill and standing with Grand Ronde,\u201d said Grand Ronde Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy. \u201cThe transfer of these lands helps us rebuild the reservation, community and economy we lost as a result of termination. We will care for these forests with the knowledge our people have carried for generations, the same way we care for the nearly 16,000 acres we manage today. Under our care, this land will stay healthy for generations to come.\u201d\n\nFull text of the Grand Ronde Land Transfer Act can be found by clicking here.", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-andrea-salinas-sen-jeff-merkley-oregon-lawmakers-introduce-grand-ronde"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9403391741216183, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}