Edward Markey (D-MA)
A bill to amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the "Long-Term Leasing Act"), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes.
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 553.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill amends the Act of August 9, 1955, which is commonly known as the Long-Term Leasing Act. The legislation allows for leases of up to 99 years for specific tribal lands. These lands include the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation. They also include land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +10
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
Directly benefits the Mashpee Wampanoag and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head by expanding their land leasing authority.
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Provides longer-term lease certainty for business investment on tribal lands.
- Scored +5
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
Provides specific economic empowerment and land management authority to Indigenous tribes.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this give the federal government more power?
Slightly reduces federal restrictive control over lease lengths for these specific tribes.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Section 1 of the bill allows leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). This is positive because it grants these tribes the same long-term leasing authority applied to other reservation lands under the Long-Term Leasing Act.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not contain any specific provisions outlining negative consequences, burdens, or negative impacts for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Directly benefits the Mashpee Wampanoag and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head by expanding their land leasing authority. Would business owners be better off under this? — Provides longer-term lease certainty for business investment on tribal lands. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Benefits residents in the rural tribal areas specified in the bill. Would farmers be better off under this? — Agricultural leases can benefit from longer-term stability. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Potential for increased local employment and economic opportunity.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Provides specific economic empowerment and land management authority to Indigenous tribes. Does this make housing cost less? — Longer lease terms can facilitate the construction of long-term affordable housing projects. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Economic development on tribal lands can lead to poverty reduction for community members.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Supports development in rural tribal reservation areas. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Gives tribes more flexibility in managing and leasing their trust lands.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Extending lease terms provides stability for long-term economic development on tribal lands. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Longer leases provide more security for small businesses operating on tribal land. Is this likely to create jobs? — Longer lease terms can encourage investment and development that creates jobs.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Slightly reduces federal restrictive control over lease lengths for these specific tribes.
- 9/14/2026
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Armstrong for Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-134.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 553.
- 5/20/2026
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 12/17/2025
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.
- 4/30/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/23/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
- 119-HR-681: To amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the “Long-Term Leasing Act”), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and for other purposes
- 118-HR-10492 (not yet synced)
- 118-S-5559 (not yet synced)
Thomas TillisRepublican · North Carolina
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts