Volume 96 · 1944
Public Law 97–385
Conferring jurisdiction on certain courts of the United States to hear and render judgment in connection with certain claims of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
Approved December 23, 1982
Statutory text
An Act
Conferring jurisdiction on certain courts of the United States to hear and render judgment in connection with certain claims of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That
notwithstanding sections 2401 and 2501 of title 28, United States Code, and section 12 of the Act of August 13, 1946, as amended (the Indian Claims Commission Act, 60 Stat. 1049, 1052; 25 U.S.C. 70k), jurisdiction is hereby conferred upon the United States Court of Claims, or upon the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, to hear, determine, and render judgment, under the jurisdictional provisions of section 2 of the Indian Claims Commission Act of August 13, 1946, as amended (60 Stat. 1049, 1050; 25 U.S.C. 70a), on any claim which the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma may have against the United States for any and all damages to Cherokee tribal assets related to and arising from construction of the Arkansas River Navigation System, including, but not limited to, the value of sand, gravel, coal, and other resources taken, the value of damsites and powerheads of dams constructed on that part of the Arkansas riverbed within Cherokee domain in Oklahoma, without the authority or consent of said Cherokee Nation; and also on any claim which the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma may have against the United States resulting from any action under section 14 of the Act of April 26, 1906 (34 Stat. 137, 142), wherein the United States gave away to third parties lands for what are known as station grounds of railroads, said lands being segregated from Cherokee Nation tribal lands without compensation to said Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma therefor; all of said lands or interests therein being held by said Cherokee Nation by virtue of treaties and by patent issued by the United States granting said lands to said Cherokee Nation in fee simple, or otherwise.
Notwithstanding sections 2401 and 2501 of title 28, United States Code, and section 12 of the Act approved August 13, 1946 (25 U.S.C. 70k), the Court of Claims or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma shall have jurisdiction to the same extent as under subsection (a) of this Act to hear, determine, and render judgment on any claim of the Choctaw Nation and on any claim of the Chickasaw Nation against the United States for any damages to any tribal assets, lands, or interests of such Nations arising from the actions of the United States described in such subsection.
Approved December 23, 1982.