119th Congress · introduced in the House · Apr 9, 2025
New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (May 21, 2026): Subcommittee Hearings Held
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Apr 9, 2025)
New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act
This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service to enter a memorandum of understanding with the New Mexico Land Grant Council to describe existing processes that land grants-mercedes may use to obtain authorization for historical, traditional, or other uses of federal lands.
Land grants-mercedes were created when Spain and Mexico issued grants of land to communities or individuals. When the United States acquired the land, including New Mexico, a process was created for adjudicating and recognizing these property rights. During that process, most land grants-mercedes lands became federal lands. Today, New Mexico recognizes 27 community land grants-mercedes as political subdivisions.
When entering into the memorandum of understanding, the BLM and the Forest Service must consult with Indian tribes.
The memorandum of understanding must provide for (1) enhanced cooperation and coordination between the BLM, the Forest Service, and qualified land grants-mercedes; and (2) subsidiary agreements with certain land grants-mercedes for specific projects.
Additionally, the bill outlines what the memorandum of understanding must describe, such as the procedures for notice and comments on land management planning decisions.
Show the full summary (1 more paragraphs)Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
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LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
7 citations.
SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO · lobbying firm or registrant: JENNER & BLOCK LLP
2026 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026) · posted Jul 20, 2026 · issue area: Real Estate/Land Use/Conservation
$20,000
Paid to lobbying firm
Oppose H.R. 2785 - New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act.
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
PUEBLO OF LAGUNA · lobbying firm or registrant: JORDAN LAW FIRM, LLC
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 6, 2026 · issue area: Indian/Native American Affairs
Amount not reported
…ttlement; S.565 and H.R. 1324 Navajo Nation Rio San Jose Water Rights Settlement; Land Grant-Mercedes Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation (S. 1363 and H.R. 2785)
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. View filing
PUEBLO OF TAOS · lobbying firm or registrant: JORDAN LAW FIRM, LLC
2025 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2025) · amended · posted Oct 3, 2025 · issue area: Indian/Native American Affairs
Amount not reported
…Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act; Land Grant-Mercedes Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation (S. 1363 and H.R. 2785)
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. View filing
PUEBLO OF LAGUNA · lobbying firm or registrant: JORDAN LAW FIRM, LLC
2025 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2025) · amended · posted Oct 3, 2025 · issue area: Indian/Native American Affairs
Amount not reported
…ttlement; S.565 and H.R. 1324 Navajo Nation Rio San Jose Water Rights Settlement; Land Grant-Mercedes Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation (S. 1363 and H.R. 2785)
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. View filing
PUEBLO OF LAGUNA · lobbying firm or registrant: JORDAN LAW FIRM, LLC
2025 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2025) · amended · posted Oct 3, 2025 · issue area: Indian/Native American Affairs
Amount not reported
…ttlement; S.565 and H.R. 1324 Navajo Nation Rio San Jose Water Rights Settlement; Land Grant-Mercedes Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation (S. 1363 and H.R. 2785)
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. View filing
PUEBLO OF TAOS · lobbying firm or registrant: JORDAN LAW FIRM, LLC
2025 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2025) · amended · posted Oct 3, 2025 · issue area: Indian/Native American Affairs
Amount not reported
…ent Act; Taos Pueblo water rights settlement funding and infrastructure projects; Land Grant-Mercedes Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation (S. 1363 and H.R. 2785).
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. View filing
PUEBLO OF LAGUNA · lobbying firm or registrant: JORDAN LAW FIRM, LLC
2025 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025) · posted Oct 3, 2025 · issue area: Indian/Native American Affairs
Amount not reported
…ttlement; S.565 and H.R. 1324 Navajo Nation Rio San Jose Water Rights Settlement; Land Grant-Mercedes Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation (S. 1363 and H.R. 2785)
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. View filing