Panel Hears Transfer of 9.89 Acres to 19 Pueblos for Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

Representative Melanie Stansbury told the subcommittee HR 6162 would place 9.89 acres of surplus General Services Administration land into trust for the benefit of the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, enabling expansion of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) campus.

Monique Frawa, president and CEO of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, described the site’s history as a former federal boarding school and said returning parcels has produced measurable economic development. "Our campus today started with less than 1,000,000 annual revenue and today generates over 60,000,000 each year," Frawa told the committee, stressing that prior transfers helped build the center and that the additional acreage would expand entrepreneurship and food‑system projects.

Frawa outlined how the parcel would connect to the IPCC's entrepreneur complex, provide cold storage for native farmers, and link to city projects such as a proposed rail trail for outdoor vendor and artist space. She said the center hosts curriculum and cultural programs that serve native youth and the broader public.

Brian Mercier, the BIA director, said the department supports the legislation and would coordinate with GSA on acquisition steps once the bill is enacted, noting site assessments, title review, and tenant relocation issues will need resolving before trust status can be completed.

Members asked about timelines and site handover logistics; Mercier deferred specific timing to GSA and stressed the acquisition becomes mandatory upon enactment. Representative Stansbury also entered multiple letters of support for the record from local governments and regional economic groups during the hearing.

Next steps: the subcommittee will consider follow-up technical questions; no final action occurred at the hearing.