The Legislature finds:
(1) The Catawba Indian Tribe has filed lawsuits in both the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, claiming possessory rights to certain lands in South Carolina and trespass damages and in the United States Court of Federal Claims seeking monetary damages against the United States.
(2) The pendency of these lawsuits has resulted in severe economic and social hardships for large numbers of landowners, citizens, and communities in the State, and therefore for the State as a whole. If these claims are not resolved, further litigation involving tens of thousands of landowners would be likely.
(3) The Indian claimants and the State, acting through the Governor, have reached an agreement in principle to settle their differences which constitutes a good faith effort on the part of all parties to achieve a fair and just resolution of claims which, in the absence of this settlement, could be pursued through the courts for many years to the detriment of the State and all its citizens, including the Indians.
(4) The implementation of the settlement requires legislation by the Congress of the United States and by the General Assembly of South Carolina.
HISTORY: 1993 Act No. 142, Section 1.