NOTE: Here is the conference report to the NDAA, which passed the House last night: See section 2868 (Chumash) and section 2869 (Lytton).https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/CRPT-116hrpt333.pdf

A defense budget bill making its way through Congress includes language to place 1,400 acres into trust for Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

It’s a step that could finalize protracted efforts to include the land as part of the Chumash reservation, a milestone that has seen supporters and opponents battle for several years at various levels.

The National Defense Authorization Act for 2020 is expected to pass Congress before the end of the year, according to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California.