WASHINGTON, D.C. (KVOA) - Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva introduced her first bill, the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act, aiming to protect a sacred site in Arizona from foreign mining interests, according to a press release.

The legislation seeks to repeal a 2014 land-swap included in the National Defense Authorization Act that transferred 2,422 acres of the Tonto National Forest, including Oak Flat, to a foreign mining company. This site holds significant cultural and religious importance for several Tribal Nations, including the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

“This mine was never designed to benefit the American people; it was designed to benefit multinational corporations and the People’s Republic of China," Grijalva said.

The project has faced multiple lawsuits. The bill emphasizes

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