A bill to establish the Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Foundation and for other purposes.

Summary: Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Act of 2008 - Establishes as an independent executive branch entity the Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Foundation, to be located in Portland, Oregon. Requires the Foundation to: (1) develop resources to train Native American and Alaska Native tribal council members in self-government and related fields; (2) foster greater recognition and understanding of the role of tribal self-government in the development of the United States; (3) identify critical issues facing tribal governments; (4) establish a program for tribal governance research at the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University; and (5) provide educational outreach regarding tribal self-government.

Authorizes the Foundation to award: (1) scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students who intend to pursue careers relating to tribal governance and to Native American and Alaska Native undergraduate students intending to pursue careers in tribal public policy; (2) fellowships to outstanding graduate students who intend to pursue advanced degrees in fields relating to tribal governance, to Native American and Alaska Native graduate students intending to pursue advanced degrees in tribal public policy, law, or medicine, and to faculty from a variety of disciplines to bring their expertise to the Foundation; and (3) internships to individuals to work in government agencies or in offices of major tribal governance organizations and to Native American and Alaska Native individuals to work in agencies or in offices of major public health or public policy organizations.

Directs the Foundation to award grants to the Institute to: (1) provide for an annual panel of experts to discuss contemporary tribal governance issues; (2) conduct research in tribal governance policy and on Native American and Alaska Native tribal public policy issues; and (3) invite visiting policymakers to share practical experiences with the Foundation.

Requires the Foundation to assist in the development and implementation of a program for tribal governance research to be located at the Institute.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and 
Excellence in Tribal Governance Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) Senator Mark O. Hatfield served the United States with 
        distinction and honor;
            (2) Senator Hatfield has had a lasting impact on the 
        relationship between the United States and Native Americans, 
        restoring to Federal recognition the Grand Ronde, Coquille, Cow 
        Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Coos, 
        Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, and Confederated Tribes of 
        Siletz Indians;
            (3) Senator Hatfield has been a champion of the rights of 
        Native Americans and Alaska Natives and worked in Congress to 
        strengthen tribal self-governance; and
            (4) it is a fitting tribute to the leadership, courage, and 
        bipartisan spirit that Senator Mark O. Hatfield exemplifies to 
        establish in his name programs to encourage excellence in 
        tribal government.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board of Trustees 
        of the Foundation.
            (2) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual'' 
        means a citizen or national of the United States or a permanent 
        resident alien of the United States.
            (3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the Mark O. 
        Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance 
        Foundation established by section 4(a).
            (4) Institute.--The term ``Institute'' means the Institute 
        for Tribal Government at Portland State University.
            (5) Institute policy board.--The term ``Institute Policy 
        Board'' means the Institute Policy Board for the Institute for 
        Tribal Government at Portland State University.
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' means--
                    (A) a State;
                    (B) the District of Columbia;
                    (C) American Samoa;
                    (D) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
                Islands;
                    (E) Guam;
                    (F) the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
                    (G) the Federal States of Micronesia;
                    (H) the Republic of Palau;
                    (I) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
                    (J) the United States Virgin Islands.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MARK O. HATFIELD SCHOLARSHIP AND 
              EXCELLENCE IN TRIBAL GOVERNANCE FOUNDATION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established as an independent entity 
in the Executive branch the Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence 
in Tribal Governance Foundation.
    (b) Board of Trustees.--
            (1) In general.--The Foundation shall be subject to the 
        supervision and direction of a Board of Trustees.
            (2) Membership.--The Board shall consist of the Institute 
        Policy Board.
    (c) Location of Foundation.--The Foundation shall be located in 
Portland, Oregon.
    (d) Executive Director.--
            (1) In general.--There shall be an Executive Director of 
        the Foundation, who shall be appointed by the Board.
            (2) Duties.--The Executive Director--
                    (A) shall be the chief executive officer of the 
                Foundation; and
                    (B) shall carry out the functions of the 
                Foundation, subject to the supervision and direction of 
                the Board, and such other functions consistent with 
                this Act as the Board shall prescribe.
            (3) Compensation.--The Executive Director may be 
        compensated at the rate specified for an employee in level IV 
        of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 
        States Code.

SEC. 5. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of the Foundation shall be--
            (1) to develop resources to properly train Native American 
        and Alaska Native tribal council members in self-government and 
        related fields;
            (2) to foster among people in the United States greater 
        recognition and understanding of the role of tribal self-
        government in the development of the United States;
            (3) to identify critical issues facing tribal governments;
            (4) to establish a program for tribal governance research 
        at the Institute; and
            (5) to provide educational outreach regarding tribal self-
        government.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY OF THE FOUNDATION.

    (a) In General.--The Foundation, in consultation with the 
Institute, may identify and conduct such programs, activities, and 
services as the Foundation considers appropriate to carry out the 
purposes of the Foundation.
    (b) Programs, Activities, and Services.--The Foundation may, in 
accordance with this section--
            (1) award scholarships, fellowships, internships, and 
        grants; and
            (2) provide grants to the Institute to carry out and manage 
        other programs, activities, and services.
    (c) National Competition.--The Foundation may provide, directly or 
by contract, for the conduct of a national competition for the purpose 
of selecting recipients of scholarships, fellowships, internships, and 
grants awarded under this Act.
    (d) Award of Scholarships, Fellowships, Internships, and Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Foundation may award scholarships, 
        fellowships, internships, and grants to eligible individuals 
        who meet the minimum criteria established by the Foundation, 
        for study in fields relating to tribal governance.
            (2) Mark o. hatfield scholars.--Recipients of scholarships, 
        fellowships, internships, and grants under this Act shall be 
        known as ``Mark O. Hatfield Scholars''.
    (e) Scholarships.--
            (1) In general.--The Foundation may award scholarships to 
        outstanding--
                    (A) undergraduate students who intend to pursue 
                careers relating to tribal governance; and
                    (B) Native American and Alaska Native undergraduate 
                students who intend to pursue careers in tribal public 
                policy.
            (2) Payments.--An eligible individual awarded a scholarship 
        under this Act may receive payments under this Act only during 
        such periods as the Foundation determines that the eligible 
        individual--
                    (A) is maintaining satisfactory proficiency and 
                devoting full time to study or research; and
                    (B) is not engaging in gainful employment other 
                than employment approved by the Foundation under 
                regulations of the Board.
            (3) Reports.--
                    (A) In general.--The Foundation may require reports 
                containing such information, in such form, and to be 
                filed at such times as the Foundation determines to be 
                necessary from any eligible individual awarded a 
                scholarship under this Act.
                    (B) Certificate.--Except as otherwise provided 
                under this subsection, a report under subparagraph (A) 
                shall be accompanied by a certificate from an 
                appropriate official at the institution of higher 
                education, approved by the Foundation, stating that the 
                individual is making satisfactory progress in, and is 
                devoting essentially full time to, study or research.
    (f) Fellowships.--The Foundation may award fellowships to--
            (1) outstanding graduate students who intend to pursue 
        advanced degrees in fields relating to tribal governance;
            (2) outstanding Native American and Alaska Native graduate 
        students who intend to pursue advanced degrees in tribal public 
        policy, law, or medicine; and
            (3) faculty from a variety of disciplines to bring the 
        expertise of the faculty to the Foundation.
    (g) Internships.--The Foundation may award internships to deserving 
and qualified--
            (1) individuals, for use in participating in internships in 
        Federal, State, and local agencies or in offices of major 
        tribal governance organizations; and
            (2) Native American and Alaska Native individuals, for use 
        in participating in internships in Federal, State, and local 
        agencies or in offices of major public health or public policy 
        organizations.
    (h) Grants.--The Foundation shall award grants to the Institute--
            (1) to provide for an annual panel of experts to discuss 
        contemporary tribal governance issues;
            (2) to conduct tribal governance policy research;
            (3) to conduct research on Native American and Alaska 
        Native tribal public policy issues; and
            (4) to invite visiting policymakers to share practical 
        experiences with the Foundation.
    (i) Coordination.--The Foundation shall assist in the development 
and implementation of a program for tribal governance research to be 
located at the Institute.
    (j) Program Priorities.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Foundation 
        shall determine--
                    (A) the priority of the programs to be carried out 
                under this Act; and
                    (B) the amount of funds to be allocated for the 
                programs.
            (2) Requirements.--Of amounts made available to carry out 
        this section--
                    (A) not less than 50 percent shall be used for the 
                programs described in subsections (e), (f), and (g);
                    (B) not less than 20 percent shall be made 
                available to the Institute to carry out subsections (h) 
                and (i), on the conditions that--
                            (i) a 25-percent matching share is provided 
                        from other non-Federal sources; and
                            (ii) adequate space at the Institute is 
                        made available by the Institute for the 
                        Executive Director and other appropriate staff 
                        of the Foundation; and
                    (C) not more than 15 percent shall be used for 
                salaries and other administrative purposes.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act.