I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5153 

To assist Tribal governments in the management of buffalo and buffalo 

habitat and for the reestablishment of buffalo on Indian lands. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2019 

Mr. YOUNG (for himself, Ms. HAALAND, and Mr. COLE) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To assist Tribal governments in the management of buffalo 

and buffalo habitat and for the reestablishment of buffalo on Indian lands. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Indian Buffalo Man5 agement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

8 (1) buffalo sustained a majority of Indian 

9 Tribes in North America for many centuries, before 


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1 buffalo were nearly exterminated by non-Indian 

2 hunters in the mid-1800s; 

3 (2) the historical, cultural, and spiritual connec4 tion between buffalo and Indian Tribes has not di5 minished over time; 

6 (3) Indian Tribes have long desired the reestab7 lishment of buffalo throughout Indian country for 

8 cultural, spiritual, and subsistence purposes; and 

9 (4) the successful restoration of buffalo allows 

10 an Indian Tribe to benefit from— 

11 (A) the reintroduction of buffalo into the 

12 diets of the members of the Indian Tribe; 

13 (B) the rekindling of the spiritual and cul14 tural relationship between buffalo and the In15 dian Tribe; and 

16 (C) the use of buffalo for economic devel17 opment, in the case of an Indian Tribe that 

18 chooses to use buffalo for economic develop19 ment. 

20 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 

21 (1) to fulfill the government-to-government rela22 tionship between Tribal governments and the United 

23 States in the management of buffalo and buffalo 

24 habitat; 


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1 (2) to promote and develop the capacity of In2 dian Tribes and Tribal organizations to manage buf3 falo and buffalo habitat; 

4 (3) to protect, conserve, and enhance Indian 

5 buffalo, which are important to the subsistence, cul6 ture, and economic development of many Indian 

7 Tribes; 

8 (4) to promote the development and use of buf9 falo and buffalo habitat for the maximum prac10 ticable benefit of Indian Tribes and Tribal organiza11 tions, through management of buffalo and buffalo 

12 habitats in accordance with integrated resource 

13 management plans developed by Indian Tribes and 

14 Tribal organizations; 

15 (5) to develop buffalo herds and increase pro16 duction of buffalo in order to meet Tribal subsist17 ence, health, cultural, and economic development 

18 needs; and 

19 (6) to promote the inclusion of Indian Tribes 

20 and Tribal organizations in Department, local, re21 gional, national, or international— 

22 (A) decision-making processes; or 

23 (B) forums. 

24 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

25 In this Act: 


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1 (1) BUFFALO.—The term ‘‘buffalo’’ means an 

2 animal of the genus Bison. 

3 (2) BUFFALO HABITAT.—The term ‘‘buffalo 

4 habitat’’ means Indian land, as defined in paragraph 

5 (5) of this section, that is managed for buffalo. 

6 (3) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 

7 means the Department of the Interior. 

8 (4) INDIAN LAND.—The term ‘‘Indian land’’ 

9 has the meaning given the term in paragraph (2) of 

10 section 2601 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 

11 U.S.C. 3501), except that, in that paragraph, the 

12 term ‘‘Indian reservation’’ shall be considered to 

13 have the meaning given the term ‘‘Indian reserva14 tion’’ in paragraph (3) of that section, without re15 gard to the date specified in paragraph (3) of that 

16 section. 

17 (5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 

18 has the meaning given the term (without regard to 

19 capitalization) in section 4 of the Indian Self-Deter20 mination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 

21 5304). 

22 (6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

23 the Secretary of the Interior. 

24 (7) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Tribal 

25 organization’’ means any legally established organiVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:29 Nov 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5153.IH H5153

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1 zation of Indians which is chartered under section 

2 17 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly known 

3 as the ‘‘Indian Reorganization Act’’) (25 U.S.C. 

4 5124), by the recognized governing body of any In5 dian Tribe or Tribes, and with demonstrable experi6 ence in the restoration of buffalo and buffalo habitat 

7 on Indian land. 

8 SEC. 4. BUFFALO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. 

9 (a) PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.—The Secretary shall 

10 establish a permanent program within the Department of 

11 the Interior for the purpose of— 

12 (1) promoting and developing the capacity of 

13 Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to manage 

14 buffalo and buffalo habitat; 

15 (2) promoting the ability of Indian Tribes and 

16 Tribal organizations to protect, conserve, and en17 hance populations of buffalo that are owned by In18 dian Tribes or Tribal organizations; 

19 (3) promoting the development and use of buf20 falo and buffalo habitat for the maximum prac21 ticable benefit of Indian Tribes and Tribal organiza22 tions; and 

23 (4) promoting the inclusion of Indian Tribes 

24 and Tribal organizations in Department, inter25 national, national, regional, and local decision makVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:29 Nov 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5153.IH H5153

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1 ing and forums regarding buffalo and buffalo habi2 tat. 

3 (b) CONTRACTS AND GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter 

5 into contracts and cooperative agreements with, and 

6 award grants to, Indian Tribes and Tribal organiza7 tions to enable the respective Indian Tribe or Tribal 

8 organization to— 

9 (A) plan, conduct, or implement a buffalo 

10 restoration or management program; 

11 (B) plan and execute commercial activities 

12 related to buffalo or buffalo products; or 

13 (C) carry out other activities related to 

14 buffalo restoration and management. 

15 (2) NO DIMINISHMENT OF LAWS AND REGULA16 TIONS.—Nothing in this subsection shall be inter17 preted to diminish any Federal or State law or regu18 lation of diseased buffalo. 

19 (c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 

20 provide technical assistance to an Indian Tribe or Tribal 

21 organization that enters into a contract or cooperative 

22 agreement or receives a grant under this section to assist 

23 that Indian Tribe or Tribal organization in— 


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1 (1) carrying out the activities of a buffalo or 

2 buffalo habitat restoration or management program; 

3 and 

4 (2) implementing the activities described in 

5 paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b). 

6 SEC. 5. CONSULTATION; COORDINATION. 

7 (a) CONSULTATION.—Not later than 1 year after the 

8 date of the enactment of this Act, and on an ongoing basis 

9 thereafter, the Secretary shall consult with Indian Tribes 

10 and Tribal organizations on initiatives of the Department 

11 that affect buffalo or buffalo habitat, including efforts of 

12 the Department to contain or eradicate diseased buffalo. 

13 (b) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall develop a 

14 policy relating to buffalo and buffalo habitat management 

15 activities on Indian land, in accordance with— 

16 (1) the goals and objectives set forth in buffalo 

17 management programs approved by Indian Tribes; 

18 and 

19 (2) Tribal laws and ordinances. 

20 SEC. 6. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION. 

21 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Sec22 retary shall not disclose or cause to be disclosed any infor23 mation provided to the Secretary by an Indian Tribe or 

24 Tribal organization that is identified by the Indian Tribe 


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1 or Tribal organization as culturally sensitive, proprietary, 

2 or otherwise confidential. 

3 SEC. 7. BUFFALO FROM FEDERAL LAND. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter into an 

5 agreement with an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization to 

6 dispose of surplus buffalo on Federal land administered 

7 by the Department applicable, by transporting such buf8 falo onto Indian land. 

9 (b) APPLICATION.—An Indian Tribe or Tribal orga10 nization may submit to the Secretary an application to re11 ceive buffalo described in subsection (a) at such time, in 

12 such manner, and containing such information as the Sec13 retary may require. 

14 (c) WAIVER OF CHARGES.—The Secretary may waive 

15 any charges for the buffalo described in subsection (a), 

16 including any deposit or payment for services as described 

17 in section 10.2 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulation, 

18 or any successor regulation. 

19 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

20 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec21 retary for grants to implement this Act, $14,000,000 for 

22 the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the enact23 ment of this Act and for each fiscal year thereafter. 

Æ 


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