I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7541 

To extend Federal recognition to the United Houma Nation, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 5, 2024 

Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To extend Federal recognition to the United Houma Nation, 

and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘United Houma Rec5 ognition Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) INTERIM TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 

9 ‘‘interim Tribal Government’’ means the Board of 

10 Directors of the United Houma Nation, Inc. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 7541 IH

1 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of the Interior. 

3 (3) TRIBAL CONSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘Tribal 

4 constitution’’ means the Tribal constitution adopted 

5 pursuant to section 4. 

6 (4) TRIBAL MEMBER.—The term ‘‘Tribal mem7 ber’’ means— 

8 (A) an individual who is an enrolled mem9 ber of the Tribe as of the date of the enactment 

10 of this Act; and 

11 (B) an individual who is placed on the 

12 membership rolls of the Tribe in accordance 

13 with this Act. 

14 (5) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the 

15 United Houma Nation. 

16 SEC. 3. FEDERAL RECOGNITION. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Federal recognition is extended to 

18 the Tribe. 

19 (b) APPLICABILITY OF LAWS.—All laws (including 

20 regulations) of the United States of general applicability 

21 to Indians or nations, Indian Tribes, or bands of Indians 

22 (including the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 5101 et 

23 seq.)) that are not inconsistent with this Act shall be ap24 plicable to the Tribe and Tribal members. 

25 (c) FEDERAL SERVICES AND BENEFITS.— 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 7541 IH

1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Tribe and Tribal mem2 bers shall be eligible for all services and benefits pro3 vided by the Federal Government to federally recog4 nized Indian Tribes without regard to the existence 

5 of a reservation for the Tribe. 

6 (2) SERVICE AREA.—For purposes of delivery 

7 of services and benefits to Tribal members, the serv8 ice area of the Tribe shall be considered to be the 

9 following parishes in the State of Louisiana: 

10 (A) St. Mary. 

11 (B) Terrebonne. 

12 (C) Lafourche. 

13 (D) Jefferson. 

14 (E) Plaquemines. 

15 (F) St. Bernard. 

16 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP ROLL. 

17 (a) INITIAL ROLL.—As a condition of receiving rec18 ognition, services, and benefits pursuant to this Act, the 

19 Tribe shall submit to the Secretary, by not later than 1 

20 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, an mem21 bership roll consisting of the name of each individual en22 rolled as a Tribal member. 

23 (b) DETERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP.— 

24 (1) INITIAL ROLL.—The qualifications for in25 clusion on the membership roll submitted under subVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:52 Mar 08, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7541.IH H7541

kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HR 7541 IH

1 section (a) shall be determined by the interim Tribal 

2 Government in consultation with the Secretary. 

3 (2) SUBSEQUENT MEMBERSHIP.—Upon adop4 tion under section 4, the Tribal constitution shall 

5 govern membership in the Tribe. 

6 (c) MAINTENANCE OF ROLL.—The Tribe shall main7 tain the membership roll. 

8 SEC. 5. TRIBAL CONSTITUTION. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 

10 initial membership roll is submitted to the Secretary pur11 suant to section 3(a), the Secretary shall conduct, by se12 cret ballot, an election for the purpose of adopting a con13 stitution for the Tribe in accordance with the procedures 

14 applicable to elections under section 16 of the Act of June 

15 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 5123). 

16 (b) NOTICE.—The Secretary shall provide at least 60 

17 days notice to Tribal members with respect to the date 

18 of the election held under subsection (a). 

19 (c) ABSENTEE BALLOTS.—Absentee voting shall be 

20 permitted with respect to the election under subsection (a) 

21 regardless of voter residence. 

22 SEC. 6. GOVERNING BODY. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 

24 (b), the governing body of the Tribe shall be elected in 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•HR 7541 IH

1 accordance with the election procedures specified in the 

2 Tribal constitution. 

3 (b) INTERIM GOVERNMENT.—Until a governing body 

4 is elected and takes office in accordance with election pro5 cedures specified in the Tribal constitution adopted under 

6 section 5, the interim Tribal Government shall be the gov7 erning body of the Tribe. 

8 SEC. 7. RESERVATION OF THE TRIBE. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Upon the request of the Tribe, the 

10 Secretary shall take into trust for the benefit of the Tribe 

11 any lands held in fee by the Tribe within the service area 

12 described in section 3(c)(2). 

13 (b) RESERVATION STATUS.—Any land taken into 

14 trust for the benefit of the Tribe pursuant to this section 

15 shall, upon the request of the Tribe, be considered part 

16 of the reservation of the Tribe. 

17 (c) GAMING.—The Tribe may not conduct gaming ac18 tivities as a matter of claimed inherent authority or under 

19 the authority of any Federal law, including the Indian 

20 Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) or under 

21 any regulations thereunder promulgated by the Secretary 

22 or the National Indian Gaming Commission. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
6 

•HR 7541 IH

1 SEC. 8. REAFFIRMATION OF RIGHTS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act diminishes 

3 any right or privilege of the Tribe or any Tribal member 

4 that existed before the date of the enactment of this Act. 

5 (b) CLAIMS OF TRIBE.—Except as otherwise pro6 vided in this Act, nothing in this Act alters or affects any 

7 legal or equitable claim of the Tribe to enforce any right 

8 or privilege reserved by, or granted to, the Tribe that was 

9 wrongfully denied to, or taken from, the Tribe before the 

10 date of the enactment of this Act. 

11 (c) HUNTING AND FISHING RIGHTS.—Nothing in 

12 this Act expands, reduces, or affects in any manner any 

13 hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, or water rights of 

14 the Tribe and Tribal members. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB