I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3838 

To provide grants to local governments to assist such local governments 

in participating in certain decisions related to certain Indian groups 

and Indian tribes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2004 

Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut (for herself, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. SIMMONS, and Mr. 

JOHNSON of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Resources 

A BILL 

To provide grants to local governments to assist such local 

governments in participating in certain decisions related 

to certain Indian groups and Indian tribes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. GRANT PROGRAM. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—To the extent funds are made 

5 available by appropriations and acceptable requests are 

6 submitted, the Secretary of the Interior shall provide 

7 grants to local governments to assist those local govern8 ments in participating (including, but not limited to, 

9 through administrative and judicial appeals) in the deci-
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1 sionmaking process related to actions described in sub2 section (b), if the Secretary determines that such actions 

3 are likely to significantly affect the people represented by 

4 the local governments and to reimburse local governments 

5 for the costs of such participation that were incurred after 

6 the date of the enactment of this Act. 

7 (b) ACTIONS FOR WHICH GRANTS MAY BE AVAIL8 ABLE.—The Secretary may make grants under this sec9 tion for participation assistance related to the following 

10 actions: 

11 (1) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.—An Indian group is 

12 seeking Federal acknowledgement or recognition (or 

13 reacknowledgement or rerecognition) and the Sec14 retary determines that the Indian group seeking 

15 such acknowledgement or recognition (or reacknowl16 edgement or rerecognition) has asserted or is likely 

17 to assert trust status with respect to land within 

18 boundaries of the area over which the local govern19 ment has jurisdiction. 

20 (2) TRUST LAND.—An acknowledged Indian 

21 tribe is requesting that land within the boundaries 

22 of the area over which the local government has ju23 risdiction be put into trust status for that tribe. 

24 (3) LAND CLAIMS.—An Indian group or an ac25 knowledged Indian tribe is claiming interest in land 
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1 based upon a treaty or a law specifically applicable 

2 to transfers of land or natural resources from, by, 

3 or on behalf of any Indian, Indian nation, or group, 

4 tribe, or band of Indians (including the Acts com5 monly known as the Trade and Intercourse Acts (1 

6 Stat. 137; 2 Stat. 139; and 4 Stat. 729)). 

7 (4) OTHER ACTIONS.—Any other action or pro8 posed action relating to an Indian group or acknowl9 edged Indian tribe if the Secretary determines that 

10 the action or proposed action is likely to significantly 

11 affect the people represented by that local govern12 ment. 

13 (c) AMOUNT OF GRANTS.—Grants awarded under 

14 this section to a local government for any one action may 

15 not exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year. 

16 (d) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this sec17 tion— 

18 (1) the term ‘‘acknowledged Indian tribe’’ 

19 means any Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or 

20 other organized group or community which is recog21 nized as eligible for the special programs and serv22 ices provided by the United States to Indians be23 cause of their status as Indians; and 

24 (2) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

25 of the Interior. 
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1 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

2 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

3 $8,000,000 for each fiscal year that begins after the date 

4 of the enactment of this Act. 

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