II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 631 

To provide grants to ensure full and fair participation in certain 

decisionmaking processes of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 15, 2005 

Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. LIEBERMAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs 

A BILL

To provide grants to ensure full and fair participation in 

certain decisionmaking processes of the Bureau of Indian 

Affairs.

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) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 (1) ACKNOWLEDGED INDIAN TRIBE.—The term 

6 ‘‘acknowledged Indian tribe’’ means an Indian tribe, 

7 band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or 

8 community that is recognized as eligible for the spe9 cial programs and services provided by the United 

10 States to Indians because of their status as Indians. 
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•S 631 IS

1 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti2 ty’’ means an eligible Indian group or eligible local 

3 government. 

4 (3) ELIGIBLE INDIAN GROUP.—The term ‘‘eligi5 ble Indian group’’ means a group that— 

6 (A) is an acknowledged Indian tribe or has 

7 petitioned the Secretary to be acknowledged as 

8 an Indian tribe; and 

9 (B) needs financial assistance to facilitate 

10 fair participation in a pending action, as deter11 mined by the Secretary. 

12 (4) ELIGIBLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 

13 ‘‘eligible local government’’ means a municipality or 

14 county that needs financial assistance to facilitate 

15 fair participation in a pending action. 

16 (5) PENDING ACTION.—The term ‘‘pending ac17 tion’’ means— 

18 (A) a pending action in which— 

19 (i)(I) an Indian group seeks Federal 

20 acknowledgment; or 

21 (II) an Indian tribe the status of 

22 which as a federally acknowledged Indian 

23 tribe has been terminated seeks to be re24 stored to federally acknowledged status; 
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1 (ii) a federally acknowledged Indian 

2 tribe asserts trust status with respect to 

3 land within the boundaries of an area over 

4 which a local government exercises juris5 diction; 

6 (iii) a federally acknowledged Indian 

7 tribe files a petition with the Secretary re8 questing that land within the boundaries of 

9 an area over which a local government ex10 ercises jurisdiction be taken into trust for 

11 the benefit of the Indian tribe; and 

12 (iv) an Indian group or a federally ac13 knowledged Indian tribe asserts a claim to 

14 land based on a treaty or a law specifically 

15 applicable to transfers of land or natural 

16 resources from, by, or on behalf of any In17 dian, Indian tribe, Indian group, or band 

18 of Indians (including the Act of July 22, 

19 1790 (1 Stat. 137, chapter 33), the Act of 

20 March 30, 1802 (2 Stat. 139, chapter 13), 

21 and the Act of June 30, 1834 (4 Stat. 

22 729, chapter 161) (commonly known as 

23 the ‘‘Trade and Intercourse Acts’’)); or 

24 (B) any other action or proposed action re25 lating to an Indian group or federally acknowl-
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•S 631 IS

1 edged Indian tribe if the Secretary determines 

2 that the action or proposed action is likely to 

3 significantly affect the citizens represented by a 

4 local government. 

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

6 the Secretary of the Interior. 

7 (b) GRANTS.—Subject to the availability of funds, on 

8 application of an eligible entity, the Secretary shall provide 

9 a grant to the eligible entity to assist eligible entity in 

10 participating in the decisionmaking process relating to a 

11 pending action, if the Secretary determines that the assist12 ance— 

13 (1) is necessary to protect the interests of the 

14 Government or eligible entity; and 

15 (2) would promote the interest of just adminis16 tration in the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

17 (c) AMOUNT.—A grant provided under this section 

18 to an eligible entity for any single pending action shall 

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

20 (d) USE OF GRANT.—A grant provided under this 

21 section may be used only to pay expenses incurred after 

22 the date of enactment of this Act. 
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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.

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