I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2958 
To fulfill the United States Government’s trust responsibility to serve the 
higher education needs of the Navajo people and to clarify, unify, and 
modernize prior Dine´ College legislation. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 7, 2015 
Mrs. KIRKPATRICK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To fulfill the United States Government’s trust responsibility 
to serve the higher education needs of the Navajo people 
and to clarify, unify, and modernize prior Dine´ College 
legislation. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dine´ College Act of 
2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
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(1) The Treaty of 1868 between the United 
States of America and the Navajo Tribe of Indians 
provides for the education of the citizens of the Nav-
ajo Nation. 
(2) The Navajo Nation created and chartered 
the Navajo Community College by Resolution CN– 
95–68 as a wholly owned educational entity of the 
Navajo Nation. 
(3) In 1971, Congress enacted the Navajo Com-
munity College Act (Public Law 92–189; 25 U.S.C. 
640a et seq.). 
(4) The Navajo Nation officially changed the 
name of the Navajo Community College to Dine´ Col-
lege by Resolution CAP–35–97. 
(5) The purpose of Dine´ College is to provide 
educational opportunities to the Navajo people and 
others in areas important to the economic and social 
development of the Navajo Nation. 
(6) The educational philosophy of Dine´ College 
is to apply principles of Sa’ah Naagha´ı´ Bik’eh 
Ho´zho´o´n (Dine´ Philosophy) to advance quality stu-
dent learning through training of the mind and 
heart. 
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(7) The United States has a trust and treaty 
responsibility to the Navajo Nation to provide for 
the educational opportunities for Navajo people. 
(8) Significant portions of the Dine´ College’s 
infrastructure are dilapidated and pose a serious 
health and safety risk to students, employees, and 
the public. 
(9) This Act is consistent with Executive Order 
13592 (76 Fed. Reg. 76603, relating to improving 
American Indian and Alaska Native educational op-
portunities and strengthening tribal colleges and 
universities) and fulfills the United States Govern-
ment’s trust responsibility to serve the educational 
needs of the Navajo people. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to ensure that the Navajo 
Nation and Navajo people— 
(1) exercise their right to self-determination, 
particularly in matters relating to their internal and 
local affairs; 
(2) maintain and strengthen their distinct insti-
tutions of higher education through the teaching of 
the Navajo language, culture, traditions, and his-
tory; and 
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(3) improve their economic and social condi-
tions through higher education and postsecondary 
vocational training. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Indian Affairs and 
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources, 
the Committee on Education and the Work-
force, and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives. 
(2) COLLEGE.—The term ‘‘College’’ means 
Dine´ College. 
(3) OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.—The term 
‘‘operation and maintenance’’ means all cost and ex-
penses associated with the customary daily operation 
of the Dine´ College and necessary maintenance 
costs. 
(4) INFRASTRUCTURE.—The term ‘‘infrastruc-
ture’’ means Dine´ College buildings, water and 
sewer facilities, roads, foundation, information tech-
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nology, and telecommunications, including class-
rooms and external matters such as walkways. 
(5) RENOVATIONS
AND
REPAIRS.—The term 
‘‘renovations and repairs’’ means modernization and 
improvements to the infrastructure. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF DINE´ COLLEGE. 
Congress authorizes the Dine´ College to receive all 
Federal funding and resources under this Act and other 
laws for its operation, improvement, and growth, includ-
ing— 
(1) to provide programs of higher education for 
citizens of the Navajo Nation and others; 
(2) to provide vocational and technical edu-
cation for citizens of the Navajo Nation and others; 
(3) to preserve and protect the Navajo lan-
guage, philosophy, and culture for citizens of the 
Navajo Nation and others; 
(4) to provide Navajo communities and people 
with employment and training opportunities; 
(5) to provide economic development and com-
munity outreach for Navajo communities and people; 
and 
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(6) to provide a safe learning, working, and liv-
ing environment for students, employees, and the 
public. 
SEC. 6. FACILITIES AND CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
From amounts made available under section 8(c), the 
Dine´ College may undertake any renovations and repairs 
to the infrastructure of the College identified in the sur-
vey, study, and report carried out under section 9. 
SEC. 7. STATUS OF FUNDS. 
Funds provided under this Act to the Dine´ College 
may be treated as non-Federal, private funds of the Col-
lege for purposes of any provision of Federal law which 
requires that non-Federal or private funds of the College 
be used in a project for a specific purpose. 
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are hereby authorized to be 
appropriated to the Dine´ College, for each fiscal year, such 
sums as may be necessary to pay for the operation and 
maintenance of the College. 
(b) BUDGET PLACEMENT.—The Secretary shall fund 
the operation and maintenance of the Dine´ College sepa-
rately from tribal colleges and universities recognized and 
funded by the Tribally Controlled College or University 
Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). 
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(c) FACILITIES AND CAPITAL PROJECTS.—In addi-
tion to amounts appropriated under subsection (a), there 
are authorized to be appropriated $7,500,000, for each fis-
cal year, to carry out section 6. 
SEC. 9. SURVEY, STUDY, AND REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct a de-
tailed survey and study of all capital projects and facility 
needs of the Dine´ College, and shall report the results of 
such survey and study to the appropriate committees of 
Congress not later than October 31, 2016. Such report 
shall include recommendations by the Secretary and any 
recommendations or views submitted by the College and 
the Navajo Nation regarding the capital projects and facil-
ity needs of the College. 
(b) INVENTORY.—Not later than January 31, 2016, 
an inventory prepared by Dine´ College identifying repairs, 
alterations, and renovations to facilities required to meet 
health and safety standards and other factors shall be sub-
mitted to the Secretary. The Secretary shall use the inven-
tory as baseline data to inform the survey, study, and re-
port required under subsection (a). 
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Funds to carry 
out this section may be drawn from general administrative 
appropriations to the Secretary. 
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SEC. 10. SUPERSESSION OF NAVAJO COMMUNITY COLLEGE 
ACT. 
This Act supersedes— 
(1) the Navajo Community College Act (Public 
Law 92–189; 25 U.S.C., 640a et seq.); 
(2) the Navajo Community College Assistance 
Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–471, 92 Stat. 1325, 
1329); and 
(3) the Navajo Nation Higher Education Act of 
2010 (Public Law 110–315, 122 Stat. 3468). 
SEC. 11. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER FEDERAL 
FUNDS. 
Except as explicitly provided for in other Federal law, 
nothing in this Act shall preclude the eligibility of the Dine´ 
College to received Federal funding and resources under 
any program authorized under the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), the Equity in Edu-
cational Land Grant Status Act (Title V, Part C, of Public 
Law 103–382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note), or any other applicable 
program for the benefit of institutions of higher education, 
community colleges, or postsecondary educational institu-
tions. 
Æ 
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