Union Calendar No. 138
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 976
[Report No. 105–242]
A BILL
To provide for the disposition of certain funds ap-
propriated to pay judgment in favor of the Mis-
sissippi Sioux Indians, and for other purposes.
SEPTEMBER 3, 1997
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Commit-
tee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and
ordered to be printed
IB
Union Calendar No. 138
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 976
[Report No. 105–242]
To provide for the disposition of certain funds appropriated to pay judgment
in favor of the Mississippi Sioux Indians, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 6, 1997
Mr. HILL (for himself, Mr. THUNE, and Mr. POMEROY) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources
SEPTEMBER 3, 1997
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 6, 1997]
A BILL
To provide for the disposition of certain funds appropriated
to pay judgment in favor of the Mississippi Sioux Indi-
ans, and for other purposes.
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 ‘‘Mississippi Sioux Tribes
Judgment Fund Distribution Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall
apply:
(1) COVERED INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘covered
Indian tribe’’ means an Indian tribe listed in section
4(a).
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
(3) TRIBAL GOVERNING BODY.—The term ‘‘tribal
governing body’’ means the duly elected governing
body of a covered Indian tribe.
SEC. 3. DISTRIBUTION TO, AND USE OF CERTAIN FUNDS BY,
THE SISSETON AND WAHPETON TRIBES OF
SIOUX INDIANS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including
Public Law 92–555 (25 U.S.C. 1300d et seq.), any funds
made available by appropriations under chapter II of Pub-
lic Law 90–352 (82 Stat. 239) to the Sisseton and
Wahpeton Tribes of Sioux Indians to pay a judgment in
favor of the Tribes in Indian Claims Commission dockets
numbered 142 and 359, including interest, after payment
of attorney fees and other expenses, that, as of the date of
(A), the Secretary, in consultation with the trib-
al governing body of the covered Indian tribe,
shall appoint an independent trustee to manage
the trust fund established by the tribal governing
body under section 5.
SEC. 7. EFFECT OF PAYMENTS TO COVERED INDIAN TRIBES
ON BENEFITS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A payment made to a covered In-
dian tribe or an individual under this Act shall not—
(1) for purposes of determining the eligibility for
a Federal service or program of a covered Indian
tribe, household, or individual, be treated as income
or resources; or
(2) otherwise result in the reduction or denial of
any service or program to which, pursuant to Federal
law (including the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
301 et seq.)), the covered Indian tribe, household, or
individual would otherwise be entitled.
SEC. 
8. 
DISTRIBUTION 
OF 
FUNDS 
TO 
LINEAL
DESCENDANTS.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, of the funds described in section 3, the Secretary
shall, in the manner prescribed in section 202(c) of Public
Law 92–555 (25 U.S.C. 1300d–4(c)), distribute an amount
equal to $1,469,831.50 to the lineal descendants of the
Sisseton and Wahpeton Tribes of Sioux Indians.