the Governor and attorney general of each State in which
the petitioner states that it is located of the following:
(1) That the letter of intent has been filed.
(2) The name and contact information for the
Indian tribe.
(c) NOTICE TO MUNICIPALITIES.—Not later than 60
days after receiving a letter of intent under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall consult with the Governor and attorney
general of the affected State or States to identify munici-
palities that are located within the vicinity of the place
that the petitioner states on the application that it is lo-
cated. The Secretary shall provide the notice required
under subsection (b) to such municipalities within 30 days
of the completion of the consultation process.
SEC. 2. INTERESTED PARTY STATUS.
The Governor, attorney general, and each munici-
pality identified pursuant to section 1 shall be interested
parties in the review of each corresponding acknowledge-
ment petition. The petitioner shall serve each interested
party with all documents submitted as part of its petition.
SEC. 3. COMPLETION OF PETITION.
In consultation with the petitioner, the Secretary
shall determine when the petition is complete and ready
for acknowledgment review. Interested parties shall be no-
tified of such determination within 30 days. No additional
documents shall be submitted by the petitioner after this
determination until issuance of a proposed finding under
part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations.
SEC. 4. ACTIVE REVIEW.
The Secretary shall notify the petitioner and all inter-
ested parties, and publish notice in the Federal Register,
of the date that a petition comes under active review under
part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. Such no-
tice shall be provided within 7 days of the date the petition
comes under active review.
SEC. 5. PUBLIC COMMENT ON APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL
STATUS.
The Secretary shall provide a reasonable period for
comment by interested parties and the public on each peti-
tion for Federal acknowledgment or recognition. Such
comment period shall commence upon filing of a letter of
intent and end no sooner than 120 days before the dead-
line for issuance of a proposed finding under part 83 of
title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. Interested parties
shall serve their comments on the petitioner and any other
interested parties. The Secretary shall provide all public
comments to the petitioner and interested parties. Such
comments shall be given full consideration when deciding
to grant or deny the petition. Any petition under review
on the date of the enactment of this Act not subject to
such comment shall be reconsidered by the Secretary to
provide a comment period in accordance with this section.
SEC. 6. REGULATORY CRITERIA.
The Director may not grant Federal acknowledgment
or recognition to any Indian tribe unless such petitioner
has met all of the criteria listed in part 83 of title 25,
Code of Federal Regulations. When issuing proposed find-
ings and final determinations on Federal acknowledgment
or recognition, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal
Register detailed findings on each of those criteria. Such
findings shall be accompanied by a report under part 83
of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. Any findings for
petitions under review on the date of the enactment of this
Act for which such findings and report have not been
issued shall be reconsidered by the Secretary in accord-
ance with this section.
SEC. 7. FUNDING FOR BRANCH OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND
RESEARCH.
There is authorized to be appropriated for the
Branch of Acknowledgment and Research of the Bureau
of Indian Affairs $1,800,000 each fiscal year.
SEC. 8. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PARTICIPATION IN DECI-
SIONMAKING PROCESSES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—To the extent funds are made
available by appropriations and acceptable requests are
submitted, the Secretary shall provide grants to local gov-
ernments to assist those local governments in participating
in the decisionmaking process related to actions described
in subsection (b), if the Secretary determines that such
actions are likely to significantly affect the people rep-
resented by the local governments and to reimburse local
governments for the costs of such participation that were
incurred after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Grants may also be made under this section to reimburse
local governments for activities that were undertaken be-
fore the date of the enactment of this Act, but which oth-
erwise meet the requirements for a grant under this sec-
tion.
(b) ACTIONS FOR WHICH GRANTS MAY BE AVAIL-
ABLE.—The Secretary may make grants under this sec-
tion for participation assistance related to the following
actions:
(1) ACKNOWLEDGMENT.—An Indian group is
seeking Federal acknowledgment or recognition and
the Secretary determines that the Indian group
seeking such acknowledgment or recognition (or re-
acknowledgment or rerecognition) is located within
or adjacent to the boundaries of the area under the
jurisdiction of the local government, or has asserted
or is likely to seek trust status with respect to land
within boundaries of the area over which the local
government has jurisdiction.
(2) TRUST
LAND.—An acknowledged Indian
tribe is requesting that land within, or adjacent to,
the boundaries of the area over which the local gov-
ernment has jurisdiction be put into trust status for
that tribe.
(3) LAND CLAIMS.—An Indian group or an ac-
knowledged Indian tribe is claiming, or is expected
to claim, interest in land based upon a treaty or a
law specifically applicable to transfers of land or
natural resources from, by, or on behalf of any In-
dian, Indian nation, or group, tribe, or band of Indi-
ans (including the Acts commonly known as the
Trade and Intercourse Acts (1 Stat. 137; 2 Stat.
139; and 4 Stat. 729)).
(4) OTHER ACTIONS.—Any other action or pro-
posed action relating to an Indian group or acknowl-
edged Indian tribe if the Secretary determines that
the action or proposed action is likely to significantly
affect the people represented by that local govern-
ment.
(c) AMOUNT OF GRANTS.—Grants awarded under
this section to a local government for any one action may
not exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$8,000,000 for each fiscal year.
SEC. 9. GRANT PROGRAM FOR IMPACT AID.
(a) IN GENERAL.—To the extent funds are made
available by appropriations and acceptable requests are
submitted, the Secretary shall provide grants to local gov-
ernments to assist those local governments with activities
related to infrastructure, public safety, or social services,
if the Secretary determines that such activities are made
necessary or prudent as a result of the activities of a feder-
ally recognized Indian tribe.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$10,000,000 for each fiscal year.
SEC. 10. REPEAL OF REVOLVING DOOR EXEMPTION.
Section 104(j) of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450i(j)) is repealed.
SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions
apply:
(1) ACKNOWLEDGED INDIAN TRIBE.—The term
‘‘acknowledged Indian tribe’’ means any Indian
tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group
or community which is recognized as eligible for the
special programs and services provided by the
United States to Indians because of their status as
Indians.
(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means
the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
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