I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1301 
To extend the Federal relationship to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa 
Indians of Montana as a distinct federally recognized Indian tribe, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 1, 2007 
Mr. REHBERG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To extend the Federal relationship to the Little Shell Tribe 
of Chippewa Indians of Montana as a distinct federally 
recognized Indian tribe, 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 ‘‘Little Shell Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians Restoration Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Lit-
tle Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:55 Mar 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1301.IH
H1301
jcorcoran on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(2) MEMBER.—The term ‘‘member’’ means an 
individual who is enrolled in the Tribe pursuant to 
section 7. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians 
is one of the political successors to signatories to the 
Pembina Treaty of 1863, by which a large area of 
land in what is now North Dakota was ceded to the 
United States. 
(2) The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa of 
North Dakota, and the Chippewa-Cree Tribe of the 
Rocky Boy’s Reservation of Montana, which also are 
political successors to the signatories to the Pembina 
Treaty of 1863, already have been recognized by the 
Federal Government as distinct Indian tribes. 
(3) The members of the Little Shell Tribe of 
Chippewa continue to live in Montana as their an-
cestors have done for more than a century since 
their ancestors ceded their lands in North Dakota. 
(4) The Little Shell Tribe repeatedly petitioned 
the Federal Government for reorganization in the 
1930s and 1940s under the Act of June 18, 1934 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:55 Mar 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1301.IH
H1301
jcorcoran on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.; commonly referred to as the 
‘‘Indian Reorganization Act’’). Federal agents who 
visited the Little Shell Tribe and Commissioner of 
Indian Affairs John Collier attested to the Federal 
Government’s responsibility toward the Little Shell 
Indians. These officials concluded that Little Shell 
tribal members were eligible for and should be pro-
vided with trust land, thereby making the Tribe eli-
gible for reorganization under the Indian Reorga-
nization Act. Due to a lack of Federal appropria-
tions during the Depression, however, the Bureau 
lacked adequate financial resources to purchase land 
for the Tribe, and the Little Shell people were there-
by denied the opportunity to reorganize. 
(5) In spite of the Federal Government’s failure 
to appropriate adequate funding to secure land for 
the Tribe as required for reorganization under the 
Indian Reorganization Act, the Tribe continued to 
exist as a separate community with leaders exhib-
iting clear political authority. The Tribe, together 
with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa of 
North Dakota, and the Chippewa-Cree Tribe of the 
Rocky Boy’s Reservation of Montana, filed two suits 
under the Indian Claims Commission Act of 1946 to 
petition for additional compensation for lands ceded 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:55 Mar 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1301.IH
H1301
jcorcoran on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
to the United States by the 1863 Treaty and 1892 
McCumber Agreement. These tribes received Indian 
Claims Commission awards, which were distributed 
under 1971 and 1982 Acts of Congress. 
(6) The Tribe petitioned the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs for recognition through the Bureau’s Federal 
Acknowledgement Process in 1978. Nearly 30 years 
later, the Tribe’s petition is still pending. 
(7) The United States Government, the State of 
Montana, and the other federally recognized Indian 
Tribes of Montana have had continuous dealings 
with the recognized political leaders of the Little 
Shell Tribe from the 1930s through the present. 
SEC. 4. FEDERAL RECOGNITION. 
Federal recognition of the Little Shell Tribe of Chip-
pewa Indians of Montana is hereby extended. All laws and 
regulations of the United States of general application to 
Indians or nations, tribes, or bands of Indians, including 
the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.) that 
are not inconsistent with any specific provision of this Act, 
shall be applicable to the Tribe and its members. 
SEC. 5. FEDERAL SERVICES AND BENEFITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Tribe and its members shall 
be eligible, on and after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, for all services and benefits furnished to Federally 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:55 Mar 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1301.IH
H1301
jcorcoran on PROD1PC66 with BILLS