I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 215 
To empower federally recognized Indian tribes to accept restricted fee tribal 
lands, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 3, 2017 
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To empower federally recognized Indian tribes to accept 
restricted fee tribal lands, 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 ‘‘American Indian Em-
powerment Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. EMPOWER TRIBES TO ACCEPT RESTRICTED FEE 
TRIBAL LANDS. 
(a) CONVEYANCE OF TRIBAL TRUST LANDS TO RE-
STRICTED FEE TRIBAL LANDS.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, not later than 180 days after re-
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ceipt by the Secretary of the Interior of a written request 
adopted by the governing body of a federally recognized 
Indian tribe, the Secretary shall, subject to a restriction 
imposed by the United States against alienation and tax-
ation, convey to the Indian tribe all right, title, and inter-
est held by the United States in land specifically requested 
by the Indian tribe which the United States held in trust 
for that Indian tribe. 
(b) ATTRIBUTES
OF
RESTRICTED
FEE
TRIBAL 
LANDS.—Any land held by a federally recognized Indian 
tribe subject to a restriction imposed by the United States 
against alienation and taxation, shall be deemed, for all 
purposes, to be— 
(1) Indian country as defined in section 1151 
of title 18, United States Code; and 
(2) the Indian lands of that Indian tribe subject 
to the provisions of the Act of June 30, 1834 (25 
U.S.C. 177; 4 Stat. 730). 
(c) TRIBAL AUTHORITY OVER RESTRICTED FEE 
TRIBAL LANDS.—Notwithstanding the provisions of the 
Act of August 9, 1955 (25 U.S.C. 415; commonly known 
as the ‘‘Long-term Leasing Act’’), an Indian tribe may 
lease land subject to a restriction imposed by the United 
States against alienation and taxation, or grant an ease-
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ment or right-of-way thereon, for any period of time with-
out review and approval by the Secretary. 
(d) TRIBAL PREEMPTION AUTHORITY OVER RE-
STRICTED FEE TRIBAL LANDS.—The laws of a federally 
recognized Indian tribe establishing a system of land ten-
ure governing the use of land it holds, subject to a restric-
tion imposed by the United States against alienation and 
taxation, shall preempt any provision of Federal law or 
regulation governing the use of such lands. Such tribal 
law shall be given preemptive effect only upon having been 
first published in the Federal Register. The Secretary of 
the Interior shall cause such tribal law to be published 
in the Federal Register not later than 120 days after re-
ceiving a copy of the tribal law from the Indian tribe. 
(e) TRUST RESPONSIBILITY NOT DIMINISHED.— 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish the 
Federal trust responsibility to any Indian tribe. 
Æ 
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