I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4712 
To amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act to provide for advance-
ments in public safety services to Indian communities, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 23, 2025 
Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself, Ms. PEREZ, Mr. COLE, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, 
Mr. MOOLENAAR, Ms. STRICKLAND, Mr. ZINKE, Mr. VASQUEZ, Ms. 
CRAIG, and Mr. BAUMGARTNER) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act to pro-
vide for advancements in public safety services to Indian 
communities, 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 ‘‘Parity for Tribal Law 
Enforcement Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. 
The Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act is amend-
ed by inserting after section 4 (25 U.S.C. 2803) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 4A. TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of Federal law, law enforcement officers of an In-
dian tribe that have contracted or compacted any or all 
Federal law enforcement functions through a contract or 
compact entered into pursuant to the Indian Self-Deter-
mination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 
et seq.) (referred to in this section as ‘Tribal officers’) 
shall have the authority to enforce Federal law within the 
area under the jurisdiction of the Indian tribe if— 
‘‘(1) the applicable Tribal officers have— 
‘‘(A) completed training that is comparable 
to that of an employee of the Office of Justice 
Services of the Bureau who is providing the 
same services in Indian country, as determined 
by the Deputy Bureau Director of the Office of 
Justice Services of the Bureau (or a designee); 
‘‘(B) passed an adjudicated background in-
vestigation equivalent to that of an employee of 
the Office of Justice Services of the Bureau 
who is providing the same services in Indian 
country; and 
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‘‘(C) received a certification from the Of-
fice of Justice Services of the Bureau, as de-
scribed in subsection (c); and 
‘‘(2) the Indian tribe has adopted policies and 
procedures that meet or exceed those of the Office 
of Justice Services of the Bureau for the same pro-
gram, service, function, or activity. 
‘‘(b) DEEMED TO BE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 
OFFICERS.—Subject to the guidance issued by the Sec-
retary pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(B) and notwith-
standing any other provision of law, while acting under 
the authority granted by the Secretary through a contract 
or compact entered into pursuant to the Indian Self-De-
termination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5301 et seq.), a Tribal officer shall be deemed to be— 
‘‘(1) a Federal law enforcement officer for the 
purposes of— 
‘‘(A) sections 111 and 1114 of title 18, 
United States Code; 
‘‘(B) chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, United 
States Code; and 
‘‘(C) chapter 171 of title 28, United States 
Code (commonly known as the ‘Federal Tort 
Claims Act’); and 
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‘‘(2) an eligible officer under subchapter III of 
chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code. 
‘‘(c) CERTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of the Parity for Tribal 
Law Enforcement Act, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) notwithstanding section 5, develop 
procedures for the credentialing of Tribal offi-
cers under this section to provide confirmation 
that Tribal officers meet minimum certification 
standards and training requirements for Indian 
country peace officers, as prescribed by the Sec-
retary; and 
‘‘(B) notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, issue guidance, in consultation with In-
dian tribes, to otherwise implement this section, 
ensuring that, in implementing subsection 
(b)(1)(B), the guidance— 
‘‘(i) provides for the voluntary partici-
pation by Tribal officers, on a position-by- 
position basis; 
‘‘(ii) allows Tribal officers to purchase 
service credit for prior years of service con-
sistent with the guidance issued by the 
Secretary under this subparagraph; 
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‘‘(iii) allows for the participation of 
Tribal officers, the salaries of which are 
funded in whole or in part by grants from 
the Office of Community Oriented Policing 
Services of the Department of Justice or 
any other agency in the Department of 
Justice; and 
‘‘(iv) recognizes that Tribal officers 
may participate if the Indian tribes of 
those Tribal officers have a mandatory re-
tirement age that exceeds the applicable 
Federal mandatory retirement age for Fed-
eral law enforcement officers. 
‘‘(2) IPA BRIDGE
PROGRAM.—Tribal officers 
who choose to attend a State or other equivalent 
training program approved by the Deputy Bureau 
Director of the Office of Justice Services of the Bu-
reau (or a designee) rather than attend the Indian 
Police Academy shall be required to attend the 
Bridge Program of the Indian Police Academy, or 
an equivalent program, prior to receiving a certifi-
cation under this subsection.’’. 
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SEC. 
3. 
OVERSIGHT, 
COORDINATION, 
AND 
ACCOUNT-
ABILITY. 
The Attorney General, acting through the Deputy At-
torney General, shall coordinate and provide oversight for 
all Department of Justice activities, responsibilities, func-
tions, and programs to ensure a coordinated approach for 
public safety in Indian communities, accountability, and 
compliance with Federal law, including— 
(1) the timely submission of reports to Con-
gress; 
(2) robust training, as required under Federal 
law and as needed or requested by Indian Tribes or 
Federal and State officials relating to— 
(A) public safety in Indian communities; 
and 
(B) training outcomes demonstrating a 
better understanding of public safety ap-
proaches in Indian communities; 
(3) the updating of, and improvements to, 
United States Attorney operational plans; 
(4) comprehensive evaluation and analysis of 
data, including approaches to collecting better data, 
relating to public safety in Indian communities; and 
(5) other duties or responsibilities as needed to 
improve public safety in Indian communities. 
Æ 
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