IIB 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2074 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 9, 2021 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs 
AN ACT 
To assist Tribal governments in the management of buffalo 
and buffalo habitat and the reestablishment of buffalo 
on Indian land. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Indian Buffalo Man-
agement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) buffalo sustained a majority of Indian 
Tribes in North America for many centuries before 
buffalo were nearly exterminated by non-Indian 
hunters in the mid-1800s; 
(2) the historical, cultural, and spiritual connec-
tion between buffalo and Indian Tribes has not di-
minished over time; 
(3) Indian Tribes have long desired the reestab-
lishment of buffalo throughout Indian country for 
cultural, spiritual, and subsistence purposes; and 
(4) the successful restoration of buffalo would 
allow an Indian Tribe to benefit from— 
(A) the reintroduction of buffalo into the 
diets of the members of the Indian Tribe; 
(B) the rekindling of the spiritual and cul-
tural relationship between buffalo and the In-
dian Tribe; and 
(C) the use of buffalo for economic devel-
opment, in the case of an Indian Tribe that 
chooses to use buffalo for economic develop-
ment. 
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(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to fulfill the government-to-government rela-
tionship between Tribal governments and the United 
States in the management of buffalo and buffalo 
habitat; 
(2) to promote and develop the capacity of In-
dian Tribes and Tribal organizations to manage buf-
falo and buffalo habitat; 
(3) to protect, conserve, and enhance buffalo, 
which are important to the subsistence, culture, and 
economic development of many Indian Tribes; 
(4) to promote the development and use of buf-
falo and buffalo habitat for the maximum prac-
ticable benefit of Indian Tribes and Tribal organiza-
tions, through management of buffalo and buffalo 
habitats in accordance with integrated resource 
management plans developed by Indian Tribes and 
Tribal organizations; 
(5) to develop buffalo herds and increase pro-
duction of buffalo in order to meet Tribal subsist-
ence, health, cultural, and economic development 
needs; and 
(6) to promote the inclusion of Indian Tribes 
and Tribal organizations in Department of the Inte-
rior, local, regional, national, or international— 
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(A) decision-making processes; and 
(B) forums. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BUFFALO.—The term ‘‘buffalo’’ means an 
animal of the subspecies Bison bison bison. 
(2) BUFFALO
HABITAT.—The term ‘‘buffalo 
habitat’’ means Indian land, as defined in paragraph 
(4) of this section, that is managed for buffalo. 
(3) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of the Interior. 
(4) INDIAN
LAND.—The term ‘‘Indian land’’ 
has the meaning given the term in paragraph (2) of 
section 2601 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 
U.S.C. 3501), except that, in that paragraph, the 
term ‘‘Indian reservation’’ shall be considered to 
have the meaning given the term ‘‘Indian reserva-
tion’’ in paragraph (3) of that section, without re-
gard to the date specified in paragraph (3) of that 
section. 
(5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
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(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(7) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Tribal 
organization’’ means any legally established organi-
zation of Indians that— 
(A) is chartered under section 17 of the 
Act of June 18, 1934, (commonly known as the 
‘‘Indian Reorganization Act’’) (25 U.S.C. 
5124), which is recognized by the governing 
body of any Indian Tribe or Tribes; or 
(B) is a Tribal corporation federally char-
tered under section 3 of the Oklahoma Indian 
Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. 5203); and 
(C) has demonstrable experience in the 
restoration of buffalo and buffalo habitat on In-
dian land. 
SEC. 4. BUFFALO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. 
(a) PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.—The Secretary shall 
establish a permanent program within the Department of 
the Interior for the purposes of— 
(1) promoting and developing the capacity of 
Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to manage 
buffalo and buffalo habitat; 
(2) promoting the ability of Indian Tribes and 
Tribal organizations to protect, conserve, and en-
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hance populations of buffalo that are owned by In-
dian Tribes or Tribal organizations; 
(3) promoting the development and use of buf-
falo and buffalo habitat for the maximum prac-
ticable benefit of Indian Tribes and Tribal organiza-
tions; and 
(4) promoting the inclusion of Indian Tribes 
and Tribal organizations in Department, inter-
national, national, regional, and local decision-mak-
ing and forums regarding buffalo and buffalo habi-
tat. 
(b) CONTRACTS AND GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter 
into contracts and cooperative agreements with, and 
award grants to, Indian Tribes and Tribal organiza-
tions to enable the Indian Tribes and Tribal organi-
zations— 
(A) to plan, conduct, or implement a buf-
falo restoration or management program; 
(B) to plan and execute commercial activi-
ties related to buffalo or buffalo products; or 
(C) to carry out other activities relating to 
buffalo restoration and management. 
(2) NO DIMINISHMENT OF LAWS AND REGULA-
TIONS.—Nothing in this subsection diminishes any 
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Federal or State law (including regulations) regard-
ing diseased buffalo or buffalo that escape from In-
dian land. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide technical assistance to an Indian Tribe or Tribal 
organization that enters into a contract or cooperative 
agreement or receives a grant under this section to assist 
an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization in— 
(1) carrying out the activities of a buffalo or 
buffalo habitat restoration or management program; 
and 
(2) implementing the activities described in sub-
paragraphs (A) through (C) of subsection (b)(1). 
SEC. 5. CONSULTATION; COORDINATION. 
(a) CONSULTATION.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and on an ongoing basis 
thereafter, the Secretary shall consult with Indian Tribes 
and Tribal organizations on initiatives of the Department 
that affect buffalo or buffalo habitat, including efforts of 
the Department to contain or eradicate diseased buffalo. 
(b) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall develop a 
policy relating to buffalo and buffalo habitat management 
activities on Indian land, in accordance with— 
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(1) the goals and objectives described in buffalo 
management programs approved by Indian Tribes; 
and 
(2) Tribal laws and ordinances. 
SEC. 6. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Sec-
retary shall not disclose or cause to be disclosed any infor-
mation provided to the Secretary by an Indian Tribe or 
Tribal organization that is identified by the Indian Tribe 
or Tribal organization as culturally sensitive, proprietary, 
or otherwise confidential. 
SEC. 7. BUFFALO FROM FEDERAL LAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter into an 
agreement with an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization to 
dispose of surplus buffalo on Federal land administered 
by the Department, as applicable, by transporting such 
buffalo onto Indian land. 
(b) APPLICATION.—An Indian Tribe or Tribal orga-
nization may submit to the Secretary an application to re-
ceive buffalo described in subsection (a) at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
(c) WAIVER OF CHARGES.—The Secretary may waive 
any charges for the buffalo described in subsection (a), 
including any deposit or payment for services as described 
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in section 10.2 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or any successor regulation). 
SEC. 8. TREATY RIGHTS RETAINED. 
Nothing in this Act alters, modifies, diminishes, or 
extinguishes the treaty rights of any Indian Tribe. 
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this Act $14,000,000 for fiscal year 
2022 and each fiscal year thereafter. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 8, 
2021. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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