I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3475
To require the prompt review by the Secretary of the Interior of Petition 
No. 120 for Federal recognition of the Amah Mutsun of Mission San 
Juan Bautista as an Indian tribe, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 27, 2005
Mr. HONDA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Resources 
A BILL 
To require the prompt review by the Secretary of the Interior 
of Petition No. 120 for Federal recognition of the Amah 
Mutsun of Mission San Juan Bautista as an 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. PROMPT CONSIDERATION OF PETITION NO. 120 
REQUESTING 
FEDERAL 
RECOGNITION 
OF 
THE AMAH MUTSUN OF MISSION SAN JUAN 
BAUTISTA AS AN INDIAN TRIBE. 
(a) TIME PERIOD FOR PROPOSED FINDING.—Not 
later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall publish a proposed finding 
with respect to Petition No. 120 for Federal recognition 
of the Tribe consistent with part 83 of title 25, Code of 
Federal Regulations. 
(b) TIME PERIOD FOR FINAL DETERMINATION.—
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall publish a final determination 
with respect to Petition No. 120 for Federal recognition 
of the Tribe consistent with part 83 of title 25, Code of 
Federal Regulations. 
(c) NUMBER OF MEMBERS NOT A FACTOR.—The 
number of persons listed on the membership roll for Peti-
tion No. 120 for Federal recognition of the Tribe shall 
not be taken into account in considering the petition, ex-
cept that the Secretary may review the eligibility of indi-
vidual members or groups listed in the petition in accord-
ance with the provisions of part 83 of title 25, Code of 
Federal Regulations. 
(d) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO COMPLY.—If the Sec-
retary fails to publish a proposed finding required by sub-
section (a) or a final determination required by subsection 
(b) by the end of the time period required for the proposed 
finding or final determination by such subsections, the 
Tribe may seek in the appropriate United States district 
court a determination by the court of whether the Tribe
should be recognized as an Indian tribe in accordance with 
the criteria specified in section 83.7 of title 25, Code of 
Federal Regulations. In any such action, the court shall 
treat such failure by the Secretary as final agency action. 
(e) REVIEW OF ADVERSE DECISION.—If the final de-
termination required by subsection (b) refuses to recognize 
the Tribe as an Indian tribe, the Tribe may seek, during 
the 1-year period beginning on the date on which the final 
determination is published, a review of the determination 
in the appropriate United States district court, notwith-
standing the availability of other administrative remedies. 
(f) NO CHANGE IN CRITERIA.—Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to change the criteria established by 
the Department of the Interior to determine whether or 
not a petitioner meets the requirements to be a federally 
recognized Indian tribe. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this Act, the 
following definitions apply: 
(1) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the In-
dian tribe known as the Amah Mutsun of Mission 
San Juan Bautista, whose petition for Federal rec-
ognition as an Indian tribe has been designated Pe-
tition No. 120 by the Secretary, and all members 
thereof whose names appear on the Tribe’s member-
ship roll submitted to the Secretary.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, or a designee of the 
Secretary.
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