I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6274 
To amend the Indian Arts and Crafts Act to clarify the definition of Indian 
and Indian organization for the purposes of that Act. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 2, 2012 
Mr. RAHALL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the 
Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Indian Arts and Crafts Act to clarify the 
definition of Indian and Indian organization for the pur-
poses of that Act. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 6(a) of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to promote 
the development of Indian arts and crafts and to create 
a board to assist therein, and for other purposes’’ (25 
U.S.C. 305e(a)) is amended as follows: 
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(1) By striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) INDIAN.—The term ‘Indian’ means an in-
dividual that— 
‘‘(A) is a member of an Indian tribe; 
‘‘(B) is certified as an Indian artisan by an 
Indian tribe; 
‘‘(C) is a member of an Indian organiza-
tion and who— 
‘‘(i) resides in the State in which the 
Indian organization is chartered and head-
quartered; and 
‘‘(ii) is a direct lineal descendant of a 
person listed on the base roll of an Indian 
tribe, whether or not such individual quali-
fies for membership in the Indian tribe; or 
‘‘(D) is a member of an Indian organiza-
tion and who— 
‘‘(i) resides in the State in which the 
Indian organization is chartered and head-
quartered; and 
‘‘(ii) is a direct lineal descendant of a 
person listed on a judgment fund distribu-
tion list, roll, or census of Indians or other 
document prepared and approved by the 
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Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary’s 
authorized representative, whether or not 
such judgment fund distribution list, roll, 
census or document is used by an Indian 
tribe to determine membership.’’. 
(2) By adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) INDIAN ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘Indian 
organization’ means a nonprofit organization that— 
‘‘(A) is chartered as a section 501(c)(3) or-
ganization with the State in which the organiza-
tion is headquartered; 
‘‘(B) is recognized by a State legislative 
body as an Indian organization or group, in 
which a majority of its members are recognized 
as Indians, whether or not such organization is 
recognized as a State or federally recognized 
tribe; 
‘‘(C) is dedicated to preserving Native 
American principles, traditions, culture, history, 
language, and arts; 
‘‘(D) performs free genealogical informa-
tion on its members to verify that an individual 
meets the definition of ‘Indian’ as defined in 
this Act; and 
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‘‘(E) retains genealogical information col-
lected on its members for verification.’’. 
Æ 
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