I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9068 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to 
increase the capabilities of Tribal law enforcement agencies, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 
Mr. O’HALLERAN (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant 
program to increase the capabilities of Tribal law en-
forcement agencies, 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 ‘‘Tribal Capital for Op-
erations Promoting Safety Act’’ or the ‘‘Tribal COPS 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
grant program to award amounts to Indian Tribes in ac-
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cordance with the formula developed pursuant to sub-
section (b) for the purposes described in subsection (d). 
(b) FORMULA.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
develop the formula described in subsection (a), which 
shall take into account the following: 
(1) The size of the Tribal lands of the Indian 
Tribe. 
(2) The population of the Tribal lands of the 
Indian Tribe. 
(3) The average response time of the law en-
forcement agency of the Indian Tribe to an emer-
gency call. 
(4) Such other factors as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an Indian Tribe shall submit to the Secretary 
an application in such form, at such time, and containing 
such information as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(d) USES.—Amounts awarded to an Indian Tribe 
through a grant under this section shall be used to in-
crease the capabilities of the law enforcement agency of 
such Indian Tribe, including by carrying out the following: 
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(1) Compensating law enforcement officers em-
ployed by the Indian Tribe, including by providing 
retention bonuses to such officers. 
(2) Providing training to law enforcement offi-
cers employed by the Indian Tribe. 
(3) Providing housing stipends to law enforce-
ment officers employed by the Indian Tribe who 
principally reside within the Tribal lands of such In-
dian Tribe. 
(4) Procuring equipment, including vehicles, for 
use by law enforcement officers employed by the In-
dian Tribe. 
(5) Procuring, operating, and maintaining fa-
cilities for use by law enforcement officers employed 
by the Indian Tribe. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$8,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
means any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, na-
tion, pueblo, village, or community identified on the 
list published by the Secretary under section 104 of 
the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 
1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131). 
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(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the As-
sistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. 
(3) TRIBAL LANDS.—The term ‘‘Tribal lands’’ 
means— 
(A) all lands within the limits of an Indian 
reservation; and 
(B) any lands to which title is held— 
(i) in trust by the United States for 
the benefit of an Indian Tribe; or 
(ii) by an Indian Tribe subject to re-
striction by the United States against 
alienation and over which an Indian Tribe 
exercises governmental power. 
Æ 
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