Advancing Equality for Wabanaki Nations Act
Bill: H.R.6707 | Sponsor: Rep. Golden, Jared F. (D-ME)
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
Advancing Equality for Wabanaki Nations Act
This bill allows the Wabanaki Nations in Maine to access future federal laws that are passed by Congress for the benefit of Indian tribes.
Four Indian tribes (Maliseet, Micmac, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy) make up the Wabanaki Nations. Currently, these tribes are unable to access certain federal laws and related benefits because such laws are preempted by the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980.

To amend the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 to advance 
         equality for Wabanaki nations, and for other purposes.


 


    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Equality for Wabanaki 
Nations Act''.

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF CERTAIN LAWS.

    (a) Application of State Laws.--The Maine Indian Claims Settlement 
Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-420) is amended--
            (1) in section 3--
                    (A) in subsection (m), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subsection (n), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(o) `Mi'kmaq Nation' means the sole successor to the 
        Micmac Nation as constituted in aboriginal times in what is now 
        the State of Maine, and all its predecessors and successors in 
        interest, and which is represented, as of the date of enactment 
        of this subsection, as to lands within the United States, by 
        the Mi'kmaq Council.''; and
            (2) in section 6--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``provided in 
                section 8(e) and section 5(d)(4)'' and inserting 
                ``otherwise provided in this Act''; and
                    (B) in subsection (h)--
                            (i) by striking ``Except as other wise 
                        provided in this Act, the'' and inserting 
                        ``The'';
                            (ii) by inserting ``or enacted for the 
                        benefit of'' before ``Indians, Indian nations'' 
                        the second place it appears;
                            (iii) by inserting ``that is in effect as 
                        of the date of the enactment of the Advancing 
                        Equality for Wabanaki Nations Act, (2)'' after 
                        ``United States (1)'';
                            (iv) by striking ``also (2)'' and inserting 
                        ``also (3)''; and
                            (v) by inserting ``, unless Federal law or 
                        the State laws of Maine provide for the 
                        application of such Federal law or regulation'' 
                        before the period at the end.
    (b) Implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act.--Section 8 of 
the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-420) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' after ``Passamaquoddy 
                Tribe'' and inserting a comma;
                    (B) by inserting ``, the Houlton Band of Maliseet 
                Indians, or the Mi'kmaq Nation'' after ``Penobscot 
                Nation''; and
                    (C) in the second sentence, by striking 
                ``respective tribe or nation'' each place it appears 
                and inserting ``respective tribe, nation, or band'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' after ``Passamaquoddy 
                Tribe'' and inserting a comma; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, the Houlton Band of Maliseet 
                Indians, or the Mi'kmaq Nation'' after ``Penobscot 
                Nation'';
            (3) by striking subsection (e);
            (4) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e); and
            (5) in subsection (e), as so redesignated--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' after ``Passamaquoddy 
                Tribe'' and inserting a comma;
                    (B) by inserting ``, the Houlton Band of Maliseet 
                Indians, or the Mi'kmaq Nation'' after ``Penobscot 
                Nation''; and
                    (C) by striking ``or nation'' and inserting ``, 
                nation, or band''.
    (c) Construction.--Section 16 of the Maine Indian Claims Settlement 
Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-420) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(a)'' at the beginning; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b).
    (d) Amendment to the Aroostook Band of Micmacs Settlement Act.--The 
Aroostook Band of Micmacs Settlement Act (Public Law 102-171) is 
amended by striking section 8.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 432

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 6707

                          [Report No. 117-599]

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