Tribal COPS Act
Bill: H.R.9068 | Sponsor: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom (D-AZ)
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
Tribal Capital for Operations Promoting Safety Act or the Tribal COPS Act
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish a program to award grants to Indian tribes for increasing the capabilities of law enforcement agencies.

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.

    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 ``Tribal Capital for Operations 
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 accordance with the formula developed 
pursuant to subsection (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 enforcement agency 
        of the Indian Tribe to an emergency call.
            (4) Such other factors as the Secretary determines 
        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 increase the capabilities of the law 
enforcement agency of such Indian Tribe, including by carrying out the 
following:
            (1) Compensating law enforcement officers employed by the 
        Indian Tribe, including by providing retention bonuses to such 
        officers.
            (2) Providing training to law enforcement officers employed 
        by the Indian Tribe.
            (3) Providing housing stipends to law enforcement officers 
        employed by the Indian Tribe who principally reside within the 
        Tribal lands of such Indian Tribe.
            (4) Procuring equipment, including vehicles, for use by law 
        enforcement officers employed by the Indian Tribe.
            (5) Procuring, operating, and maintaining facilities 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, nation, 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).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Assistant 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 
                        restriction by the United States against 
                        alienation and over which an Indian Tribe 
                        exercises governmental power.
                                 <all>