Title: BUIILD Act of 2017
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
Bringing Useful Initiatives for Indian Land Development Act of 2017 or BUIILD Act of 2017
This bill amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 to modify the environmental review process used for certain affordable housing activities on Indian reservations. Specifically, the bill allows an Indian tribe that receives federal funds in addition to block grant amounts under the Act to assume all of the responsibilities for environmental review that would apply to the federal agencies providing funds for the project if the grant amount constitutes the largest single source of federal funds that the tribe reasonably expects to commit to the project at the time of environmental review.
The bill reauthorizes through FY2025 the block grant program for affordable housing activities on Indian reservations, training and technical assistance for Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities, and the Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund.
In addition, the bill increases from 50 years to 99 years the term that tribal trusts or restricted lands may be leased for housing development and residential purposes.
Funds provided under a grant under the Act may be used to meet matching or cost participation requirements under other federal or nonfederal programs.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1275 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1275

 To improve the housing conditions and promote useful land uses within 
              tribal communities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 25, 2017

  Mr. Hoeven introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To improve the housing conditions and promote useful land uses within 
              tribal communities, 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 ``Bringing Useful Initiatives for 
Indian Land Development Act of 2017'' or the ``BUIILD Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

    Section 105 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4115) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
    ``(e) Consolidation of Environmental Review Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--If a recipient is using one or more 
        sources of Federal funds in addition to grant amounts under 
        this Act in carrying out a project that qualifies as an 
        affordable housing activity under section 202, where grant 
        amounts under this Act constitute the largest single source of 
        Federal funds that the recipient reasonably expects to commit 
        to the project at the time of environmental review, the 
        recipient's tribe may, in addition to assuming all of the 
        responsibilities for environmental review, decisionmaking, and 
        action pursuant to subsection (a), assume all of the additional 
        responsibilities for environmental review, decisionmaking, and 
        action under provisions of law that would apply to the Federal 
        agencies that are the other sources of Federal funds for the 
        project.
            ``(2) Discharge.--A tribe's compliance with the additional 
        responsibilities described in paragraph (1), as well as the 
        review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act 
        of 1969 and related laws specified in regulations issued under 
        this section with regard to such project shall be deemed to 
        discharge the responsibility of such other Federal agencies for 
        compliance with any applicable environmental review 
        requirements with respect to such project.
            ``(3) Certification.--In the case of a tribe that assumes 
        additional responsibilities described in paragraph (1), the 
        certification under subsection (c) shall, in addition to the 
        content required under subsection (c), specify--
                    ``(A) the additional responsibilities that the 
                tribe has fully carried out under this subsection; and
                    ``(B) that the certifying officer consents to 
                assume the status of a responsible Federal official 
                under such additional provisions of law.
            ``(4) Liability.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A tribe that completes an 
                environmental review pursuant to this subsection shall 
                assume sole liability for the content and quality of 
                the review.
                    ``(B) Remedies and sanctions.--In the event that 
                the Secretary has approved a certification and release 
                of funds for a project in accordance with subsection 
                (b), but the Secretary or another funding Federal 
                agency subsequently learns that a tribe failed to carry 
                out its responsibilities as described in subsection 
                (a), the appropriate remedies and sanctions may be 
                imposed in accordance with regulations issued pursuant 
                to section 106, or in accordance with other sources of 
                Federal funds assisting the project.
                    ``(C) Statutory violation waivers.--In the event 
                that a statutory violation waiver request is made under 
                subsection (d) and is approved by the Secretary, such 
                approval of the waiver request shall discharge other 
                sources of Federal funds assisting the project from 
                imposing remedies or sanctions.''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 108 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4117) is amended in the first 
sentence by striking ``2009 through 2013'' and inserting ``2018 through 
2025''.

SEC. 4. 99-YEAR LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN TRUST OR RESTRICTED LANDS FOR 
              HOUSING PURPOSES.

    Section 702 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4211) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``50'' and 
        inserting ``99'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``50 years'' and 
        inserting ``99 years''; and
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``(in effect 
                before, on, or after the date of enactment of the 
                Bringing Useful Initiatives for Indian Land Development 
                Act of 2017)'' after ``law''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``50 years'' and 
                inserting ``99 years''.

SEC. 5. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    Section 703 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4212) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 703. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated for assistance for 
providing training and technical assistance to Indian tribes and 
tribally designated housing entities such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2018 through 2025. Such assistance shall be made 
available to training and technical assistance providers.''.

SEC. 6. LOAN GUARANTEES FOR INDIAN HOUSING.

    Section 184(i) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 
(12 U.S.C. 1715z-13a(i)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting after the 
                period at the end of the first sentence the following: 
                ``There are authorized to be appropriated for those 
                costs $12,200,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 
                2025.''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``2008 through 
                2012'' and inserting ``2018 through 2025''; and
            (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ``2008 through 2012'' and 
        inserting ``2018 through 2025''.

SEC. 7. LEVERAGING.

    All funds provided under a grant made pursuant to the Native 
American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 
U.S.C. 4101 et seq.) may be used for purposes of meeting matching or 
cost participation requirements under any other Federal or non-Federal 
program.
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