To amend the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to move the enforcement office to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, to increase the civil monetary penalties for failure to follow the processes established by that Act, to protect confidential information, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-hr-8298
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Haaland, Debra A. [D-NM-1]
Introduced: 2020-09-17
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals

Federal-Indian relations

General Native American affairs matters

Historical and cultural resources

Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Latest action: action_date: 2020-09-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-09-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill revises certain provisions related to the repatriation and disposition of Native American human remains, funerary objects, cultural patrimony, and sacred objects.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill (1) increases fines on museums that violate repatriation and disposition requirements, (2) makes the Bureau of Indian Affairs the enforcement office for such violations, and (3) deems information that is related to the fulfillment of repatriation and disposition obligations or submitted to the review committee as confidential.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8298 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 17, 2020 Ms. Haaland (for herself, Mr. Cole , and Ms. McCollum ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to move the enforcement office to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, to increase the civil monetary penalties for failure to follow the processes established by that Act, to protect confidential information, and for other purposes.

1. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act amendments (a) Civil penalties Section 9 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ( 25 U.S.C. 3007 et seq.) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by inserting in which the petitioning party and the aggrieved party are each entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard after agency hearing ; and (2) in subsection (b), by striking determined under regulations promulgated pursuant to this Act, taking into account, in addition to other factors and inserting 5 percent of the museum’s annual budget, or $25,000, whichever is less, for each substantiated failure to comply, and such additional sums as the Secretary may determine under regulations promulgated pursuant to this Act, taking into account other factors, including— . (b) Enforcement Office Section 15 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ( 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) is amended as follows: (1) By striking The United States and inserting the following: (a) Court of jurisdiction The United States . (2) By adding at the end the following: (b) Office of Enforcement The Office of the Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Indian Affairs, shall be the office for enforcement and other activities delegated by the Secretary under this Act. . (c) Confidential information The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ( 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 15 the following: 16. Confidential information (a) Fulfillment of obligations Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all information related to the fulfillment of obligations imposed by this Act, regardless of form, shall be deemed confidential and not subject to public disclosure by the Secretary, a museum, or a Federal agency, unless such disclosure is required to fulfill an obligation imposed by this Act or regulations promulgated thereto. (b) Submitted to the Review Committee Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all information submitted to the Review Committee by an affected party seeking findings or resolution of disputes pursuant to section 8(c)(3) and (4) shall be deemed confidential and not subject to public disclosure by the Review Committee, if the affected party indicates upon submission that such information shall be kept confidential. .