A bill to amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, and for other purposes.

Bill: 119-s-612
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2025-02-18
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska Natives and Hawaiians

Federal-Indian relations

Indian social and development programs

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2025-05-08
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 72.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-02-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill authorizes grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations for activities related to recreational travel and tourism.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill authorizes (1) the Bureau of Indian Affairs to make these grants to and enter into agreements with Indian tribes and tribal organizations; (2) the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations to make these grants to and enter into agreements with Native Hawaiian organizations; and (3) other federal agencies to make these grants to and enter into agreements with tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations.</p>

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 72 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 612 [Report No. 119–20] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 18, 2025 Mr. Schatz (for himself and Ms. Murkowski ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs May 8, 2025 Reported by Ms. Murkowski , without amendment A BILL To amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, and for other purposes.

1. Native American tourism grant programs The Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act ( 25 U.S.C. 4351 et seq. ) is amended— (1) by redesignating section 6 ( 25 U.S.C. 4355 ) as section 7; and (2) by inserting after section 5 ( 25 U.S.C. 4354 ) the following: 6. Native American tourism grant programs (a) Bureau of Indian Affairs program The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs may make grants to and enter into agreements with Indian tribes and tribal organizations to carry out the purposes of this Act, as described in section 2. (b) Office of Native Hawaiian Relations The Director of the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations may make grants to and enter into agreements with Native Hawaiian organizations to carry out the purposes of this Act, as described in section 2. (c) Other Federal agencies The heads of other Federal agencies, including the Secretaries of Commerce, Transportation, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Labor, may make grants under this authority to and enter into agreements with Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations to carry out the purposes of this Act, as described in section 2. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $35,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. .

May 8, 2025 Reported without amendment

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 612 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 18, 2025 Mr. Schatz (for himself and Ms. Murkowski ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, and for other purposes.

1. Native American tourism grant programs The Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act ( 25 U.S.C. 4351 et seq. ) is amended— (1) by redesignating section 6 ( 25 U.S.C. 4355 ) as section 7; and (2) by inserting after section 5 ( 25 U.S.C. 4354 ) the following: 6. Native American tourism grant programs (a) Bureau of Indian Affairs program The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs may make grants to and enter into agreements with Indian tribes and tribal organizations to carry out the purposes of this Act, as described in section 2. (b) Office of Native Hawaiian Relations The Director of the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations may make grants to and enter into agreements with Native Hawaiian organizations to carry out the purposes of this Act, as described in section 2. (c) Other Federal agencies The heads of other Federal agencies, including the Secretaries of Commerce, Transportation, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Labor, may make grants under this authority to and enter into agreements with Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations to carry out the purposes of this Act, as described in section 2. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $35,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. .