An act to provide for the use and distribution of the funds awarded to the Shawnee Tribe of Indians in dockets 64, 335, and 338 by the Indian Claims Commission and docket 64-A by the United States Court of Claims, and for other purposes.
PL 97-372 (H.R.5795), enacted 12/20/1982

PUBLIC LAW 97-372—DEC. 20, 1982 
96 STAT. 1815 
Public Law 97-372 
97th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for the use and distribution of the funds awarded to the Shawnee Tribe of 
Indians in dockets 64, 335, and 338 by the Indian Claims Commission and docket 
64-A by the United States Court of Claims, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That notwithstand-
ing any other provision of law, the funds appropriated on March 10, 
1978, and August 22, 1979, in accordance with section 1302 of the 
Supplemental Appropriation Act (31 U.S.C. 724A), in satisfaction of 
judgments granted to the Shawnee Tribe in dockets 64, 335, and 338 
by the Indian Claims Commission and in docket 64-A by the United 
States Court of Claims, less attorney fees and litigation expenses, 
including all interest and investment income accrued, shall be used 
and distributed as herein provided. 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter "Secretary") 
shall divide the funds among the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Okla-
homa, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and the Cherokee 
Band of Shawnee descendants as follows: 
514/1378ths to the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; 
117/1378ths to the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; and 
747/1378ths to the Cherokee Band of Shawnee descendants. 
SEC. 3. The Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma's share shall be 
distributed as follows: 
(a) A roll shall be prepared, in accordance with the procedures 
enacted by the tribal governing body and approved by the Secretary, 
of all members of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma who 
were born on or prior to and living on the date of this Act. 
Subsequent to the preparation of this roll, the Secretary shall make 
a per capita distribution of 75 per centum of the Absentee Shawnee 
Tribe's share of the funds, in a sum as equal as possible, to all 
persons listed on this roll. 
(b) The remaining 25 per centum shall be utilized as follows: 
(1) A sum, not to exceed $150,000 shall be utilized as matching 
funds to acquire an Economic Development Administration 
(EDA) grant from the Department of Commerce to construct a 
multipurpose restaurant: Provided, That if the tribe is unable to 
acquire this grant that the funds herein discussed be distributed 
according to the provisions of section 3(b)(2). 
(2) The Executive Committee of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe 
of Oklahoma shall prepare, subject to the approval of the 
Secretary, administrative guidelines for the remainder of the 
funds for use in education, health, economic, and related pro-
grams which will benefit the entire tribe. 
SEC. 4. The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma's share shall be 
distributed as follows: 
(a) A roll shall be prepared, in accordance with the procedures 
enacted by the tribal governing body and approved by the Secretary, 
of all members of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma who 
were born on or prior to and living on the date of this Act. 
Dec. 20, 1982 
[H.R. 5795] 
Shawnee Tribe 
of Indians of 
Oklahoma. 
Distribution and 
use of funds. 
Ante, p. 917. 
31 use 1304. 
Ante, p. 1062. 
39 use 409. 
Ancestry roll. 
Guidelines. 
Ancestry roll. 
96 STAT. 1816 
PUBLIC LAW 97-372—DEC. 20, 1982 
Ancestry roll. 
Per capita 
payments. 
Tax exemption. 
42 u s e 1305. 
Rules and 
regulations. 
Subsequent to the preparation of this roll, the Secretary shall make 
a per capita distribution of 80 per centum of the Eastern Shawnee 
Tribe's share of the funds, in a sum as equal as possible to all 
persons listed on this roll. 
O
t
)
) The remaining 20 per centum shall be utilized for a tribal land 
purchase program pursuant to the provisions of part 120-A of 
section 25, Code of Federal Regulations: Provided, That no salaries 
shall be paid from these funds: Provided further, That the funds 
shall be in the custody of the tribal secretary/treasurer and all 
expenditures shall be approved by the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of 
Oklahoma business committee. 
SEC. 5. A roll shall be prepared by the Secretary based on the roll 
of the Cherokee Shawnee compiled pursuant to the Act of March 2, 
1889 (25 Stat. 994), and any other records acceptable to him, of all 
the lineal descendants, except members of the Absentee Shawnee 
Tribe of Oklahoma or the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, of 
the Shawnee Nation as it existed in 1854, who were born on or prior 
to and living on the date of this Act. Subsequent to the preparation 
of this roll, the Secretary shall make a per capita distribution of the 
Cherokee Band of Shawnee descendant's share of the funds, in a 
sum as equal as possible, to all persons listed on this roll. 
SEC. 6. The per capita shares of living competent adults shall be 
paid directly to them. Per capita shares of deceased individual 
beneficiaries shall be determined and distributed pursuant to regu-
lations prescribed by the Secretary. Per capita shares of legal 
incompetents and per capita shares of individuals under age 
eighteen shall be paid in accordance with such procedures, including 
the establishment of trust, as the Secretary determines to be neces-
sary to protect the interests of such individuals. 
SEC. 7. None of the funds distributed under this Act shall be 
subject to Federal or State income taxes or be considered income or 
resources in determining eligibility for or the amount of assistance 
under the Social Security Act. 
SEC. 8. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to prescribe 
rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
Approved December 20, 1982. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5795: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 97-817 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 128 (1982): 
Sept. 29, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 8, considered and passed Senate.