[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 463 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 463
To provide grants to ensure full and fair participation in certain
decisionmaking processes of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 26, 2003
Mr. Dodd (for himself and Mr. Lieberman) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide grants to ensure full and fair participation in certain
decisionmaking processes of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Acknowledged indian tribe.--The term ``acknowledged
Indian tribe'' means an Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or
other organized group or community that is recognized as
eligible for the special programs and services provided by the
United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an
eligible Indian group or eligible local government.
(3) Eligible indian group.--The term ``eligible Indian
group'' means a group that--
(A) is an acknowledged Indian tribe or has
petitioned the Secretary to be acknowledged as an
Indian tribe; and
(B) needs financial assistance to facilitate fair
participation in a pending action, as determined by the
Secretary.
(4) Eligible local government.--The term ``eligible local
government'' means a municipality or county that needs
financial assistance to facilitate fair participation in a
pending action.
(5) Pending action.--The term ``pending action'' means--
(A) a pending action in which--
(i)(I) an Indian group seeks Federal
acknowledgment; or
(II) an Indian tribe the status of which as
a federally acknowledged Indian tribe has been
terminated seeks to be restored to federally
acknowledged status;
(ii) a federally acknowledged Indian tribe
asserts trust status with respect to land
within the boundaries of an area over which a
local government exercises jurisdiction;
(iii) a federally acknowledged Indian tribe
files a petition with the Secretary requesting
that land within the boundaries of an area over
which a local government exercises jurisdiction
be taken into trust for the benefit of the
Indian tribe; and
(iv) an Indian group or a federally
acknowledged Indian tribe asserts a claim to
land based on a treaty or a law specifically
applicable to transfers of land or natural
resources from, by, or on behalf of any Indian,
Indian tribe, Indian group, or band of Indians
(including the Act of July 22, 1790 (1 Stat.
137, chapter 33), the Act of March 30, 1802 (2
Stat. 139, chapter 13), and the Act of June 30,
1834 (4 Stat. 729, chapter 161) (commonly known
as the ``Trade and Intercourse Acts'')); or
(B) any other action or proposed action relating to
an Indian group or federally acknowledged Indian tribe
if the Secretary determines that the action or proposed
action is likely to significantly affect the citizens
represented by a local government.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(b) Grants.--Subject to the availability of funds, on application
of an eligible entity, the Secretary shall provide a grant to the
eligible entity to assist eligible entity in participating in the
decisionmaking process relating to a pending action, if the Secretary
determines that the assistance--
(1) is necessary to protect the interests of the Government
or eligible entity; and
(2) would promote the interest of just administration in
the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
(c) Amount.--A grant provided under this section to an eligible
entity for any single pending action shall not exceed $500,000 in any
fiscal year.
(d) Use of Grant.--A grant provided under this section may be used
only to pay expenses incurred after the date of enactment of this Act.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $8,000,000 for each fiscal year.
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