S. 3454 – Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2022

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 8:46 AM UTC

The Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2022 amends the National Labor Relations Act to include Indian tribes and tribal‑owned enterprises on Indian lands as covered employers, and clarifies who is considered an Indian and what lands are Indian lands. The changes extend NLRA labor protections to tribal governments, tribal businesses, and individual Indian workers on reservations, trust lands, and former reservation areas in Oklahoma.

Key Provisions

Adds Indian tribes and any enterprise or institution owned and operated by a tribe on Indian lands to the definition of “employer” under the NLRA
Defines “Indian Tribe” as any recognized tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or similar community eligible for federal programs
Defines “Indian” as any individual who is a member of an Indian Tribe
Defines “Indian lands” to include reservation lands, trust lands, and lands in Oklahoma that were former reservation boundaries
Specifies that the amendments take effect the day after the Act is enacted

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

2 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 234.

January 18, 2022

View full timeline

SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

January 10, 2022

SenateCalendars

Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

January 10, 2022

SenateCalendars

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 234.

January 18, 2022

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about S. 3454 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats

Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Jan 10, 2022

A few moments ago, I went through the typical rule XIV process, which the majority leader always does to place legislation from both minority and majority on the legislative calendar. It is merely…

A few moments ago, I went through the typical rule XIV process, which the majority leader always does to place legislation from both minority and majority on the legislative calendar. It is merely technical.

Now, the Republican leader seems to want to place a bunch of ``gotcha'' bills on the legislative calendar that he thinks would be tough votes for Democrats to take as some kind of payback for pursuing legislation to protect the sacred right to vote.

Well, we Democrats aren't afraid of these votes, so what I propose to the Republican leader is that the Senate hold up-or-down votes at a majority threshold on each of the Republican bills he has outlined tonight, as well as the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Let me say again. In a few moments, I will ask unanimous consent to have the Senate vote on the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and all the so-called tough bills the Republican leader is proposing tonight at a majority threshold.

We believe the right to vote, to protect our democracy, to get rid of dark money from elections, to end gerrymandering to ensure the American people pick their elected leaders, not politicians, is so important, I would hope the Republican leader would go along with this proposal.

Our caucus strongly disagrees with the Republican bills on this list, but for the sake of our democracy and getting to a majority vote on voting rights, we are willing to vote.

So, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the Republican leader, that the Senate vote on passage of the following bills in the order listed; that there be no motions or amendments in order to the bills; and that the passage be at a majority threshold, all without intervening action or debate: S. 2747, the Freedom to Vote Act; H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act; S. 3452; S. 3453; S. 3454; S. 3455; S. 3456; S. 3457; S. 3458; S. 3459; S. 3460; S. 3461; S. 3462; S. 3463; S. 3464; S. 3465; S. 3466; S. 3467; S. 3468; and S. 3469.

Sen. Elizabeth WarrenD-MA · Jan 18, 2022

Mr. President, I understand that there are 20 bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc. In order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to…

Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Jan 10, 2022

Madam President, I understand there are 18 bills at the desk, and I ask for their first reading en bloc. I now ask for a second reading, and I object to my own request, all en bloc.

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Jan 10, 2022

I object.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Placed on Calendar SenateIssued January 18, 2022

II

Calendar No. 234

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3454

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 10, 2022

Mr. Moran introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

January 18, 2022

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

A BILL

To clarify the rights of Indians and Indian Tribes on Indian lands under the National Labor Relations Act.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2022.

2.

Definition of employer

(a)

NLRA Amendment

Section 2 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (2), by inserting or any Indian Tribe, or any enterprise or institution owned and operated by an Indian Tribe and located on its Indian lands, after subdivision thereof,; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(15)

The term Indian Tribe means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or community which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.

(16)

The term Indian means any individual who is a member of an Indian Tribe.

(17)

The term Indian lands means—

(A)

all lands within the limits of any Indian reservation;

(B)

any lands title to which is either held in trust by the United States for the benefit of any Indian Tribe or Indian or held by any Indian Tribe or Indian subject to restriction by the United States against alienation; and

(C)

any lands in the State of Oklahoma that are within the boundaries of a former reservation (as defined by the Secretary of the Interior) of a federally recognized Indian Tribe.

.

(b)

Effective date

This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the day after the date of enactment of this Act.

January 18, 2022

Read the second time and placed on the calendar