Today, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a legislative hearing on four bills that support tribal sovereignty and reaffirm the federal trust responsibility to tribal nations. Subcommittee Chair Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.) issued the following statement in response:

“Today’s Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs hearing reaffirms our commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty, improving trust land management, and expanding economic opportunity in Native communities. These bills move us closer to fulfilling our federal responsibilities and empowering Indigenous nations for the future.”

Background

H.R. 5515, the Indian Trust Asset Reform Amendment Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), makes the 10-year demonstration program in the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act (ITARA) permanent. It also implements reforms to the program to address implementation challenges identified by tribal nations and the Department of the Interior.

H.R. 5682, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), places the remaining 1,261 acres on the Pu’éska Mountain managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) into trust for the Pechanga Band of Indians.

H.R. 5696, the Strengthening Tribal Real Estate Authority and Modernizing Land for Indigenous Nation Expansion (STREAMLINE) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), enables tribes with self-governance realty programs to conduct their own land appraisals, empowering tribes to advance their own land and economic development projects.

H.R. 4276, introduced by U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), amends the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act to authorize the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations (ONHR) to issue grants in support of tribal and Native Hawaiian tourism initiatives.