H.R. 5515

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5515 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5515

To amend the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 19, 2025

Mr. Hurd of Colorado (for himself and Ms. Randall) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Indian Trust Asset Reform Amendment 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO INDIAN TRUST ASSET REFORM ACT.

(a) Definitions.--Section 202 of the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5611) is amended--
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' means an 
Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, 
or community identified, including parenthetically, on the list 
published by the Secretary pursuant to Section 104 of the 
Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 
5131).''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Tribal organization.--
``(A) In general.--The term `tribal organization' 
means any legally established organization of Indians 
which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by the 
governing body of an Indian Tribe or which is 
democratically elected by the adult members of the 
Indian community to be served by such organization and 
which includes the maximum participation of Indians in 
all phases of its activities.
``(B) Multiple tribes.--In any case where a 
contract is let or grant made to an organization to 
perform services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, 
the approval of each such Indian tribe shall be a 
prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract 
or grant.''.
(b) Indian Trust Asset Management Project.--Section 203 of the 
Indian Trust Asset Reform Act (25 U.S.C. 5612) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 203. INDIAN TRUST ASSET MANAGEMENT PROJECT.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out an Indian trust 
asset management project in accordance with this title.
``(b) Participation.--
``(1) In general.--To participate in the project, an Indian 
tribe shall submit to the Secretary a proposed Indian trust 
asset management plan as described in section 204 of this 
title, and a copy of a resolution or other appropriate action 
by the governing body of the Indian tribe in support of or 
authorizing the submission.
``(2) Tribal organizations.--A tribal organization may 
participate in the Project on behalf of an Indian tribe if the 
tribal organization--
``(A) submits a proposed Indian trust asset 
management plan that identifies the Indian tribe, the 
trust assets of which are included in the plan;
``(B) submits a copy of a resolution or other 
appropriate action by the governing body of the Indian 
tribe that is the owner of the trust assets included in 
the Indian trust asset management plan that supports or 
authorizes the tribal organization to carry out the 
plan; and
``(C) complies with the other provisions of this 
title.''.
(c) Indian Trust Asset Management Plan.--Section 204 of the Indian 
Trust Asset Reform Act (25 U.S.C. 5613) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking paragraph (1);
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
paragraphs (1) and (2) respectively; and
(C) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated--
(i) in subparagraph (D)(i), by striking 
``may include'' and inserting ``may include, 
but are not limited to,''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (G), by striking 
``plan'' and inserting ``plan, including 
regulations administered by the head of another 
Federal department or agency'';
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(B)(i), by striking ``(a)(2)'' and 
inserting ``(a)(1)'';
(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e);
(4) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Amendment of Approved Plan.--
``(1) In general.--An Indian tribe, or a tribal 
organization participating in an Indian trust asset management 
plan on behalf of an Indian tribe under section 203(b)(2) of 
this title, may propose amendments to the Indian trust asset 
management plan that the Secretary has approved or that is 
otherwise in effect pursuant to this title; and
``(2) Applicable provisions.--The Secretary shall review 
any proposal by an Indian tribe, or a tribal organization 
administering an Indian trust asset management plan pursuant to 
section 203(b)(2), using the criteria set forth in subsections 
(b) and (c) of this section.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Eligibility for Funding.--An Indian tribe operating under an 
approved Indian trust asset management plan shall continue to be 
eligible for, and shall not be disqualified from receiving, Federal 
funding to support the Indian tribe's activities under an approved 
Indian trust asset management plan, in the same manner and subject to 
the same considerations as Indian tribes without an Indian trust asset 
management plan.''.
(d) Trust Asset Management.--Section 205 of the Indian Trust Asset 
Reform Act (25 U.S.C. 5614) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
paragraphs (3) and (4) respectively;
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Forest management plan.--The term `forest management 
plan' has the meaning given the term in Section 304 of the 
National Indian Forest Resources Management Act of 1990 (25 
U.S.C. 3103).''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Trust assets.--The term `trust assets' means--
``(A) trust lands, natural resources, trust funds, 
or other assets held by the Federal Government in trust 
for Indian tribes and individual Indians; or
``(B) any resource that is, or has previously been, 
included in an integrated resources management plan or 
other management plan approved by the Secretary.'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``carry out'' and all that follows 
through ``would require'' and inserting ``carry out any 
transaction or activity related to management of that 
Indian tribe's trust assets, including, but not limited 
to, a surface leasing transaction, adoption or 
amendment of a forest management plan, or forest land 
management activity without approval of the Secretary, 
regardless of whether the trust asset management 
transaction or activity would require'';
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) by striking ``with respect to forest'' 
and inserting ``with respect to forest 
management plans and forest'';
(ii) in clause (ii)(II)(aa), by striking 
``the public is'' and all that follows through 
``the proposed'' and inserting ``interested 
parties are informed of, and have a reasonable 
opportunity to comment on a proposed forest 
management plan, and any significant 
environmental impacts of a proposed''; and
(iii) in clause (ii)(II)(bb)--
(I) by striking ``public comments'' 
and inserting ``comments from 
interested parties''; and
(II) by striking ``forest land'' 
and inserting ``forest management plan 
or forest land'';
(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
``(c) Types of Transactions.--At the discretion of the applicable 
Indian tribe, an Indian trust asset management plan may authorize the 
Indian tribe to manage any and all of that Indian tribe's trust assets, 
and undertake any transactions and activities related thereto, 
including but not limited to adopting or amending a forest management 
plan, carrying out a surface leasing transaction, and carrying out a 
forest land management activity, and the Secretary shall defer to any 
such discretionary trust asset management decision by the Indian tribe 
to the extent such decision is consistent with both the Indian trust 
asset management plan and this section.''.
(4) in subsection (f)--
(A) by striking ``executes a surface'' and all that 
follows through ``pursuant to tribal regulations'' and 
inserting ``undertakes an activity or transaction 
related to a trust asset, pursuant to the Indian 
tribe's trust asset management plan and tribal 
regulations'';
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``the surface 
leasing transaction or forest land management activity 
documents'' and inserting ``activity or transaction 
documents''; and
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``a surface 
leasing transaction, or forest land management 
activities'' and inserting ``or an activity or 
transaction related to a trust asset''; and
(5) in subsection (g)(1)(A), by striking ``the execution of 
any forest land management activity'' and inserting ``any 
activity or transaction related to a trust asset and undertaken 
by the Indian tribe''.
(e) Trust Responsibility.--Section 206(f) of the Indian Trust Asset 
Reform Act (25 U.S.C. 5615(f)) is amended to read as follows:
``(f) Trust Responsibility.--Nothing in this title enhances, 
diminishes, or otherwise affects the trust responsibility of the United 
States to Indian tribes.''.
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