H.R. 7954

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7954 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7954

To assist Tribal governments in the management of buffalo and buffalo 
habitat and the reestablishment of buffalo on Indian land.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 17, 2026

Mr. Hurd of Colorado (for himself, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mrs. Fedorchak, 
and Mr. Newhouse) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To assist Tribal governments in the management of buffalo and buffalo 
habitat and the reestablishment of buffalo on Indian land.

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 ``Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian 
Buffalo Management Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) buffalo sustained a majority of Indian Tribes in North 
America for many centuries before buffalo were nearly 
exterminated by non-Indian hunters in the mid-1800s;
(2) the historical, cultural, and spiritual connection 
between buffalo and Indian Tribes has not diminished over time;
(3) Indian Tribes have long desired the reestablishment of 
buffalo throughout Indian country for cultural, spiritual, and 
subsistence purposes; and
(4) the successful restoration of buffalo would allow an 
Indian Tribe to benefit from--
(A) the reintroduction of buffalo into the diets of 
the members of the Indian Tribe;
(B) the rekindling of the spiritual and cultural 
relationship between buffalo and the Indian Tribe; and
(C) the use of buffalo for economic development, in 
the case of an Indian Tribe that chooses to use buffalo 
for economic development.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) fulfill the government-to-government relationship 
between Tribal Governments and the United States in the 
management of buffalo and buffalo habitat;
(2) promote and develop the capacity of Indian Tribes and 
Tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat;
(3) protect, conserve, and enhance buffalo, which are 
important to the subsistence, culture, and economic development 
of many Indian Tribes;
(4) promote the development and use of buffalo and buffalo 
habitat for the maximum practicable benefit of Indian Tribes 
and Tribal organizations, through management of buffalo and 
buffalo habitats in accordance with integrated resource 
management plans developed by Indian Tribes and Tribal 
organizations;
(5) develop buffalo herds and increase production of 
buffalo in order to meet Tribal subsistence, health, cultural, 
and economic development needs; and
(6) promote the inclusion of Indian Tribes and Tribal 
organizations in Department of the Interior, local, regional, 
national, or international--
(A) decision-making processes; and
(B) forums.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Buffalo.--The term ``buffalo'' means an animal of the 
subspecies Bison bison bison.
(2) Buffalo habitat.--The term ``buffalo habitat'' means 
Indian land that is managed for buffalo.
(3) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
Department of the Interior.
(4) Indian land.--The term ``Indian land'' has the meaning 
given the term in paragraph (2) of section 2601 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3501), except that, in that 
paragraph, the term ``Indian reservation'' shall be considered 
to have the meaning given the term ``Indian reservation'' in 
paragraph (3) of that section, without regard to the date 
specified in paragraph (3) of that section.
(5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of the Interior.
(7) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization'' 
means any legally established organization of Indians that--
(A)(i) is chartered under section 17 of the Act of 
June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the ``Indian 
Reorganization Act''; 25 U.S.C. 5124), and recognized 
by the governing body of one or more Indian Tribes; or
(ii) is a Tribal corporation federally chartered 
under section 3 of the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act (25 
U.S.C. 5203); and
(B) has demonstrable experience in the restoration 
of buffalo and buffalo habitat on Indian land.

SEC. 4. BUFFALO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

(a) Direction for Coordination.--The Secretary is directed to work 
with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to--
(1) promote and develop the capacity of Indian Tribes and 
Tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat;
(2) promote the ability of Indian Tribes and Tribal 
organizations to protect, conserve, and enhance populations of 
buffalo that are owned by Indian Tribes or Tribal 
organizations;
(3) promote the development and use of buffalo and buffalo 
habitat for the maximum practicable benefit of Indian Tribes 
and Tribal organizations; and
(4) promote the inclusion of Indian Tribes and Tribal 
organizations in Department, international, national, regional, 
and local decision making and forums regarding buffalo and 
buffalo habitat.
(b) Contracts and Grants Authorized.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into contracts 
and cooperative agreements with, and award grants to, Indian 
Tribes and Tribal organizations to enable the Indian Tribes and 
Tribal organizations to--
(A) plan, conduct, or implement a buffalo 
restoration or management program;
(B) plan and execute commercial activities related 
to buffalo or buffalo products;
(C) support the use and deployment of mobile Tribal 
or Tribal organization meat processing facilities; or
(D) carry out other activities relating to buffalo 
restoration and management.
(2) No diminishment of laws and regulations.--Nothing in 
this subsection diminishes any Federal or State law (including 
regulations) regarding diseased buffalo or buffalo that escape 
from Indian land.
(c) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
assistance to an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization that enters into a 
contract or cooperative agreement or receives a grant under this 
section to assist the Indian Tribe or Tribal organization in--
(1) carrying out the activities of a buffalo or buffalo 
habitat restoration or management program; and
(2) implementing the activities described in subparagraphs 
(A) through (D) of subsection (b)(1).

SEC. 5. CONSULTATION; COORDINATION.

(a) Consultation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and on an ongoing basis thereafter, the 
Secretary shall consult with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations on 
initiatives of the Department that affect buffalo or buffalo habitat, 
including efforts of the Department to contain or eradicate diseased 
buffalo.
(b) Coordination.--The Secretary shall develop a policy relating to 
buffalo and buffalo habitat management activities on Indian land, in 
accordance with--
(1) the goals and objectives described in buffalo 
management programs approved by Indian Tribes; and
(2) Tribal laws and ordinances.

SEC. 6. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not 
disclose or cause to be disclosed any information provided to the 
Secretary by an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization that is identified 
by the Indian Tribe or Tribal organization as culturally sensitive, 
proprietary, or otherwise confidential.

SEC. 7. BUFFALO FROM FEDERAL LAND.

(a) In General.--The Secretary may enter into an agreement with an 
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization to dispose of surplus buffalo on 
Federal land administered by the Department, as applicable, by 
transporting such buffalo onto Indian land.
(b) Application.--An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization may submit 
to the Secretary an application to receive buffalo described in 
subsection (a) at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require.
(c) Waiver of Charges.--The Secretary may waive any charges for the 
buffalo described in subsection (a), including any deposit or payment 
for services as described in section 10.2 of title 36, Code of Federal 
Regulations (or any successor regulation).

SEC. 8. TREATY RIGHTS RETAINED.

Nothing in this Act alters, modifies, diminishes, or extinguishes 
the treaty rights of any Indian Tribe.

SEC. 9. SUNSET.

The authority provided by this Act ceases to be effective 7 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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