Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs: Bills - Analysis, 1973-1974

The text provides a list of members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Indian Affairs Subcommittee, as well as details about an upcoming meeting on S. 1017, an Indian contracting-education reform bill. It also discusses the history of tribal sovereignty and the evolution of policies towards Indian self-determination.

The text is a memorandum from Lloyd Meeds, Chairman of the Indian Affairs Subcommittee, regarding a meeting on February 22 to discuss the Indian Claims Commission Authorization Bill. The bill aims to authorize appropriations for the Indian Claims Commission for fiscal year 1975. The text also provides background information on the Indian Claims Commission and its purpose to hear and decide on Indian tribal claims against the United States. The Commission had docketed 611 claims by December 31, 1973, with awards totaling over $469 million. The text also discusses an amendment to the bill, limiting appropriations to $1,450,000 for fiscal year 1975.

The text discusses the establishment of the American Indian Policy Review Commission, including details of the hearing held before the Subcommittee on Indian Affairs of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs in 1974. The commission would conduct a comprehensive review of Federal Indian policies and investigate issues in Indian affairs. It would be comprised of Congressmen, Senators, and Indian representatives from recognized tribes, non-recognized Indian groups, and urban Indians. Task forces would study various areas of Indian affairs and make recommendations for changes in laws and administrative procedures.

The Indian Financing Act of 1973 aims to provide capital to help develop and utilize Indian resources, improve standard of living, and integrate Indians into American life. The act establishes a revolving loan fund for Indians and Indian organizations to access credit for economic development purposes. Loans may be made for various purposes, with terms not exceeding thirty years and interest rates determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary has the authority to cancel or adjust loans deemed uncollectible or not in the best interests of the United States.

The text is a memorandum discussing S. 721, a bill to authorize appropriations for the Indian Claims Commission for fiscal year 1974. The bill aims to provide funding for the Commission to address Indian tribal claims against the United States. The Subcommittee on Indian Affairs has reported the bill with amendments to the Full Committee, and it includes provisions for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Expert Assistance Revolving Loan Fund. The text outlines the history and purpose of the Indian Claims Commission and the need for additional funding to ensure its work can be completed by its expiration in 1977. Amendments have been made to adjust the appropriation authorization for the Commission's expenses and the Expert Assistance Revolving Loan Fund.

H.R. 2327 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to sell or exchange tribal land within reservation boundaries. The Business Council must request these sales or exchanges, and proceeds must be used for land consolidation or other tribal purposes. Sales of allotted lands require consent from the majority Indian owners. Any land acquired for the Tribe must be held in trust, and tribal land can be mortgaged with approval. The Tribe also gains long-term leasing authority. A staff amendment clarifies that only sales, not acquisitions, are authorized by the bill.

H.R. 10489 authorizes a judgment of $4,500,000 for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation, with the option for the tribal governing body to request and the Secretary of the Interior to approve any purpose for the funds. A staff amendment was made to correctly identify the Lemhi Tribe as the recipient of the award.

The Indian Financing Act of 1973 was introduced to provide capital on a reimbursable basis to help develop and utilize Indian resources for economic development. It aims to improve the standard of living for Native Americans and promote self-management of resources. The Act allows for direct loans and loan guarantees for individual Indian borrowers and Indian organizations, with the requirement that applicants demonstrate inability to obtain financing from other sources. Loans must be repaid within a specified period and tribes are encouraged to use their own funds before seeking assistance.

H.J.RES. 1117 establishes the American Indian Policy Review Commission to review the legal and historical relationship between the Federal government and Native American Tribes. The Commission will study various areas including treaties, Federal agencies, tribal governments, and Indian needs. It authorizes the appointment of investigative task forces and provides for staff support. The final report of the Commission must be submitted to Congress within six months. The Commission is allocated $2,500,000 for its work.

H.R. 620, introduced in 1973, seeks to establish an additional Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior. This new position would be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate and would focus solely on Indian matters. The bill aims to raise the Department's responsibility for Indian affairs to the proper level and alleviate conflicts of interest. The legislation also amends existing laws to increase the number of Assistant Secretaries of the Interior and repeals the authority for the position of Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The bill has received support from Indian communities and the Subcommittee.

The text discusses bills H.R. 4967, H.R. 5078, and S. 721 which authorize appropriations for the Indian Claims Commission for Fiscal Year 1974. The Commission was established in 1946 to address Indian tribal claims against the United States. The work of the Commission is on schedule and is expected to be completed by April 1977. Additional funds may be needed for the Revolving Loan Fund administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The text also mentions potential amendments to provide further funding for the Loan Fund.

The Indian Financing Act of 1973 aims to provide economic development opportunities for Indians, Indian tribes, and other Indian organizations. It establishes an Indian revolving loan fund to provide credit that is not available from private sources, with loans made based on the prospect of repayment and the inability to obtain financial assistance elsewhere. Loans may have a term of up to thirty years and bear interest at a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary is authorized to cancel or adjust uncollectible loans.

H.R. 12216 aims to amend the Act of July 7, 1956, relating to the Lumbee Indians of North Carolina. The Lumbee Indians, a group of approximately 40,000 people, have a complex history and have faced challenges in receiving federal recognition and services. The bill seeks to remove restrictions on the Lumbee Indians' eligibility for programs and funds available to non-federally recognized tribes, but it does not establish a trust relationship between the U.S. and the group or provide them with tribal government or rolls for determining blood quantum.

H.R. 8230 aims to confer authority on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux tribe to buy and sell lands within their original reservation in order to consolidate tribal land holdings and address issues of fractionated ownership. The bill allows the tribe to acquire lands through purchase, gift, or exchange, with title taken by the United States in trust for the tribe. It also permits the tribe to sell or exchange tribal lands, exempts acquired lands from state and local taxation, and allows for mortgage or encumbrance of tribal lands. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to take necessary actions to implement the Act. Technical clarifying amendments have been recommended by the Department.

H.R. 5035 seeks to amend the Act of June 10, 1968 to allow the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the State of Washington to purchase and consolidate lands within their reservation without the restriction that the value of non-trust lands purchased cannot exceed the value of trust lands sold in the previous year. This bill aims to put the Spokane Tribe on the same footing as other tribes in Washington and Oregon by removing this limitation.

H.R. 7978 is a bill that aims to transfer approximately 794 acres of Federal lands reserved for Indian purposes to the Hualapai Tribe in Arizona. The lands, previously reserved for a school that was later abandoned, will be taken by the United States in trust for the tribe. The bill also outlines the administration of the lands and addresses the involvement of the Indian Claims Commission in determining the value of the title conveyed. The bill was introduced to correct an error in a previous bill and has undergone some amendments to clarify technical language and ensure the lands remain under tribal ownership.

H.R. 3458 aims to transfer 40 acres of public domain land in California to the Bridgeport Indian Colony, which is currently living on privately owned land. The Colony is facing eviction and is in need of homesites in order to access federal housing assistance and other programs. The bill would transfer the land to the Colony and allow for a sewer main easement for the Bridgeport Public Utility District.

The text discusses a hearing before the Subcommittee on Indian Affairs to amend the Indian Claims Commission Act of August 13, 1946. The hearing took place in Washington, D.C. on August 8, 1974. The text includes the text of H.R. 16170, reports from the Department of the Interior and Department of Justice, statements from various individuals, and letters related to the proposed amendments. The minority report discusses the markup of H.R. 16170, where the Subcommittee approved the bill and referred it to the Full Interior Committee for consideration. The bill aims to preclude the Indian Claims Commission from deducting the value of food, rations, or provisions provided by the United States from Indian judgment awards.

H.R. 9105 is a bill that aims to transfer approximately 12.50 acres of land, along with improvements, to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho to be held in trust by the United States. The land was acquired for the benefit of the tribe, but is not currently held in trust. The bill also includes provisions for the Indian Claims Commission to determine the extent to which the value of the title conveyed should be set off against any claims against the United States. Additionally, a local church has indicated it will donate approximately 7.5 acres of land to the tribe if the transfer is made.

H.R. 8824 aims to correct an error made by officials of the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding an allotment of land on the Bad River Indian Reservation in Wisconsin. The original allotment was mistakenly patented to an individual with restrictions against alienation, leading to the land being illegally taken for taxes and transferred to the United States. The bill seeks to transfer the land back to the rightful heir, Mrs. Harriet La Pointe Vanderventer or her heirs, under the same conditions as the original allotment.