WASHINGTON – The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, chaired by Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), today passed the following eleven bills at its business meeting:
- S. 2165, the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act of 2019, as amended, sponsored by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Tom Udall (D-NM), James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV);
- S. 2610, the Tribal Energy Reauthorization Act, as amended, sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK);
- S. 2716, A bill To amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, and for other purposes, as amended, sponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR);
- S. 2891, the Tribal Wildlife Corridors Act of 2019, sponsored by Senators Tom Udall (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA);
- S. 2912, the Blackwater Trading Post Land Transfer Act, sponsored by Senators Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ);
- S. 3019, the Montana Water Rights Protection Act, as amended, sponsored by Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Jon Tester (D-MT);
- S. 3044, the Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act of 2019, as amended, sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR);
- S. 3099, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Land Transfer Act of 2019, sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK);
- S. 3100, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act of 2019, as amended, sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK);
- S. 3650, the Coverage for Urban Indian Health Providers Act, as amended, sponsored by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), James Lankford (R-OK), Tom Udall (D-NM), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA); and
- S. 3948, A bill to amend the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act to extend the deadline for a report by the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children, and for other purposes, sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
Chairman Hoeven provided remarks on the business meeting:
“The Committee continues to be engaged during the COVID-19 pandemic by passing eleven Indian bills today,” said Hoeven. “These bills will help Indian Tribes across the country to strengthen tribal energy and natural resources, protect sacred and culturally significant items, take land into trust and further improve health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. Following today’s business meeting, the Committee will have passed 40 pieces of legislation. We continue to work with our colleagues in moving these bills to the House for further consideration.”
For video of the business meeting, click here.
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