WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today released the following statement after Congress approved the conference report to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA) with the inclusion of three Indian bills.
“Today, Congress passed legislation that authorizes important funding and support for our armed forces. This bill also includes Indian provisions that will bring certainty to three Tribes. That includes legislation to federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, as well as bills to provide finality for two Indian Tribes working to place land into trust for their peoples’ benefit,” said Hoeven.
The three Indian bills included in the NDAA are:
S. 51, the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Restoration Act of 2019, which provides federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana.
H.R. 317, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Land Affirmation Act of 2019, which places 1,427.28 acres of land into trust for the benefit of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians in California to build housing for tribal members.
H.R. 1388, the Lytton Rancheria Homelands Act of 2019, which will place 511 acres of land into trust for the benefit of the Lytton Rancheria of California to provide housing as well as governmental and economic development opportunities for its tribal community.
All three bills had been previously passed by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs with broad bipartisan support. The NDAA will now move to the President’s desk for signature.
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