WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today released the following statement after the Senate passed fifteen Indian bills. Eight of the fifteen bills, including a bill introduced by Hoeven, will proceed to the President to be signed into law.
“These fifteen bills passed by the Senate aim to boost economic development in Indian country; further protect the exporting of sacred Native items and cultural objects; improve delivery of health care services to American Indians and Alaska Natives, especially Native Veterans; and establishing Indian water rights agreements,” said Hoeven. “With a strong bipartisan effort, eight of these bills will move to the President for signature into law, including my bill, the Indian Community Economic Enhancement Act of 2020.”
The following 15 bills were passed by the Senate:
· S. 212, the Indian Community Economic Enhancement (ICEE) Act of 2020;
· S. 279, the Tribal School Federal Insurance Parity Act;
· S. 1207, the Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2019;
· S. 1875, the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Completion Act of 2019;
· S. 2165, the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony (STOP) Act of 2020;
· S. 2365, the Health Care Access for Urban Native Veterans Act of 2019;
· S. 2716, A bill to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, and for other purposes;
· S. 3019, the Montana Water Rights Protection Act;
· S. 3099, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Land Transfer Act of 2019;
· S. 3100, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act of 2020;
· 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;
· S. 4079, A bill to authorize the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease or transfer certain land, and for other purposes;
· S. 4556, A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Indian Health Service, to acquire private land to facilitate access to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center in Hemet, California, and for other purposes;
· H.R. 6237, the Proper and Reimbursed Care (PRC) for Native Veterans Act; and
· H.R. 6535, A bill to deem an urban Indian organization and employees thereof to be a part of the Public Health Service for the purposes of certain claims for personal injury, and for other purposes.
S. 212, S. 279, S. 1207, S. 1875, S. 2365, S. 3019, H.R. 6237, and H.R. 6535 will all be sent to the President to be signed into law. S. 2165, S. 2716, S. 3099, S. 3100, S. 3948, S. 4079, and S. 4556, were sent to the House of Representatives. With the passage of these 15 bills, the Senate has now passed 32 Committee bills with 20 Indian bills going to the President in the 116th Congress.
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