[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2442 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 542
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2442
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land and
mineral rights on the reservation of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of
Montana and other culturally important land into trust for the benefit
of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 5, 2014
Mr. Walsh (for himself and Mr. Tester) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
August 26, 2014
Reported, under authority of the order of the Senate of August 5
(legislative day, August 1), 2014, by Mr. Tester, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land and
mineral rights on the reservation of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of
Montana and other culturally important land into trust for the benefit
of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Cheyenne Lands
Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Congress finds that--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the Northern Cheyenne Tribe has depended on
the land of the Tribe and the land-based resources of the Tribe
to support its way of life since time immemorial;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the Tribe has made supreme and historic
sacrifices to repossess and maintain the homeland of the Tribe,
including the Reservation of the Tribe in the State of
Montana;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) the Tribe suffers from tremendous social and
economic challenges, including a lack of employment
opportunities on the Reservation, which can be improved by
strengthening the control of the Tribe over the land base,
natural resources, and trust funds of the Tribe;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the Tribe seeks a variety of resolutions to
outstanding legal obstacles that have prevented the Tribe from
consolidating subsurface and surface trust ownership on the
Reservation;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) the Tribe and the members of the Tribe are the
beneficial owners of more than 95 percent of the surface land
of the Reservation and all but approximately 5,000 subsurface
acres of the Reservation;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) the Tribe seeks to obtain ownership of
approximately 5,000 subsurface acres on the Reservation that
the Tribe does not own as a result of an error made by the
United States when the Reservation was expanded in
1900;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) in 2002, the Tribe agreed by settlement to
dismiss a lawsuit against the United States which alleged that
the United States failed to protect the Reservation from the
impacts of coal development in return for assistance in
securing tribal ownership of the subsurface rights described in
paragraph (6) substantially in the form of this Act, and to
secure mitigation funding to address the impacts of coal
development in areas adjacent to the Reservation, among other
conditions;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) to increase tribal ownership of the surface
land, the Tribe has purchased approximately 932 acres of land
within the Reservation that were, for various reasons, taken
out of trust ownership status;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) the Tribe has purchased approximately 635
acres of land near Bear Butte, South Dakota, which the Tribe
considers sacred ground for the members of the Tribe, as well
as for members of other Indian tribes;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) the Tribe seeks to have the land and
subsurface within the Reservation and the Bear Butte land
described in this section taken into trust by the United States
for the benefit of the Tribe;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (11) the Tribe seeks clarification, consistent
with the 1999 settlement with the United States, that the
principal of the funds arising from the Northern Cheyenne
Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 1992 (Public Law
102-374; 106 Stat. 1186; 108 Stat. 707), the earnings from
which are paid to the Tribe and managed as the ``Northern
Cheyenne Trust Fund'' by the Office of Special Trustee, may be
transferred to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe Permanent Fund,
which has historically provided strong returns to the Tribe in
direct support of tribal self-determination and to offset
limited Federal funding of important tribal governmental
services; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (12) if the conveyances of land and funds
authorized under this Act are carried out, the Tribe has agreed
to waive all legal claims against the United States arising out
of the longstanding loss of the subsurface rights and the
management of the Northern Cheyenne Trust Fund by the United
States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Northern
Cheyenne Trust Fund identified in the June 7, 1999 Agreement
Settling Certain Issues Relating to the Tongue River Dam
Project, which was entered into by the Tribe, the State, and
delegates of the Secretary, and managed by the Office of
Special Trustee in the Department of the Interior.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Great northern properties.--The term ``Great
Northern Properties'' means the Great Northern Properties
Limited Partnership, which is a Delaware limited
partnership.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Permanent fund.--The term ``Permanent Fund''
means the Northern Cheyenne Tribe Permanent Fund managed by the
Tribe pursuant to the Plan for Investment, Management and Use
of the Fund, as amended by vote of the tribal membership on
November 2, 2010.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Reservation.--The term ``Reservation'' means
the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the
Secretary of the Interior.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of
Montana.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Northern
Cheyenne Tribe.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. TRIBAL FEE LAND TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall take into trust for the benefit of the Tribe
the approximately 1,567 acres of land depicted on--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne Lands Act
- Fee-to-Trust Lands'' and dated April 22, 2014; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne Lands Act
- Fee-to-Trust Lands - Lame Deer Townsite'' and dated April 22,
2014.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. MINERAL RIGHTS TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Completion of Mineral Conveyances.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the
date on which the Secretary receives the notification described
in subsection (c), in a single transaction--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) Great Northern Properties shall convey
to the Tribe all right, title, and interest of Great
Northern Properties, consisting of coal and iron ore
mineral interests, underlying the land on the
Reservation generally depicted as ``Great Northern
Properties'' on the map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne
Land Act - Coal Tracts'' and dated April 22, 2014;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) subject to paragraph (2), the
Secretary shall convey to Great Northern Properties all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and
to the coal mineral interests underlying the land
generally depicted as ``Bull Mountains'' and ``East
Fork'' on the map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne Federal
Tracts'' and dated April 22, 2014.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that
the deed for the conveyance authorized by paragraph (1)(B)
shall include a covenant running with the land that--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) precludes the coal conveyed from being
mined by any method other than underground mining
techniques--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) until any surface owner (as
defined in section 714(e) of Public Law 95-87
(30 U.S.C. 1304(e))) for a specific tract has
provided to Great Northern Properties written
consent to enter the specific tract and
commence surface mining; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) except as determined to be
acceptable for further consideration for
leasing in the document of the Bureau of Land
Management entitled ``Billings Resource Area
Final EIS and Resource Management Plan'' and
dated September 1984; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) shall not create any property interest
in the United States or any surface owner (as defined
in section 714(e) of Public Law 95-87 (30 U.S.C.
1304(e))).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Treatment of Land Transferred to Tribe.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--At the request of the Tribe, the
Secretary shall take into trust for the benefit of the Tribe
the mineral interests conveyed to the Tribe under subsection
(a)(1)(A).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) No state taxation.--The mineral interests
conveyed to the Tribe under subsection (a)(1)(A) shall not be
subject to taxation by the State (including any political
subdivision of the State).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Revenue Sharing Agreement.--The Tribe shall notify the
Secretary, in writing, that--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) consistent with a settlement agreement entered
into between the Tribe and the State in 2002, the Tribe and
Great Northern Properties have agreed on a formula for sharing
revenue from development of the mineral interests described in
subsection (a)(1)(B) if those mineral interests are
developed;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the revenue sharing agreement remains in
effect as of the date of enactment of this Act; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Great Northern Properties has offered to
convey the mineral interests described in subsection (a)(1)(A)
to the Tribe.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Waiver of Legal Claims.--As a condition of the
conveyances of mineral interests under subsection (a)(1)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the Tribe shall waive any and all claims
relating to the failure of the United States to acquire and
take into trust on behalf of the Tribe the mineral interests
described in subsection (a)(1)(A), as directed by Congress in
1900; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Great Northern Properties shall waive any and
all claims against the United States relating to the value of
the coal mineral interests described in subsection
(a)(1)(B).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Rescission of Mineral Conveyances.--If any portion of
the mineral interests conveyed under subsection (a)(1) is invalidated
by final judgment of a court of the United States--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) not later than 1 year after the date on which
the final judgment is rendered, the Secretary or Great Northern
Properties may agree to rescind the conveyances under
subsection (a)(1); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) if the conveyances are rescinded under
paragraph (1), the waivers under subsection (d) shall no longer
apply.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. TRANSFER OF NORTHERN CHEYENNE TRUST FUND TO
TRIBE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, all amounts in the Fund shall be deposited in
the Permanent Fund.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Use of Amounts.--Of the amounts transferred to the
Permanent Fund under subsection (a)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the portion that is attributable to the
principal of the Fund shall be maintained in perpetuity;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) any interest earned on the amounts described
in paragraph (1) shall be used in the same manner as interest
earned on amounts in the Permanent Fund may be used.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Waiver of Legal Claims.--As a condition of the
transfer under subsection (a), the Tribe shall waive any and all claims
arising from the management of the Fund by the United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 7. LAND CONSOLIDATION AND FRACTIONATION
REPORTING.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Inventory.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation
with the Tribe, shall prepare an inventory of fractionated land
interests held by the United States in trust for the benefit
of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Tribe; or</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) individual Indians on the
Reservation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Agricultural purposes.--The inventory prepared
by the Secretary under this subsection shall include details
currently available about fractionated land on the Reservation
suitable for agricultural purposes.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Submission.--The Secretary shall submit the
inventory prepared under this subsection to the Committee on
Indian Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives by not later than 180
days after the date of enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Report.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation
with the Tribe, shall prepare periodic reports regarding
obstacles to consolidating trust land ownership on the
Reservation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Contents.--The reports under this subsection
shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) a description of existing obstacles to
consolidating trust land ownership, including the
extent of fractionation;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) a description of progress achieved by
the Tribe toward reducing fractionation and increasing
trust land ownership;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) an analysis of progress achieved by
the Tribe toward making agricultural use economical on
trust land; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) any applicable outcomes and lessons
learned from land consolidation activities undertaken
pursuant to the Indian Land Consolidation Act (25
U.S.C. 2201 et seq.).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Submission.--The Secretary shall submit the
reports under this subsection to the Committee on Indian
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of
the House of Representatives not less frequently than once each
calendar year for the 5-year period beginning on the date of
enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 8. ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER FEDERAL BENEFITS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> The transfer under section 6 shall not result in the
reduction or denial of any Federal service, benefit, or program to the
Tribe or to any member of the Tribe to which the Tribe or member is
entitled or eligible because of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the status of the Tribe as a federally
recognized Indian tribe; or</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the status of the member as a member of the
Tribe.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
Act such sums as are necessary.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Cheyenne Lands Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the Northern Cheyenne Tribe has depended on the land of
the Tribe and the land-based resources of the Tribe to support
its way of life since time immemorial;
(2) the Tribe has made supreme and historic sacrifices to
repossess and maintain the homeland of the Tribe, including the
Reservation of the Tribe in the State of Montana;
(3) the Tribe suffers from tremendous social and economic
challenges, including a lack of employment opportunities on the
Reservation, which can be improved by strengthening the control
of the Tribe over the land base, natural resources, and trust
funds of the Tribe;
(4) the Tribe seeks a variety of resolutions to outstanding
legal obstacles that have prevented the Tribe from
consolidating subsurface and surface trust ownership on the
Reservation;
(5) the Tribe and the members of the Tribe are the
beneficial owners of more than 95 percent of the surface land
of the Reservation and all but approximately 5,000 subsurface
acres of the Reservation;
(6) the Tribe seeks to obtain ownership of approximately
5,000 subsurface acres on the Reservation that the Tribe does
not own as a result of an error made by the United States when
the Reservation was expanded in 1900;
(7) in 2002, the Tribe agreed by settlement to dismiss a
lawsuit against the United States which alleged that the United
States failed to protect the Reservation from the impacts of
coal development in return for assistance in securing tribal
ownership of the subsurface rights described in paragraph (6)
substantially in the form of this Act, and to secure mitigation
funding to address the impacts of coal development in areas
adjacent to the Reservation, among other conditions;
(8) to increase tribal ownership of the surface land, the
Tribe has purchased approximately 932 acres of land within the
Reservation that were, for various reasons, taken out of trust
ownership status;
(9) the Tribe has purchased approximately 635 acres of land
near Bear Butte, South Dakota, which the Tribe considers sacred
ground for the members of the Tribe, as well as for members of
other Indian tribes;
(10) the Tribe seeks to have the land and subsurface within
the Reservation and the Bear Butte land described in this
section taken into trust by the United States for the benefit
of the Tribe;
(11) the Tribe seeks clarification, consistent with the
1999 settlement with the United States, that the principal of
the funds arising from the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reserved
Water Rights Settlement Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-374; 106
Stat. 1186; 108 Stat. 707), the earnings from which are paid to
the Tribe and managed as the ``Northern Cheyenne Trust Fund''
by the Office of Special Trustee, may be transferred to the
Northern Cheyenne Tribe Permanent Fund, which has historically
provided strong returns to the Tribe in direct support of
tribal self-determination and to offset limited Federal funding
of important tribal governmental services; and
(12) if the conveyances of land and funds authorized under
this Act are carried out, the Tribe has agreed to waive all
legal claims against the United States arising out of the
longstanding loss of the subsurface rights and the management
of the Northern Cheyenne Trust Fund by the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Northern Cheyenne
Trust Fund identified in the June 7, 1999 Agreement Settling
Certain Issues Relating to the Tongue River Dam Project, which
was entered into by the Tribe, the State, and delegates of the
Secretary, and managed by the Office of Special Trustee in the
Department of the Interior.
(2) Great northern properties.--The term ``Great Northern
Properties'' means the Great Northern Properties Limited
Partnership, which is a Delaware limited partnership.
(3) Permanent fund.--The term ``Permanent Fund'' means the
Northern Cheyenne Tribe Permanent Fund managed by the Tribe
pursuant to the Plan for Investment, Management and Use of the
Fund, as amended by vote of the tribal membership on November
2, 2010.
(4) Reservation.--The term ``Reservation'' means the
Northern Cheyenne Reservation.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Montana.
(7) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Northern Cheyenne
Tribe.
SEC. 4. TRIBAL FEE LAND TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), not later than 60 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall take into
trust for the benefit of the Tribe the approximately 932 acres of land
depicted on--
(1) the map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne Lands Act - Fee-
to-Trust Lands'' and dated April 22, 2014; and
(2) the map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne Lands Act - Fee-
to-Trust Lands - Lame Deer Townsite'' and dated April 22, 2014.
(b) Limitation.--Any land located in the State of South Dakota that
is included on the maps referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
subsection (a) shall not be taken into trust pursuant to that
subsection.
SEC. 5. MINERAL RIGHTS TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST.
(a) Completion of Mineral Conveyances.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date on
which the Secretary receives the notification described in
subsection (c), in a single transaction--
(A) Great Northern Properties shall convey to the
Tribe all right, title, and interest of Great Northern
Properties, consisting of coal and iron ore mineral
interests, underlying the land on the Reservation
generally depicted as ``Great Northern Properties'' on
the map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne Land Act - Coal
Tracts'' and dated April 22, 2014; and
(B) subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall
convey to Great Northern Properties all right, title,
and interest of the United States in and to the coal
mineral interests underlying the land generally
depicted as ``Bull Mountains'' and ``East Fork'' on the
map entitled ``Northern Cheyenne Federal Tracts'' and
dated April 22, 2014.
(2) Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that the deed
for the conveyance authorized by paragraph (1)(B) shall include
a covenant running with the land that--
(A) precludes the coal conveyed from being mined by
any method other than underground mining techniques
until any surface owner (as defined in section 714(e)
of Public Law 95-87 (30 U.S.C. 1304(e))) for a specific
tract has provided to Great Northern Properties written
consent to enter the specific tract and commence
surface mining;
(B) shall not create any property interest in the
United States or any surface owner (as defined in
section 714(e) of Public Law 95-87 (30 U.S.C.
1304(e))); and
(C) shall not affect, abridge, or amend any valid
existing rights of any surface owner of a specific
tract or any adjacent tracts.
(b) Treatment of Land Transferred to Tribe.--
(1) In general.--At the request of the Tribe, the Secretary
shall take into trust for the benefit of the Tribe the mineral
interests conveyed to the Tribe under subsection (a)(1)(A).
(2) No state taxation.--The mineral interests conveyed to
the Tribe under subsection (a)(1)(A) shall not be subject to
taxation by the State (including any political subdivision of
the State).
(c) Revenue Sharing Agreement.--The Tribe shall notify the
Secretary, in writing, that--
(1) consistent with a settlement agreement entered into
between the Tribe and the State in 2002, the Tribe and Great
Northern Properties have agreed on a formula for sharing
revenue from development of the mineral interests described in
subsection (a)(1)(B) if those mineral interests are developed;
(2) the revenue sharing agreement remains in effect as of
the date of enactment of this Act; and
(3) Great Northern Properties has offered to convey the
mineral interests described in subsection (a)(1)(A) to the
Tribe.
(d) Waiver of Legal Claims.--As a condition of the conveyances of
mineral interests under subsection (a)(1)--
(1) the Tribe shall waive any and all claims relating to
the failure of the United States to acquire and take into trust
on behalf of the Tribe the mineral interests described in
subsection (a)(1)(A), as directed by Congress in 1900; and
(2) Great Northern Properties shall waive any and all
claims against the United States relating to the value of the
coal mineral interests described in subsection (a)(1)(B).
(e) Rescission of Mineral Conveyances.--If any portion of the
mineral interests conveyed under subsection (a)(1) is invalidated by
final judgment of a court of the United States--
(1) not later than 1 year after the date on which the final
judgment is rendered, the Secretary or Great Northern
Properties may agree to rescind the conveyances under
subsection (a)(1); and
(2) if the conveyances are rescinded under paragraph (1),
the waivers under subsection (d) shall no longer apply.
SEC. 6. TRANSFER OF NORTHERN CHEYENNE TRUST FUND TO TRIBE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, all amounts in the Fund shall be deposited in the
Permanent Fund.
(b) Use of Amounts.--Of the amounts transferred to the Permanent
Fund under subsection (a)--
(1) the portion that is attributable to the principal of
the Fund shall be maintained in perpetuity; and
(2) any interest earned on the amounts described in
paragraph (1) shall be used in the same manner as interest
earned on amounts in the Permanent Fund may be used.
(c) Waiver of Legal Claims.--As a condition of the transfer under
subsection (a), the Tribe shall waive any and all claims arising from
the management of the Fund by the United States.
SEC. 7. LAND CONSOLIDATION AND FRACTIONATION REPORTING.
(a) Inventory.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Tribe, shall prepare an inventory of fractionated land
interests held by the United States in trust for the benefit
of--
(A) the Tribe; or
(B) individual Indians on the Reservation.
(2) Agricultural purposes.--The inventory prepared by the
Secretary under this subsection shall include details currently
available about fractionated land on the Reservation suitable
for agricultural purposes.
(3) Submission.--The Secretary shall submit the inventory
prepared under this subsection to the Committee on Indian
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of
the House of Representatives by not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Tribe, shall prepare periodic reports regarding obstacles to
consolidating trust land ownership on the Reservation.
(2) Contents.--The reports under this subsection shall
include--
(A) a description of existing obstacles to
consolidating trust land ownership, including the
extent of fractionation;
(B) a description of progress achieved by the Tribe
toward reducing fractionation and increasing trust land
ownership;
(C) an analysis of progress achieved by the Tribe
toward making agricultural use economical on trust
land; and
(D) any applicable outcomes and lessons learned
from land consolidation activities undertaken pursuant
to the Indian Land Consolidation Act (25 U.S.C. 2201 et
seq.).
(3) Submission.--The Secretary shall submit the reports
under this subsection to the Committee on Indian Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives not less frequently than once each calendar
year for the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment
of this Act.
SEC. 8. ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER FEDERAL BENEFITS.
The transfer under section 6 shall not result in the reduction or
denial of any Federal service, benefit, or program to the Tribe or to
any member of the Tribe to which the Tribe or member is entitled or
eligible because of--
(1) the status of the Tribe as a federally recognized
Indian tribe; or
(2) the status of the member as a member of the Tribe.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such
sums as are necessary.
Calendar No. 542
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2442
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land and
mineral rights on the reservation of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of
Montana and other culturally important land into trust for the benefit
of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
August 26, 2014
Reported with an amendment