[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2160 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2160
To reaffirm and clarify the Federal relationships of the Grand River
Bands of Ottawa Indians of Michigan as a federally recognized Indian
Tribe, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 25 (legislative day, June 24), 2025
Mr. Peters (for himself and Ms. Slotkin) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reaffirm and clarify the Federal relationships of the Grand River
Bands of Ottawa Indians of Michigan as a federally recognized Indian
Tribe, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians
Restoration Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the Tribe consists of the 19 bands of Indians who
occupied territory in what is now west Michigan, including the
counties of Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana;
(2) the Tribe consists of descendants of, and political
successors to, signatories of the 1821 Treaty of Chicago (7
Stat. 218), the 1836 Treaty of Washington (7 Stat. 491), and
the 1855 Treaty of Detroit (11 Stat. 621);
(3) in 1994, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Act (Public Law
103-324; 108 Stat. 2156) recognized 2 Michigan Ottawa Indian
Tribes whose histories are virtually identical to that of the
Grand River Bands, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, and
the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians;
(4) the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Morris Thompson,
and Congress, in the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Act (Public Law
103-324; 108 Stat. 2156), specifically recognized that the
Northern Michigan Ottawa Association and the Grand River Bands
Descendant's Committee, whose membership included the Grand
River Bands, were functioning as or at least are accepted as
Tribal political entities by the Minneapolis Area and Great
Lakes Agency;
(5) the State of Michigan has acknowledged the Tribe as a
State historic Indian Tribe that, as of 2025, continues to
exist as a Tribal entity;
(6) in 1997, the Michigan Indian Land Claims Settlement Act
(Public Law 105-143; 111 Stat. 2652) reserved a percentage of
the funds appropriated for payment of land claims to ``newly
recognized or reaffirmed tribes described in section 110'', in
which section 110 of that Act (111 Stat. 2663) states that
eligible non-recognized Indian Tribes are those--
(A) that are a signatory to the 1836 Treaty of
Washington (7 Stat. 491) or the 1855 Treaty of Detroit
(11 Stat. 621);
(B) whose members are predominately Chippewa and
Ottawa; and
(C) that file a documented petition by December 15,
2000;
(7) as of the date of enactment of this Act, the Tribe is
the only unrecognized Michigan Indian Tribe that met the
requirements of section 110 of the Michigan Indian Land Claims
Settlement Act (Public Law 105-143; 111 Stat. 2663);
(8) the Tribe was instrumental in the filing of the
original land claim;
(9) the Tribe filed a fully documented petition with the
Bureau of Indian Affairs on December 8, 2000, and thus met the
filing deadline described in section 110(a) of the Michigan
Indian Land Claims Settlement Act (Public Law 105-143; 111
Stat. 2663);
(10) after the Tribe filed its petition in 2000, the
Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs did not issue a
technical assistance letter until 2005, to which the Tribe
responded fully in 2006, but still has not been recognized;
(11) the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs did not
meet their legal requirement under the Michigan Indian Land
Claims Settlement Act (Public Law 105-143; 111 Stat. 2652) to
recognize the Tribe, and the Tribe is still in the recognition
process almost 26 years later;
(12) the Tribe met all of the criteria for distribution of
the judgment funds reserved for an unrecognized Indian Tribe
under section 110 of the Michigan Indian Land Claims Settlement
Act (Public Law 105-143; 111 Stat. 2663), but the Tribal funds
reverted back to the Treasury, which was a gross miscarriage of
justice because the Tribe was a full participant in the claims
litigation before the Indian Claims Commission that gave rise
to the judgment award;
(13) for every year that the Director of the Bureau of
Indian Affairs does not act on the Tribe's petition, the Tribe
is unable to meet any needs for its members for social
services, education, housing, and elder care;
(14) the Tribe filed for reorganization of its existing
Tribal governments in 1935 under the Act of June 18, 1934 (48
Stat. 984, chapter 576; 25 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) (commonly known
as the ``Indian Reorganization Act'');
(15) Federal agents who visited the Tribe, including
Commissioner of Indian Affairs John Collier, attested to the
continued social and political existence of the Tribe and
concluded that the Tribe was eligible for reorganization but,
due to a lack of Federal appropriations to implement the Act of
June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984, chapter 576; 25 U.S.C. 5101 et
seq.) (commonly known as the ``Indian Reorganization Act''),
the Tribe was denied the opportunity to reorganize;
(16) in 1939, agents of the Federal Government made an
administrative decision not to provide services or extend the
benefits of the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984, chapter
576; 25 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) (commonly known as the ``Indian
Reorganization Act'') to any Indian Tribes in Michigan's lower
peninsula;
(17) in spite of such denial, the Tribe continued their
political and social existence with a viable Tribal government;
(18) the Tribe, along with other Michigan Odawa/Ottawa
groups, including the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa
Indians, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa
Indians, and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, formed
the Northern Michigan Ottawa Association in 1948, which
subsequently pursued a successful land claim with the Indian
Claims Commission;
(19) between 1948 and 1975, the Tribe carried out many of
its governmental functions through the Northern Michigan Ottawa
Association, while retaining individual Tribal control over
local decisions; and
(20) the Federal Government, the government of the State of
Michigan, and local governments have had continuous dealings
with the recognized political leaders of the Tribe from 1821 to
present.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Member.--The term ``member'' means an individual who is
enrolled in the Tribe pursuant to section 7.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(3) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Grand River Bands
of Ottawa Indians of Michigan.
SEC. 4. FEDERAL RECOGNITION.
(a) In General.--Federal recognition of the Tribe is hereby
affirmed.
(b) Effect of Federal Laws.--Except as otherwise provided in this
Act, all Federal laws (including regulations) of general application to
Indians and Indian Tribes, including the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat.
984, chapter 576; 25 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) (commonly known as the
``Indian Reorganization Act''), shall apply to the Tribe and members.
SEC. 5. FEDERAL SERVICES AND BENEFITS.
(a) In General.--The Tribe and each member shall be eligible for
all services and benefits provided by the United States to Indians and
federally recognized Indian Tribes as prescribed by law, without regard
to--
(1) the existence of a reservation for the Tribe; or
(2) the location of the residence of any member on or near
an Indian reservation.
(b) Service Area.--For purposes of the delivery of services and
benefits to members, the service area of the Tribe shall be Newaygo,
Oceana, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa Counties, Michigan.
SEC. 6. REAFFIRMATION OF RIGHTS.
(a) In General.--Nothing in this Act diminishes any right or
privilege of the Tribe or any member that existed before the date of
enactment of this Act.
(b) Claims of Tribe.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act,
nothing in this Act alters or affects any legal or equitable claim of
the Tribe to enforce any right or privilege reserved by, or granted to,
the Tribe that was wrongfully denied to, or taken from, the Tribe
before the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. MEMBERSHIP ROLL.
(a) In General.--As a condition of receiving recognition, services,
and benefits pursuant to this Act, not later than 18 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Tribe shall submit to the Secretary
a membership roll consisting of the name of each individual enrolled in
the Tribe.
(b) Determination of Membership.--The qualifications for inclusion
on the membership roll of the Tribe shall be determined in accordance
with the governing documents of the Tribe.
(c) Maintenance of Roll.--The Tribe shall maintain the membership
roll under this section.
SEC. 8. ACQUISITION OF LAND.
(a) Homeland.--The Secretary shall--
(1) acquire, for the benefit of the Tribe, trust title to
land within Muskegon, Newaygo, or Oceana Counties, Michigan;
and
(2) accept into trust any real property located in those
counties for the benefit of the Tribe, if--
(A) conveyed or otherwise transferred to the
Secretary; and
(B) at the time of such acceptance, there are not
adverse legal claims on such property, including
outstanding liens, mortgages or taxes owed.
(b) Additional Acquisitions; Trust Land.--The Secretary may--
(1) acquire additional land for the benefit of the Tribe
pursuant to section 5 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat.
984, chapter 576; 25 U.S.C. 5108) (commonly known as the
``Indian Reorganization Act''); and
(2) take into trust, for the benefit of the Tribe, any land
held in fee by the Tribe, if such lands are located within the
boundaries of Kent and Ottawa Counties, Michigan.
(c) Deadline for Determination.--The Secretary shall--
(1) not later than 18 months after the date on which the
Tribe submits a request for land to be taken into trust under
subsection (a)(1), make a final written determination; and
(2) immediately make that determination available to the
Tribe.
(d) Reservation Status.--Any land taken into trust for the benefit
of the Tribe pursuant to this section shall, on request of the Tribe,
be considered part of the reservation of the Tribe.
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