Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Native Language Educators in Classrooms Act

Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026

Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025

Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 This bill takes three tracts of specified federal land (approximately 9.89 acres) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, into trust for the benefit of the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. (These three tracts of land were historically part of the Albuquerque Indian School, which was an Indian boarding school until 1981.) The land is currently administered by the General Services Administration (GSA). Within 90 days of this bill's enactment and the relocation of all federal tenants, the bill requires (1) the GSA to transfer administrative jurisdiction over the land to the Department of the Interior, and (2) Interior to take the land into trust for the benefit of the 19 Pueblos. The land taken into trust must be subject to a right-of-way easement, as determined by the GSA, on the federal land located within Tract 1 for purposes of retrieving or relocating federal property from the land to another location. (Tract 1, which is approximately 3.57 acres, contains a warehouse that is 76,682 square feet.) The bill requires the land taken into trust to be used for the educational, health, cultural, business, and economic development of the 19 Pueblos. Further, the land must remain subject to existing private and municipal encumbrances, rights-of-way, restrictions, easements of record, and utility service agreements. The bill prohibits gaming on the land taken into trust.

Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act

Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act This bill extends from 72 hours to 15 days the time period to notify the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program of emergency medical care received from a non-Indian Health Service (IHS) medical provider or at a non-IHS medical facility. This bill does not apply to individuals who are elderly or disabled, who continue to have a 30-day notification requirement for emergency services. The IHS provides medical and dental services directly to American Indian and Alaska Native patients whenever possible. The PRC program pays for medical or dental care that is provided away from an IHS or tribal health care facility. The PRC program must be notified of requests for authorization of payment for health care services from a non-IHS provider. Currently in emergency cases, the patient, an individual on behalf of the patient, or the medical care provider must, within 72 hours after the beginning of treatment for the condition or after admission to a health care facility, notify a PRC authorizing official of the need for the emergency medical care. This bill instead allows the patient, other individual, or provider to notify PRC within 15 days of the treatment or admission.

Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act

Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act This bill administratively transfers approximately 72 acres of specified lands in Washington from the U.S. Forest Service to the Department of the Interior. Interior must take this land into trust for the benefit of the Quinault Indian Nation. Land taken into trust shall be part of the tribe's reservation. The bill prohibits gaming on the land taken into trust. The bill requires Interior, for purposes of taking the land into trust, to meet the disclosure requirements for hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants, without otherwise being required to remediate or abate those hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.

Crow Revenue Act

Crow Revenue Act This bill addresses the exchange of mineral interests in Montana involving the federal government, the Crow Tribe of Montana, and a private party. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of the Interior to accept the relinquishment of a specified federal coal lease associated with the Bull Mountains Mine near Roundup, Montana (the current operator of the mine is Signal Peak Energy); the Joe and Barbara Hope Mineral Trust (Hope Family Trust) to convey approximately 4,660 acres of subsurface mineral interests located within the boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation in Big Horn County, Montana, to the tribe; and Interior to convey approximately 4,530 acres of subsurface mineral interests and 940 acres of surface interests located in Musselshell County, Montana, to the Hope Family Trust. Prior to these conveyances, the tribe must notify Interior that the tribe and the Hope Family Trust have agreed on a revenue-sharing formula for the development of the mineral and surface interests in Musselshell County, Montana. The mineral interests conveyed by the Hope Family Trust to the tribe shall be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the tribe, upon the tribe's request. These mineral interests shall not be subject to state or local taxation.

Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025

Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025 This bill takes approximately 603.94 acres of specified lands in California into trust for the benefit of the Pit River Tribe. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of the Interior to take the following lands into trust for the benefit of the tribe: (1) approximately 583.79 acres of federal land managed by the Forest Service (but excluding approximately 20.03 acres of roads, highways, and public rights-of-way subject to existing easements), and (2) approximately 40.18 acres of fee land held by the tribe. These combined lands, approximately 603.94 acres, shall be part of the tribe's reservation. Further, the bill prohibits gaming on the land taken into trust.

Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025

Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to convey approximately 3.4 acres in Anchorage, Alaska, to the Southcentral Foundation (SCF) for use in connection with health and social services programs. The conveyance must be made by warranty deed. The conveyance may not (1) require any consideration (such as payment) from the SCF for the property; (2) impose any obligation, term, or condition on the SCF relating to that property; or (3) allow for any U.S. reversionary interest in the property. HHS must be accorded any easement or access to the property as may be reasonably necessary to satisfy any retained obligation or liability of HHS. The bill prohibits the SCF from being liable for certain environmental contamination that occurred on or before the date on which the property is conveyed to the SCF. In turn, HHS may not be liable for any contamination that occurred after the date that the SCF controlled, occupied, and used the property.

Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025

Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to convey approximately 3.4 acres in Anchorage, Alaska, to the Southcentral Foundation (SCF) for use in connection with health and social services programs. The conveyance must be made by warranty deed. The conveyance may not (1) require any consideration (such as payment) from the SCF for the property; (2) impose any obligation, term, or condition on the SCF relating to that property; or (3) allow for any U.S. reversionary interest in the property. HHS must be accorded any easement or access to the property as may be reasonably necessary to satisfy any retained obligation or liability of HHS. The bill prohibits the SCF from being liable for certain environmental contamination that occurred on or before the date on which the property is conveyed to the SCF. In turn, HHS may not be liable for any contamination that occurred after the date that the SCF controlled, occupied, and used the property.

Protecting Indian Water Rights Settlements Act of 2026

The bill would modify how money is organized within a fund that helps complete water rights agreements with Native American tribes, by creating separate accounts within that fund for different purposes. This change would help track and manage the settlement payments more clearly as the government works to fulfill its obligations to tribes regarding water access and rights. Native American tribes and communities that have pending water rights settlements would be the primary beneficiaries of this organizational improvement.

Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2026

This bill would settle long-standing disputes over water rights for the Yavapai-Apache Nation by establishing their legal claim to a specific amount of water from Arizona's water sources. The settlement would likely provide the tribe with reliable access to water for drinking, agriculture, and other uses, while also clarifying how much water other users in the region can access. This agreement would resolve decades of legal uncertainty and help the tribe develop its land and resources more effectively.

Pechanga Band of Indians Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act

This bill makes technical corrections to a previous agreement that settled water rights disputes for the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, a Native American tribe in California. The changes are intended to clarify or fix minor issues in how that water rights settlement operates without fundamentally changing the agreement itself. The bill affects the tribe's access to water resources and how those rights are managed.

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act

This legislation would settle long-standing water rights disputes for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in California by establishing their legal entitlement to a specific amount of water from local sources. The agreement would help the tribe secure reliable water supplies for their reservation and community needs, potentially supporting economic development and improving living conditions for tribal members. The settlement likely involves negotiations between the tribe, state and federal water authorities, and other stakeholders who share water resources in the region.

A bill to amend the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act to modify a provision relating to the extension of certain dates for the completion of the Regional Water System, and for other purposes.

This bill would change deadlines in a long-running water rights settlement agreement involving Native American tribes in New Mexico, giving the parties more time to complete construction of a regional water system that serves both tribal and non-tribal communities. The modification would affect the Aamodt settlement, which has been resolving water disputes between the Tesuque Pueblo and other stakeholders for decades. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

Unlocking Native Lands and Opportunities for Commerce and Key Economic Developments Act of 2025

This bill would make it easier for Native American tribes and individuals to develop and lease their land for business purposes, potentially allowing more commercial projects on tribal lands. The changes could help Native communities generate income and economic growth, though they might also affect how tribes manage their natural resources and traditional lands. The bill has advanced through the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs with approval.

Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act of 2026

The bill aims to improve health, education, and social services for Native American children by giving tribal governments more control over programs that serve their communities and families. It would increase funding and resources for services like healthcare, mental health support, and child welfare programs in tribal areas. The legislation is designed to strengthen Native families and communities by letting tribes make decisions that better fit their specific needs rather than relying solely on federal programs.

Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act of 2026

The federal government would update how it distributes funding to schools serving Native American students, aiming to make the allocation process fairer and more equitable across tribal communities. This affects Native American families, students, and schools on or near reservations that rely on federal education funding. The changes would help ensure schools have adequate resources to provide quality education to their students.

SNAP Tribal Food Sovereignty Act of 2026

This bill would allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to sign contracts directly with Native American tribes and tribal organizations to run food assistance programs in their communities, rather than having the federal government manage these programs. Currently, tribes have limited ability to operate their own nutrition assistance programs, so this change would give them more control over how food aid is delivered to their members. The bill affects Native American tribes, tribal governments, and low-income Native Americans who rely on food assistance programs.

A bill to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian Tribes.

This bill authorizes any federally recognized Indian tribe to lease their land held in trust for a term of up to 99 years.

FDPIR Tribal Food Sovereignty Act of 2026

FDPIR Tribal Food Sovereignty Act of 2026 This bill expands and makes permanent a pilot program through which the Department of Agriculture must enter into self-determination contracts with tribal organizations, upon the request of an Indian tribe, to carry out the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). (FDPIR provides, in lieu of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, food commodities to low-income households on Indian reservations and to Native American families residing in Oklahoma or in designated areas near Oklahoma.)