Tribal Self-Governance Demonstration Project Act
Public Law 102-184 · H.R. 3394 · 102nd Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Dec 4, 1991 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Rep. George Miller (D-CA-7)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. John Rhodes
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Tribal Self-Governance Demonstration Project Act - Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to extend the Tribal Self-Governance Demonstration Project from five to eight years.
Increases the number of participating tribes in the project from 20 to 30.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to negotiate and enter into an annual written funding agreement with the governing body of a participating tribal government that successfully completes its Self-Governance Planning Grant.
Authorizes appropriations for the ten tribes added to the Project by this Act.
Authorizes such participating tribes to administer all programs, services, and functions of the Department of the Interior that are available to Indian tribes or Indians.
Removes the statutory requirement that the Secretary approve attorney and other professional contracts of the participating Indian tribal governments operating under the Project.
Directs the Secretary to interpret Federal laws and regulations in a manner that will facilitate the inclusion of activities, programs, services, and functions in the agreements authorized by this Act.
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study and report to the Congress on the feasibility of extending such Project to the activities, programs, functions, and services of the Indian Health Service.
Authorizes the Secretary of HHS to establish within the Indian Health Service an office of self-governance to be responsible for coordinating the activities necessary to carry out such study.
Authorizes the Secretary to study and report to the Congress on the feasibility of including certain programs and activities in the Project that are currently excluded by Federal law.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Dec 4, 1991Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-184.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 22, 1991PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 19, 1991FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Nov 18, 1991FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Miller (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 13, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Oct 3, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 24, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.