To make technical amendments to certain Federal Indian statutes.
Public Law 102-497 · H.R. 5686 · 102nd Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 24, 1992 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Rep. John Rhodes (R-AZ-1)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. Les AuCoin, Rep. Doug Bereuter
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.
Amends Federal law to make specified land description changes with respect to the Reservation of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon.
Amends the Ponca Restoration Act to extend by one year the two-year deadline by which the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) must submit to the Congress an economic development plan for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska.
Authorizes the Secretary: (1) in accordance with Crow Tribal Resolution 91-14 to reprogram judgment funds awarded in Indian Claims Commission Docket No. 54 (1961) and United States Claims Court Docket Nos. 796-71 and 797-71 (1981); and (2) in accordance with Shoshone - Bannock Tribal Resolution GNCL-91-0616, to reprogram judgment funds awarded in Indian Claims Commission Docket No. 326-C-2 (1985).
Authorizes the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to sell to National Disposal Systems, Inc. (Systems), without further U.S. approval, the Band's real property interests acquired from Systems in Noxubee County, Mississippi.
Amends Federal law to permit longer lease terms for trust lands held for: (1) the Pueblo of Santa Clara; (2) the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; and (3) the Cahvilla Band of Indians of California.
Amends the San Carlos Indian Irrigation Project Divestiture Act of 1991 to extend the Project's implementation deadline.
Authorizes the Secretary to use specified funds from an Appropriation Account of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for irrigation improvement at the Wapato Indian Irrigation Project.
Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act of 1992 - Amends the Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act of 1982 to terminate the Cooperative Fund established by such Act if the final judgment in a specified lawsuit (relating to the Tohono O'odham nation) does not dismiss all claims against the defendants. Extends the deadline by nine months under which the United States would have to pay certain related penalties.
Amends the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to define "Native American Pacific Islander" as an individual who is indigenous to a Pacific Ocean U.S. territory or possession, and includes such individual while residing in the United States. Eliminates the authorization of appropriations set-aside for Pacific Islanders.
Ak-Chin Water Use Amendments Act of 1992 - Amends Federal law to grant the Ak-Chin Indian Community the right to use its permanent water supply for any use in the areas initially designated as the Pinal, Phoenix, and Tucson Active Management Areas pursuant to the Arizona Groundwater Management Act of 1980.
Authorizes the Community to lease, extend leases, exchange, or temporarily dispose of its water for such areas, provided: (1) the term of such lease does not exceed 100 years; and (2) the Community does not permanently alienate any water right.
Requires the acceptance and ratification of a contract by the Community's Council as well as the approval of the Secretary before the Community leases, extends leases, exchanges, or temporarily disposes of water.
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act of 1992 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish an Indian Environmental General Assistance Program of grants to eligible tribal governments or intertribal consortia for environmental protection programs on Indian lands. Authorizes FY 1993 and 1994 appropriations.
Authorizes and directs the Secretary to enroll two named individuals as Natives under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Entitles such individuals to a specified amount of shares in Shan-Seet, Inc. States that under such enrollment: (1) any land entitlements or distributions under such Act shall not be affected; and (2) the individuals shall not be entitled to any prior distributions under such Act.
Directs the Secretary to transfer the Bureau of Indian Affairs Agency in Bethel, Alaska, to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation by September 30, 1993. Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of the Air Force to share the costs of related hazardous waste and substance cleanup.
Extends the grace period for class III gaming activity conducted on Indian lands in Montana. Makes a conforming amendment to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Amends Federal law to authorize the Attorney General to settle any action brought to contest the constitutionality or validity of specified distribution to all other Sisseton and Wahpeton Sioux.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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. 25 actions.
- Oct 24, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-497.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 16, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 3, 1992Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Miller (CA) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- Oct 1, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3370 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3369 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3368 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3367 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3366 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3365 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3364 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 28, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Sep 18, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Aug 5, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Aug 3, 1992FloorFloor · 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
- Jul 29, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 23, 1992CommitteeCommittee · 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.