Indian Tribal Justice Act
Public Law 103-176 · H.R. 1268 · 103rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Dec 3, 1993 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Rep. William Richardson (D-NM-3)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Karan English
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Tribal Justice Systems
Title II: Authorizations of Appropriations
Title III: Disclaimers
Indian Tribal Justice Act - Title I: Tribal Justice Systems - Establishes within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Bureau) the Office of Tribal Justice Support (Office) to further the development of tribal justice systems and Courts of Indian Offenses. Transfers functions and personnel of the Bureau's Branch of Judicial Services to the Office.
Directs the Office to: (1) establish a tribal justice systems clearinghouse; (2) survey systems resources and funding; (3) provide training and technical assistance; and (4) provide funds to tribes and tribal organizations for the continuing operation of tribal justice systems.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to contract for a survey of tribal judicial systems, which shall be annually updated.
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) provide grants to or enter into contracts with tribes or tribal organizations for the development and operation of tribal justice systems; and (2) contract with tribal judicial conferences for such purposes.
Title II: Authorizations of Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations for tribal justice systems and related activities through FY 2000. Authorizes additional appropriations for the tribal judicial system survey.
Exempts related appropriations from the Indian priority system. Title III: Disclaimers - States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to diminish: (1) the inherent authority of a tribe's governmental authority, including its legal system; or (2) the trust responsibility of the United States to tribal governments and legal systems, or to imply that any tribal court is a U.S. instrumentality.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Native American Affairs Subcommittee
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. 37 actions.
- Dec 3, 1993Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 103-176.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 23, 1993PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 20, 1993Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Nov 19, 1993Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: message on House action held at the desk in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motions to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Miller (CA) brought up conference report H. Rept. 103-383 by previously agreed to special order.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report H. Rept. 103-383 filed.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report H. Rept. 103-383 filed.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: Senate report and managers' statement held at the desk in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Miller asked unanimous consent that it may be in order for the House to consider the conference report on the bill H.R. 1268, and that all points of order against said conference report and against its consideration shall be waived. Agreed to without objection.
- Nov 18, 1993Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Sep 28, 1993Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · The Speaker appointed conferees: Miller (CA), Richardson, and Thomas (WY).
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Richardson asked unanimous consent that the House disagree to the Senate amendment, and agree to a conference.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House disagree to the Senate amendment, and agree to a conference Agreed to without objection.
- Aug 7, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Aug 6, 1993Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate insists on its amendment asks for a conference, appoints conferees Inouye; DeConcini; Daschle; Conrad; Reid; Simon; Akaka; Wellstone; Dorgan; Campbell; McCain; Murkowski; Cochran; Gorton; Domenici; Kassebaum; Nickles; Hatfield.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 776 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Aug 4, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Aug 2, 1993FloorFloor · 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. Richardson moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
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.