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Indian Trust Asset Reform Act

Public Law 114-178 · H.R. 812 · 114th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Jun 22, 2016 · Native Americans

Sponsor: Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID-2)

Cosponsors (11): Rep. Tom Cole,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Indian Trust Asset Reform Act

TITLE I--RECOGNITION OF TRUST RESPONSIBILITY

(Sec. 102) This bill reaffirms the federal government's duty to promote tribal self-determination.

TITLE II--INDIAN TRUST ASSET MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Indian Trust Asset Management Demonstration Project Act of 2016

(Sec. 203) The Department of the Interior must establish an Indian trust asset management demonstration project that allows tribes to propose Indian trust asset management plans. To be approved by Interior, these plans must establish objectives and priorities for trust assets and allocate sufficient funding for asset management to meet the objectives and priorities.

(Sec. 205) Interior may approve a trust asset management plan that allows the Indian tribe to enter into, approve, and carry out a surface leasing transaction or forest land management activity without Interior's approval, under certain conditions.

The United States is not liable for losses that result from: (1) a forest land management activity or lease under a trust asset management plan, or (2) management standards under a trust asset management plan that are less-stringent than Interior otherwise requires.

TITLE III--IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND STREAMLINING PROCESSES

(Sec. 303) Interior may establish an Under Secretary for Indian Affairs who is to report directly to the Secretary of the Interior and coordinate with the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) to ensure an orderly transition of the functions of the OST to an agency or bureau within Interior.

(Sec. 304) Interior must prepare a transition plan and timetable for the termination of the OST.

(Sec. 305) Appraisals and valuations of Indian trust property must be administered by a single administrative entity within Interior.

Interior must establish minimum qualifications for individuals to prepare appraisals and valuations of Indian trust property. An appraisal or valuation by a qualified person is considered final without being reviewed or approved by Interior.

(Sec. 306) Representatives of entities that advise Interior on Indian program budget or funding issues may make recommendations regarding the use of savings realized from the transfer of the functions of the OST.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 383Related bill

    Indian Trust Asset Reform Act

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.

  1. Jun 22, 2016Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-178.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jun 17, 2016FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Jun 10, 2016FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  5. FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  6. Feb 25, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
  7. Feb 24, 2016FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  8. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  9. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 812.
  10. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  11. FloorFloor · Mr. McClintock moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  12. CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 329.
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 114-432.
  14. Feb 3, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  16. Feb 2, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Discharged.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  18. Apr 14, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  20. Mar 16, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
  21. Feb 9, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
  22. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.