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NATIVE Act

Public Law 114-221 · S. 1579 · 114th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Sep 23, 2016 · Native Americans

Sponsor: Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)

Cosponsors (11): Sen. John Thune,

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.

Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act or the NATIVE Act

(Sec. 4) This bill requires the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Interior, and federal agencies with recreational travel or tourism functions to update their management plans and tourism initiatives to include Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

The plans must outline proposals to:

• improve travel and tourism data collection and analysis,

• increase the usability of public information and federal websites,

• support national tourism goals,

• identify programs that could support tourism infrastructure in Native American communities,

• develop visitor portals and assets that showcase and respect the diversity of Native Americans,

• share local Native American heritage through the development of bilingual signage, and

• improve access to transportation programs for building capacity for Native American community tourism and trade.

Interior and Commerce must: (1) work with a facilitator to provide technical assistance to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations regarding participation in the tourism industry, and (2) report on departmental efforts supporting such participation.

(Sec. 5) Federal agencies must: (1) support Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations in showcasing their history, culture, and continuing vitality, enhancing or maintaining their distinctive cultural features, and providing authentic and respectful visitor experiences; (2) assist in interpreting the connections between Native Americans and the national identity of the United States; (3) enhance efforts to promote understanding and respect for diverse cultures in the United States and the relevance of those cultures; and (4) ensure that travelers at airports and ports of entry are welcomed in a manner that both showcases and respects the diversity of Native American communities.

Grants relating to travel, recreation, or tourism for which Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible may be used to: (1) support their efforts to present their story and culture, (2) revitalize Native American communities using the arts and humanities, and (3) carry out this Act.

The Smithsonian Institution must work with Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and nonprofits to share collections and conduct joint research and projects with museums, educational organizations, and cultural organizations.

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.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

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. 28 actions.

  1. Sep 23, 2016Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-221.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 14, 2016FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 12, 2016FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1579.
  7. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  8. FloorFloor · Mrs. Radewagen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  9. Sep 6, 2016CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 559.
  10. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on House Administration discharged.
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 114-721, Part I.
  13. Jul 13, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  15. Jul 12, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Discharged.
  17. Apr 29, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
  18. Apr 27, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
  19. Apr 26, 2016FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  20. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the…
  22. Apr 25, 2016FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  23. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  24. Jan 12, 2016CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 345.
  25. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Barrasso without amendment. With written report No. 114-201.
  26. Oct 7, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
  27. Jun 16, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
  28. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
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

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 3874SenateSen. Brian SchatzD-HI· offered Apr 25, 2016Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Apr 25, 2016: Amendment SA 3874 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
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.