InsideGov
Congress · Laws

Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act of 2021

Public Law 117-258 · H.R. 2930 · 117th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 21, 2022 · Native Americans

Sponsor: Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-3)

Cosponsors (24): Rep. Don Young,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 364 yea, 57 nay364–57
  • 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.

Report a correction

Summary

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

Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act of 2021

This act prohibits the exportation of Native American cultural items and archaeological resources that were illegally obtained; provides for the return of such items, including voluntary returns; and establishes and increases related criminal penalties.

Specifically, the act makes it a federal crime to export, attempt to export, or otherwise transport from the United States Native American cultural items and archaeological resources without obtaining an export certification. U.S. Customs and Border Protection must detain any item requiring an export certification that does not have one.

The act requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of State to each designate a liaison to facilitate and hold trainings and workshops on the voluntary return of human remains and cultural items.

Additionally, Interior must

• refer individuals and organizations to Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to facilitate the voluntary return of human remains and cultural items;

• convene an interagency working group; and

• convene a Native working group consisting of representatives of Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to provide advice on issues concerning the return of, and illegal trade in, human remains and cultural items.

The act also increases the maximum criminal penalties for violating the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. In particular, the act increases from 5 years to 10 years the maximum prison term for an individual convicted of a second or subsequent violation of selling, purchasing, using for profit, or transporting for sale or profit human remains or cultural items that were illegally obtained.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 364 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

364 yea57 nay12 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(214)

Republicans who voted yea(150)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 400 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

Report a correction

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.

Report a correction

Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 1471Related bill

    Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act of 2021

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.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.

  1. Dec 21, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-258.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 16, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 30, 2022FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  5. Nov 29, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  6. Dec 7, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
  7. Dec 2, 2021FloorFloor · 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 the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 364 - 57 (Roll no. 401).House roll call 401
  9. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  10. Dec 1, 2021FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  11. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2930.
  12. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  13. FloorFloor · Ms. Leger Fernandez moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  14. CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 140.
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-196, Part I.
  18. Nov 9, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
  19. Oct 13, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
  20. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Discharged.
  22. May 20, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
  23. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  25. Apr 30, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Foreign Affairs, 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 committee …
  26. 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.

Report a correction

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.

Report a correction

Official record

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