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RESPECT Act

Public Law 117-317 · S. 789 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 27, 2022 · Native Americans

Sponsor: Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)

Cosponsors (5): Sen. Tina Smith,

Passage votes

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • 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.

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Summary

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

Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes Act or the RESPECT Act

This act repeals certain provisions related to the treatment of Indians, including provisions on hostile tribes, alcohol, work requirements, penalties for truancy, and placement of youth in reform school without the consent of a parent or guardian.

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

2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 3158Related bill

    Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes Act

  • H.Res. 1518Related bill

    Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1948) to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify authorities relating to the collective bargaining of employees in the Veterans Health Administration; providing for co…

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. Dec 27, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-317.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 23, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 14, 2022FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 5 of H. Res. 1518, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1082, as amended; H.R. 5349; H.R. 6218; H.R. 6220; H.R. 6221; H.R. 6611, as amended; H.R. 6630; H.R. 6725; H.R. 7077, agreed to Senate amend…
  5. FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 5 of H. Res. 1518, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1082, as amended; H.R. 5349; H.R. 6218; H.R. 6220; H.R. 6221; H.R. 6611, as amended; H.R. 6630; H.R. 6725; H.R. 7…
  6. FloorFloor · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1518, proceedings on S. 789 are considered vacated.
  7. Dec 12, 2022FloorFloor · 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.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 789.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. Grijalva moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Dec 7, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 439.
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-606.
  13. Jun 15, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Discharged.
  16. Apr 27, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  18. Jan 13, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.
  19. Jan 12, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
  20. May 28, 2021FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  21. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  22. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  23. May 27, 2021FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  24. Apr 28, 2021CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 53.
  25. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Schatz without amendment. With written report No. 117-19.
  26. Mar 24, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
  27. Mar 17, 2021CommitteeCommittee · 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

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.