An Act to authorize appropriations for the Indian Claims Commission for fiscal year 1978; to facilitate the transfer of cases from the Indian Claims Commission to the U.S. Court of Claims; and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-69 · H.R. 4585 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jul 20, 1977 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Rep. Teno Roncalio (D-WY)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. Jim Johnson, Rep. Don Young
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
(Reported to House from the Committee on the Judiciary with amendment, H. Rept. 95-234 (Part II))
Authorizes $2,250,000 to be appropriated for the Indian Claims Commission for fiscal year l978.
Directs the Court of Claims to determine the proper amount of attorney fees and expenses for attorneys representing Indian tribes in cases transferred from the Commission to the Court of Claims. Authorizes that Court to exercise the powers of the Commission relating to information from government departments and official records as evidence.
Provides Supreme Court review by certiorari or certification for cases transferred to the Court of Claims from the Commission.
Authorizes the Court of Claims to appoint 16 commissioners (formerly 15 commissioners) for the expeditious determination of cases transferred to it from the Commission.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Jul 20, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-69.
- Jul 11, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 30, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jun 27, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Jun 7, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Jun 6, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 1, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Apr 29, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 7, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.