A bill to permit the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians to file with the United States Court of Claims any claim such band could have filed with the Indian Claims Commission under the Act of August 13, 1946 (60 Stat. 1049).
Public Law 96-251 · S. 668 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on May 26, 1980 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. Mark Hatfield (R-OR)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Robert Packwood
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.
Grants the Court of Claims jurisdiction to consider any claim filed by the Cow Creek Bank of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians of Oregon within five years after enactment respecting any matter for which a claim could have been filed by such band with the Indian Claims Commission, notwithstanding the time limitations on such claims.
Authorizes the Court to award costs of suit and attorneys' fees to the prevailing party, other than the United States, in any action under this Act.
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. 13 actions.
- May 26, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-251.
- May 14, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- May 13, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- May 12, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Apr 29, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 9, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 7, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Nov 1, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Mar 14, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.